Pumphouse Point

Oh man! I hate leaving this review. This was our second time staying here, and the contrast between the two was so disappointing. We first stayed here in 2021, and it was the most magical place I've ever stayed. The attention to detail, the comfort, the staff and the thought that went into everything made it truly memorable. We got engaged at the PH in 2021 and couldn't wait to come back. 4 years later, after having had a kid, this was our first weekend away without our daughter and it wasn't what we hoped. We were so excited to go back to the PH but it was so disappointing. The location and the hotel are still wonderful, don't get me wrong, but it was like our first experience had been dialed back by 50%. The NRMA has taken over since the first time we stayed and it felt more a BIG 4 than a luxury hotel. Some examples of things different from our first stay: 1. The lighting down the flume leading you to the PH and lighting of the PH. Most of the lighting was broken. This time it was quite scary walking down the dark path to your accommodation. The lights were mostly broken and you had to walk in the dark for most of the way. It previously felt like the lighting was a runway to your hotel, this time we had our phone lights on. 2. Being offered the golf cart to take you to your room in the rain, wind and cold. This time we weren't offered at all. We were pointed in the direction and sent on our way. 3. THE HONESTY BAR IS GONE! It was so lovely to be able to explore local Tassie wines and spirits by the fire and chat with other guests about what they had tried, tasting a scotch together. It's gone now. No drinks in the PH and drink service on the shorehouse stops at 10. 4. The lunchtime larder. It's still there and great but feels more like someone went to Coles than a showcase of local Tassie products. 5. The drink prices. They are so expensive now. They used to have a range of drinks to cater for everyone. 6. The furniture is tired. We stayed on the top floor of the PH and the couch in our room was like an acoustic couch in an office. Not comfy or homely at all. 7. Staff attendance. For such an expensive hotel I would have expected their CRM system would at least know if guests had been there before. Nope. We were asked on arrival if it was our first time staying. What a lost opportunity to make guests feel special. There was a pile of dishes in the PH which sat on the sink for 18 hours, Nobody tended to the fire, cleaned up mess, straightened communal areas etc. You get the idea. The place is still magical but I've gone from dreaming about the day I could get back there to researching where else I could go instead. I hope it can be turned back into the wonderful place it once was.

Pump house Point has it all - amazing scenery, great rooms and fabulous communal areas with a fireplace to watch the lake as you read your book, play a game (provided) and drink local wines from the honour bar. Dinner is served for all guests together and was adequate but not great.

A Disappointing Return to a Previously Loved Destination It’s disappointing to write this review, as we’ve absolutely loved Pumphouse Point during past stays. Unfortunately, this time, the special atmosphere that once made it so memorable seemed to be missing. To start with the positives—because there are still some. The location remains simply stunning. Sitting in the lounge, looking out over Lake St Clair with a glass of wine in hand and a crackling wood fire nearby is still an unforgettable experience. The surrounding walks are world-class, and the accommodation is faultless: spacious, beautifully appointed, and designed with comfort in mind. The staff were warm, helpful and genuinely lovely throughout our stay. However, there were several aspects that significantly impacted our experience. The Food: Sadly, the dining was well below par for a premium destination. Meals arrived cold or lukewarm at best, portions were small, and desserts lacked imagination. On two nights, dessert was simply a small, dry cake with nothing to accompany it. Another guest even joked, “Did they buy these in a packet from Woolies and just plate them up?” The food gave the impression of being pre-prepared and reheated rather than freshly cooked. Everything was under-seasoned, and condiments weren’t provided on the tables—you had to ask each night. When I raised concerns about the cold food, staff said they’d inform the chef, but there was no follow-up. We never saw the chef or smelt any food cooking, which felt unusual for a place like this. Dining Atmosphere: One of the standout features of past visits was the communal dining experience. Guests sat at long shared tables, where conversations flowed freely, and it was easy to meet new people and form unexpected friendships. The restaurant used to be vibrant—filled with laughter, chatter, and a genuine sense of connection. Unfortunately, that atmosphere seems to have been lost. Guests are now offered the option to dine separately, and many understandably choose to do so. While this may suit some, the result is a dining room that feels sterile and silent—there’s not even ambient music to soften the mood. On our first night, the space felt so flat and uninviting that I just wanted to leave. It was a stark contrast to the warm, lively experience we’d looked forward to in the past. Changes to the Honesty Bar: We understand the removal of the honesty bar due to RSA regulations, but the replacement system is far from guest-friendly. Alcohol is now only available for purchase between 3pm and 10pm, and we often found ourselves chasing up staff—who were in the middle of setting up the restaurant for dinner service—to get a drink. There was no drinks list for spirits or beers, so guests are left having to ask what’s available and how much everything costs. When I enquired, I was told they’re in the process of updating their offerings—but surely a temporary list could be provided, especially when some items are at the top en

We first stayed at Pumphouse Point back in 2019 and have spent the last six years raving about it to anyone who would listen. Finally in June we managed to get back and felt quite disappointed with the experience. The hotel has been sold and is now operated by the NRMA, this seems to have resulted in much of the magic being lost. Firstly the setting remains stunning, staying out in the pumphouse in the middle of the lake is still a lovely experience, be prepared for some cold walks in winter but it’s worth it. The rooms are still nice although the small bathrooms a bit dated and lacking privacy, but the setting more than makes up for that. Some things that need attention if this is to continue to be promoted as a premium hotel. - house keeping, it’s just not cleaned properly, in the rooms and common areas. We had cobwebs, not just on the windows but in the bathroom that were not cleaned. Cleaning the carpets seemed very occasional with crumbs etc left for days. - catering, dinners were okay but a bit hit and miss, often cold and not fresh. Breakfast was really poor, reminiscent of a cheap motel, the communal dinners which we enjoyed a lot on previous visit seem to be gone. Lunch provisions are provided daily’s, bread, a couple of cheeses and cold meat. It would be fine except it never changes, exactly the same day after day, it just seems lazy not to add some variety. - Drinks, there is no wine available by the glass, just a very limited selection of wines by the bottle at very expensive prices. The wonderful honour bars in the lounges on our last visit are all gone. The pre-dinner drinks each night are very limited, staff seem very uncertain what’s is included and the nightly cocktail seems almost alcohol free. - Staff, most are friendly enough and trying hard but almost all seem to be untrained and mostly travellers. One staff member who went to great effort to tell us he was the Manager gave us the worst customer service experience. - the retreat, a seperate and somewhat remote building and the most premium of the rooms is now being surrounded by similar copies currently under construction which will take away from its charm considerably. We spoke to a number of other guests on return visits after previous great stays who shared our dismay and told us it would be their last visit. You simply can’t charge $1000 a night and get these things wrong, it’s a shame as this is such a remarkable place.

This hotel has been on our bucket list for a long time ever since we saw it on instagram. It’s a beautiful location steeped in a long history. Considering the price you pay of $1000 a night there is a lot of areas which are lacking here. It’s a shame management don’t read these reviews and address some of the same repeat problems as the property has so much potential and could live up to its 5 stars. As with previous reviews we were disappointed with the cleanliness, communal dining with strangers, non alcoholic cocktails, no wine offered by the glass, limited food menu (1st night 2 choices one of which was watered down pea ham soup with 2 peas floating in it and Tasmanian trout which soon got removed from the menu, next night no choices one arancini ball and shared bowl of meats with random tomato salad?) A larder lunch is provided in your room with bread but you can only eat so much bread considering they serve it up at breakfast, lunch & dinner. Why can’t you provide Lunch at the restaurant ? Speaking to others they were venturing out to nearby pubs. We were pre-warned that water would not be available the next day (Easter) from 10-2 pm so got up early to shower to discover it was off at 7am, not good enough ! The place seemed to be run by young foreigners and not management. Perhaps this is what is needed to run a tighter ship. Please put some of the money you charge customers into refining your service offering and going towards the basics such as cleaning cobwebs.