Sandbox Apartments

Extremely Disappointed - False Advertising and Hidden Fees I am writing this review to warn potential guests about the misleading practices and poor conditions at Sand Box Apartments in Tugan. ## Hidden Fees and Deceptive Pricing Upon booking, I was charged the advertised rate of $133.40 for one night. However, I was then hit with an additional $95 cleaning fee that was never mentioned during the booking process. This represents a 71% increase from the advertised price and feels like a deliberate attempt to mislead customers. ## "Luxury" Claims Are Completely False The property is advertised as "Luxury," but the reality is starkly different: - **Walls and furniture**: Heavily stained throughout the apartment, including the dining table - **Cleanliness**: Thick dust accumulated in every corner of every room - **Pest issues**: Cockroaches present in the shower area - **Air conditioning**: Visibly mouldy and disgusting condition - **Amenities**: No Wi-Fi despite being advertised as available ## Location Issues The apartment is positioned directly under the Gold Coast Airport flight path, creating constant noise disruption. Combined with extremely thin walls between units, guests can expect no peace or quiet during their stay. ## Final Thoughts The $95 cleaning fee is clearly not being used for its intended purpose, as evidenced by the poor state of cleanliness throughout the property. This appears to be nothing more than a money grab from the property owner. Save yourself the disappointment and hidden costs - look elsewhere for accommodation. The Sand Box Apartments fall far short of even basic standards, let alone the "luxury" experience they claim to provide.

The location was great, but the apartment was dirty. There was a cockroach in the coffee machine which was full of pods and there were food scraps in the cupboard. It was generally unclean. There was also no oven or stove - just a portable cooktop.

Great location directly opposite the beach with an easy walk to surf club, shops and Cafes. On a negative, the block out curtains were mouldy and yellowing with age and need to be replaced and the unit needs a proper clean in the draws and cupboards. Would gladly stay again, however not on the bottom floor. The noise from upstairs was quite loud.

The photos of the "Deluxe one bedroom apartment with balcony - no view" don't show the full realities. The outdoor table shown is not private (our assumption) but is on a common veranda. On opening the front door, we were immediately 'attacked' by 2 massive cockroaches running around one of which ended up hiding under our bed for the night (not good). I grew up on the GC (Currumbin) so know about the Cockroach problem and what a treated and looked after property looks like. This particular appt def was not in that category. The apartment was dirty in places and well in need of a coat of paint. In summary, maybe we were unlucky however our comments about it being 'tired' and dirty in places are not unique amongst the reviews.

Excellent location. Great coffee, food and playground for kids. Beach across the road. Big apartments and very affordable.

I’m deeply disappointed with my experience with Sandbox Apartments in Tugun, Queensland. After waiting 14 business days for my deposit to be returned, as instructed by Andre, I followed up as any customer would. The website (Google) clearly showed that the apartments were open (in green), so I called at 6:30 AM. When the call started diverting, I assumed it was too early and hung up, thinking nothing of it. To my surprise, I received a call back from the clerk's boss, who was irritated and downright rude. He was clearly angry that I had woken him up, and his condescending tone made me feel as though I was the one at fault for following up on a service I was owed. I explained that I only called because their website listed the apartments as open, and the call was diverting, which typically indicates availability. Rather than understanding my situation, Jason doubled on his frustration, making me feel like my call was an inconvenience rather than a legitimate inquiry. What’s most upsetting is the lack of professionalism and the complete disregard for basic customer service. I felt disrespected and dismissed for trying to resolve an issue that should have been handled weeks ago. This kind of treatment is unacceptable in any business, especially one that deals directly with customers and their money. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend Sandbox Apartments to anyone. This experience has left me with a sour impression of the company, and I will not be returning. It's disheartening to see that such a lack of care and respect for customers exists. Updated reply from the business: The transaction was returned and yes is a pre authorisation, about the phone call it wasn’t me but anyway you did what you had to do, with reviews and complains so I won’t expect anything less than another complain, by the way you’ve stayed here so you know there’s no one at reception at 6.30 am, so don’t say I didn’t know it wasnt open. About your escalation do what you have to do, but it probably will be arriving soon if it didn’t already. It has been escalated to the bank as no resolution was found, and despite their reply, they have not returned my deposit.