Affordability of accommodation is extremely important when tourists are planning their next holiday or trip. So the news that hotel prices have reached an all time high in Perth, Western Australia, is not good news for people planning a trip to this beautiful part of our nation.

Below is an excerpt from an article printed today in the WA Today. You can read the full article, written by Rhianna King, by clicking here.

Perth has the most expensive hotel rooms of all capital cities in Australia, thanks to a recent boom in business travel created by the resources industry.

 

The average price of Perth hotel rooms soared by 17 per cent last year to $184 a night, $18 more than the Australian average of $166, according to a hotels.com survey, making it the most expensive capital city in the nation.

 

Meanwhile a separate study from STR Global has found occupancy rates are also on the rise; increasing 12 per cent to 82.4 per cent in January.

 

Tourism officials warned the combination of high prices and low availability was good for hoteliers but was squeezing out leisure tourists.

 

WA Tourism Council chief executive Evan Hall said some travellers were being forced to stay as far out as Mandurah due to the lack of availability in Perth.

The article goes on to indicate that the weekends have the lowest hotel occupancy, with the mid-week nights of Tuesday to Thursday being the most popular nights. Business travellers are making the most of the available rooms and the prices are becoming too high for many tourists.

While business travel increased during 2011, travel for leisure fell significantly. While many of the popular hotels may be doing well with the business clients, the decline in tourists is having a significant affect on the tourism industry in and around Perth.

Villa della Rosa is a charming 4.5 star Bed and Breakfast up on the top of gorgeous Mount Tamborine. Situated at 5 Platt Place, North Tamborine, between the Gold Coast and Brisbane in Queensland Australia, allowing easy access to explore the beautiful sights and attractions of southeast Qld. It is the perfect spot for a romantic weekend getaway.

Four years ago Greg and I spent our wedding night at the Villa della Rosa B&B and now have returned to celebrate four years of marriage. The night before our wedding I stayed at this delightful B&B with my bridesmaid. We enjoyed a delicious 3-course dinner and a good night’s sleep. Then we woke up early for our morning wedding at the Pavilion Gardens, Mt Tamborine. After our wedding ceremony and reception we returned in the afternoon to celebrate our wedding night. We again ate a tantalizing meal for dinner and then a tasty, 4-course deluxe breakfast in the morning.

We were so excited to be able to return to where our married life began. We arrived around mid afternoon, checked in and then enjoyed a relaxing afternoon in the garden and watched a DVD in our room. There is even a huge DVD library in the living room that all guests are able to freely use during their stay.

Villa della Rosa has three charming rooms for guests to enjoy. These rooms are the Roman room, Venetian room and the Florentine room. Each room is unique and elegantly decorated and furnished with special touches of Tuscany throughout.

Four years ago we stayed in the Roman suite and had a lovely wedding night. We were able to light the candles and enjoy a candlelit soak in the spacious whirlpool hot tub.

For our fourth wedding anniversary celebration we stayed in the Venetian suite. This stylish suite is slightly smaller than the Roman and Florentine suites, but is still elegantly appointed with authentic Italian decor. There is a two-person Jacuzzi whirlpool bathtub fully surrounded by exquisite tiles and a column on either side of the tub.

The separate ensuite bathroom is tiled with white marble and has a spacious walk-in, glass enclosed shower. The oversized shower comes complete with a six-jet shower module and two showerheads for a relaxing shower and massage.

Outside is a quaint garden where you can sit for a quality conversation and perhaps drink a cuppa or glass of wine. The insects and birds are gently singing and you may even spot a native Australian bush turkey or two wandering past.

We were glad for this opportunity to return to the place where we spent our first night as husband and wife. (In fact, we were the very first wedding couple to stay at the Villa della Rosa Bed and Breakfast and have our photo on the villa’s website.) It is our aim to continue to return in future years for more romantic weekend getaways up on Mt Tamborine.

We highly recommend the Villa della Rosa B&B to other couples that want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday work and life to somewhere you will be pampered and able enjoy the quiet, tranquil atmosphere that Mt Tamborine offers.

Villa Della Rosa Map:

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Villa Della Rosa Aerial View:

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After we had a lovely day at the Hastings cave and thermal springs we drove for an hour to Geeveston and then a further hour inland to Tahune Forest. Tahune is part of the Southern Forests in the south west of Tasmania.

We checked in at the Visitors Centre and received our key. We had already paid a week earlier when we made the booking so that made it quick and easy.

Tahune Airwalk Lodge Address:

Tahune Forest Reserve,
Arve Road, Geeveston TAS 7116

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Tahune Forest, Geeveston, Aerial View:

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Ian then escorted us over to the Tahune Airwalk lodge, which was only a short walk from the visitors centre. We were pleasantly surprised to see the quality of the accommodation and all the features.

Since the lodge was only opened a few months previously, in April 2011, every thing was nice and new.

There was a good size common-area with a professional-type, stainless steel kitchen, large fridge, tables and chairs. There is also free Internet provided on the computer in the common dining area.

The fridge is stocked with milk for visitors to make a hot cuppa. On the bench are canisters with tea bags, coffee, sugar and hot chocolate sachets. This means that guests are able to enjoy a hot cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate when they arrive and during their stay.

Since there is no television reception out in the forest, there are no TV stations available to watch, but several DVDs are provided for the enjoyment of the visitors.

At one side of the dining area is a lovely wood fire, with chopped wood neatly stacked nearby. Just outside the side door is a large pile of chopped timber, which sits under cover to keep it dry and ready for use.

There are 8 rooms distributed around the common-dining area with enough beds to sleep up to 25 people. Each room has its own unique layout with some rooms sleeping more people and others less people.

There is a room that suits people in wheelchairs and it has space to manoeuvre easily.

Down the corridor there are toilets and showers. It is set out very carefully and has obviously been planned very well. There are separate little rooms down the corridor with each room for one particular purpose.

There is one male toilet, one male shower and then likewise, one female toilet and one female shower. In addition, there is a disabled toilet and shower, which is a good size to enable ease of movement.

As well as stairs leading up to the entrance, there is also a timber ramp, which means that wheelchairs and prams have easy access to the building.

Once you are settled in, you are free to enjoy a relaxing walk throughout the forest. This is something that only guests to the lodge can do after dark.

So make sure that you bring some warm jackets and some good quality, strong torches to use on your bush walks and exploring after the sun sets.

Greg, Tehillah and I enjoyed a relaxing evening after our long day. We cooked a hot dinner and watched a DVD.

Greg and I also had a short walk down to the Eagle Hang Gliding and had a look at the river.

In the next post we will continue with our experience on the hang gliding. This was one of the best things that I have done in my life and so I am excited to share it with you.

So until next time, Remember to Enjoy Life and Enjoy a fun forest holiday!

Leanne Annett <><