Impressed by affordable last minute accommodation booking. Review of Coral Cay Resort Mackay.

Accommodation Name: Coral Cay Resort

Address: 14 Nebo Road Mackay Queensland Australia

When we stayed: October 2024

Room type: Standard Queen

Nights stayed: 1 night

Where we booked: Klook

Facilities: 

• Free parking

• Onsite restaurant and bar

• Free WIFI

• Family Rooms

• Fitness Centre

• Room Service

In room Facilities:

• In room microwave

• In room Fridge

• Iron & Ironing board

• Extra blanket and pillows

• Kettle

• Dining table

Overview: 

This was a quick overnight trip for bub and I, so we only had a standard Queen room, however Coral Cay Resort do have family rooms available. I booked the day before through Klook as they had a great rate compared to other booking sites, and while I had driven past the resort before and it looked nice and tidy from the road, and the pictures online looked good, I was sceptical given the nightly rate. Thankfully I was pleasantly surprised. The room was spacious with a 2-seater dining table, Queen bed, lots of space for the porta cot and bub to run around, good size bathroom, lots of storage space for clothing, a bar fridge, microwave and TV. The best part is that the room was clean, not just hotel clean, but my standard of clean. The shower had a detachable shower head which made it easier to shower bub, without hopping in with her. This worked out great as I was able to put her to bed, then go to the shower and she was asleep by the time I got out, as that’s a bit of a down fall of sleeping in the same room as little ones, is that you all go to sleep at the same time or you sit in pitch black until they are out, they you can get your phone out, pop the ear buds in and watch something on your tiny screen.

I was also surprised at the prices and quality of the onsite restaurant, which is open for breakfast and dinner. They warned me on arrival that it was best too book if I wanted to eat at the restaurant, since like a lot of hotels in Mackay, they have a lot of work crews and people travelling for business staying there so it gets busy. They also gave me a copy of the menu and specials so I could have a look once I got to my room. When I went down for our reservation the highchair was already at the table for us. The restaurant is located off reception and is only small with an indoor and outdoor area overlooking the pool. They even had a few stools scatted around in the bar area for those who might want to just grab a drink, there wasn’t any bar tables though, however I don’t think there was really any room for bar tables. You can also order room service which is the same menu.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to use the pool, but it looked very inviting with a BBQ area in one corner, they even have BBQ packs you can order through reception during the week for delivery/collection on the weekend.

They had plenty of car parks and the car parks were wide, one thing I hate about Mackay hotels is they have narrow carparks that are full of 4X4 work Utes so there’s no room to open the car doors. I managed to jag an undercover carpark next to the stairs which made my life a little easier for unloading and loading the car.

They also has an afterhours check-in and check-out lock box.

For the sake of finding something bad about the room I’m going to pick on the bed, it was just your standard firm hotel mattress, which meant I was tossing and turning all night. The bathroom door had also bowed so it didn’t latch and the in-room phone didn’t work, but that didn’t bother me, I just used my mobile to call reception to make the restaurant reservation. Also the crows and other wildlife had got into the room service trays left outside the rooms overnight, so the next morning there was the odd bit of food scrap on the walk way.  But I’m really picking at things here.

What I liked;

• Friendly staff

• Central location, with easy access to everything

• Good onsite restaurant

• Big room

• Free onsite covered and uncovered carparks

• The pool area looked very inviting, unfortunately we didn’t have time to use it

What I didn’t like;

• Internet didn’t work, which I find happens at so many hotels that offer free WIFI

• Stairs, this has really only become an issue since having kids, and was especially an issue on this stay as I was on my own, so I could only carry bub and one or tow items at a time. Thankfully we were only over night so only have the porta cot, overnight bag and nappy bag, but it was still more trips that was needed carrying bub back and forth with me.

• Standard firm hotel bed

Summary

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Coral Cay Resort and recommend it to anyone looking for affordable accommodation in Mackay. We probably wouldn’t stay there again as a family, even in the family rooms while the kids are still young, but if it was just another overnight with one of the kids I would stay again.