Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge

“Great location and wilderness feel, but you’re mostly paying for the setting”

Cradle Mountain Lodge is all about location. It’s conveniently within walking distance (about 5 minutes) of the Interpretation Centre / Ranger Station shuttle pick-up, and right on the Enchanted Walk (a 20-minute, 1.1 km boardwalk stroll) where you might spot pademelons or even a wombat if you’re … more

Cradle Mountain Lodge is all about location. It’s conveniently within walking distance (about 5 minutes) of the Interpretation Centre / Ranger Station shuttle pick-up, and right on the Enchanted Walk (a 20-minute, 1.1 km boardwalk stroll) where you might spot pademelons or even a wombat if you’re lucky. The lodge also overlooks a pretty pond and feels very much immersed in nature. We stayed in a Pencil Pine Chalet Cabin, which was cozy with two armchairs facing a gas fireplace, a small fridge, Nespresso machine, kettle, and a complimentary bottle of wine. Cellular service worked fine, but there was no Wi-Fi in the room (only available at main reception). The cabin walls were thin, and unfortunately, we could hear a baby crying through the night. Of note, the pipes can freeze, leaving no hot water in the morning. It would have been nice if staff had warned us about this in advance. The hotel can sell you a combined 24-hour visitor pass and shuttle ticket for $30 AUD per person, but if you’re staying more than a day or visiting other national parks, it’s cheaper to buy from the Visitor Centre instead: Vehicle pass: $95 AUD (covers up to 8 people for 2 months) Shuttle pass: $15 AUD per person for 3 days (kids under 18 ride free but still need a park pass) Note that neither the Ranger Centre nor the shuttle itself sells tickets or passes. We did several walks. Dove Lake Circuit, Ronny Creek to Waldheim to Dove Lake, and the Marion Lookout Walk. The Ronny Creek area in the late afternoon gave us the best chance to see wombats, and the Marion Lookout trail was the most scenic (can start from either Ronny Creek or Dove Lake shuttle stop). Breakfast was good with plenty of hot and cold options, but lunch and dinner choices were limited. The Highland Restaurant was overpriced and underwhelming (reservations required), while the Tavern Bar had better food but was still expensive. Overall, this is the best-located hotel at Cradle Mountain to be right in the wilderness and within easy reach of the shuttle system. If you value convenience and a nature-immersive experience, it’s worth it, but know you’re paying a premium mainly for the location and atmosphere.

less

“Beautiful location but hotel needs revamp”

The highlight of our trip to Cradle Mountain Lodge was a private guided walk around Crater Lake with Stan, the activities manager. We learnt so much about local fauna and flora as well as local history. Highly recommended! We also very much enjoyed our hot stone massages at the spa where the lov… more

The highlight of our trip to Cradle Mountain Lodge was a private guided walk around Crater Lake with Stan, the activities manager. We learnt so much about local fauna and flora as well as local history. Highly recommended! We also very much enjoyed our hot stone massages at the spa where the lovely Senna made us feel very nurtured. On a less positive note this is not a luxury destination, the facilities in the rooms definitely do not warrant the hefty price tag (no internet, no central heating, worn furnishings). The staff were friendly but seemed to lack training, service was chaotic at times. Food was average and very expensive (minimum spend of $105 per head in the Highland restaurant, not including drinks).

less

“Lovely location and an ok lodge with no WiFi in the rooms”

Great location and lovely walking trails. The afternoon person at reception seemed bored and said we had to book a time for breakfast; we said 7 am. Got to breakfast the next day and they said we were booked for 8.30 am and had not been booked for the following day. The breakfast buffet was w… more

Great location and lovely walking trails. The afternoon person at reception seemed bored and said we had to book a time for breakfast; we said 7 am. Got to breakfast the next day and they said we were booked for 8.30 am and had not been booked for the following day. The breakfast buffet was weak. No egg station. No granola that i could find. My room was fine. Heated by a gas fire which was ok. The rest of the amenities in the room were fine with the exception that there was no Wi-Fi in the room only in the main building. And could not get into the main building to use the Wi-Fi until the breakfast service opened at 7 am! Stayed two nights and was pleased that the room was serviced in between, that was appreciated. Ate one dinner in the bar which was quite good and in the breakfast restaurant for dinner which we had to book. Dinner in the restaurant was ok but i did not feel worth the cost.

less