Family-friendly Hotels in Apollo Bay

The hotel is on the edge of the Great Ocean Road. It used to be convenient. Next to it is a small town that can be supplemented with some daily necessities. The service attitude of the hotel was relatively poor. We booked the room. When we arrived at the hotel, it was more than 9:00 in the evening. The front desk of the hotel was closed. We called and asked for the procedure. The receptionist made a half-day complaint and said that we disturbed him to sleep. There was no quilt in the room, the weather was a little cold, and the air conditioning in the room was not strong. There was no way to be familiar with the surroundings. At this time, there was no way to change places and make a mess.

From this Ken, some sweet reflections 23/8/23: It's not Surfers Paradise (& thanks for that) but here at the front wide window of the best cabin at Marengo, on a sharp-breezed but sunny August morning, there's something black (& maybe deadly)slowly creeping against the rough white waves betwixt a scruffy beach & those ragged rocks covered in indolent seals. Often the rude question rises: What do those seals do for a living? The trevally rarely leap up to be devoured! But I did see a real fisherman take two with a double-hooked light line (I wonder what they taste like?) Mostly I wonder, rather than wander, in this last blast of winter, although we are blessed by 3 days of fine sunshine, when shaded from the shade & dressed according to the time of day. That endlessly engaging distraction of light, movement, & always the underlying symphony of surf moves me away from urban life & that endless list of what ”must” be done ASAP. On this one of many journeys to Marengo Family Caravan Park, perhaps 3 hours from Brunswick if you can't help pausing at the wonderful opp shop in Anglesea, best achieved along the Great Ocean Road, by a seriously skilled driver, whose passengers are always gazing left, just in case a wonderful whale is glimpsed, we feel that slight anxiety about unlikely flat tires. The mood completely converts to joyful anticipation as we pass through the ”big smoke” of Apollo Bay - urban concerns fade & the gently rural context of ocean & forest completely converts hard times to a soft escape. On other visits to this few days of new life we have generally travelled to someplace or other & clear advice is always available from the office. This time we chose wisely to firmly alter our existence & simply soaked into an always interesting landscape. Oh, & the black & beautiful curiosity turns out to have two long ”fins” which are the paddling arms of a single surfer, in full wet suit, confidently moving out to where that magic ride can be sought. He went out of sight, around the point, to larger forces, but was seen later returning to his car, board in hand, & slightly surprised by my gestures of congratulation. The journey to Marengo is endless delights, but the happy holiday, renews energy, subdues concern, & provides a better path ahead.

Koalas, in the trees above your camper. What more could one ask for? We stayed here one night on our journey along the Great Ocean Road. We loved this campground, it was clean and well maintained, and the facilities were all excellent. The staff at the check in was friendly and welcoming, and set us up in a great site near the washrooms. The campground is full of gum trees, which have their resident Koalas up in them lounging around so you dont have to go far, or join the throngs of tourists from the buses who are outside the gate, all massing up Kennett River road hoping for their glance of these beautiful animals, they are literally right there in the park for your viewing enjoyment. In addition to the Koalas, there is a beautiful safe beach directly across the road with a nice beginner size break for surfers as well. We would rank this as one of our favourite stops along the Great Ocean Road and would definitely stay here again. Love those Koalas! :)