Geelong: Rose Garden Motel (sleeps up to 5 + cot)

When researching a family getaway, it can be tempting to stay away from motels. While some give us good reason for that, there are others who think outside the square and are set up to welcome families.

We discovered such a motel in Geelong over the summer school holidays. We wanted to visit a school friend in Barwon Heads and decided it would be fun to spend a night rather than drive back to Melbourne.

Accommodation on the Bellarine Peninsula was expensive and many places had two night minimums. So I looked at Geelong and found the Rose Garden Motel at Belmont (the Peninsula side of Geelong). And what a great find it was!

Where do I start – well, with a lovely, warm welcome from the Manager, Helen. This is a place where they care about their property and their guests – and it comes across.

The gardens are lovely. There is a fenced swimming pool within a larger grassed area, onto which our room opened up. This is perfect for families, as it essentially offers a backyard with a playground and bbq too.

Inside, our room had a king bed and a single (with hubby back in Melbourne, I shared my bed with Miss 9). There was also a table and chairs, where we ate our take-away dinner and breakfast in comfort.

What was great about this motel room is that it had a small kitchenette with a sink, microwave, toaster, crockery and cutlery (including a peeler!) which allowed us to eat in to the room.

Breakfast can be ordered and is delivered through the old fashioned motel food delivery door, which fascinated my daughter. But it is also a short drive to Belmont with some restaurants, take-away shops and supermarkets for any provisions.

Other little extras included Free WIFI, free DVDs and a small range of snacks and drinks to purchase from reception (including beer and wine). And there was air freshener in the toilet – how welcome is that to a small family sharing one bathroom.

And we got all this for just $149 for the night in the peak summer period.

The Rose Garden Motel also has 2 family rooms which can sleep up to 5. These are set up with as a main king size room, with an attached room with 3 single beds. There is also another TV in this room.

So, if you are looking for a great affordable option on the Bellarine Peninsula - maybe somewhere to spend the night after an exhausting day at Adventure Park – I recommend you check out the Rose Garden Hotel. And say hi to Helen.

PRICES AND AVAILABILITY: If you are interested in staying at the Rose Garden Motel Belmont, contact them direct or through you preferred booking website.