Budget Travel - Great Ocean Road (Australia) lodging options?

Can anyone recommend lodgding options along the Great Ocean Road (http://www.auinfo.com/great-ocean-road.htm)?

I am taking the family on an overnight trip along the GOR and could really use some recommendations for reasonably priced lodging (preferrably closer to Port Campbell as I'd like to see the Twelve Apostles (http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/vicsightseeing/a/greatoceanroad3.htm) in the evening and morning) and places to eat and any off the beaten path things to do along the way. We will be renting a car.

Thanks,

Onedog

All I can say is make sure you book in early in the day! We rocked up at about 8:30pm in Port Campbell, and everywhere was already shut for the night :o Fun night of sleeping in the car for us!!

Are you after a hostel, cabin, hotel? There's a motor inn type thing, which was $110 for a self contained cabin with a double bed and 2x singles. I can try and dig up the name of it if you want. There's 2 hostels that I know of, don't know of any hotels though.

The twelve apostles motel was reasonably priced when we stayed there - and the restaurant does home style meals at a decent price. Very close for sunrise and sunset!

All I can say is make sure you book in early in the day! We rocked up at about 8:30pm in Port Campbell, and everywhere was already shut for the night :o Fun night of sleeping in the car for us!!

Are you after a hostel, cabin, hotel? There's a motor inn type thing, which was $110 for a self contained cabin with a double bed and 2x singles. I can try and dig up the name of it if you want. There's 2 hostels that I know of, don't know of any hotels though.

Back in the day before kids, the Mrs. and I use to stay in hostels and pensions so we aren't that picky, as long as clean and reasonably priced.

We are trying to introduce the kids (and I am trying to gently reintroduce the Mrs. :D ) to "budget travel" before they get too use to staying at high end hotels.

The twelve apostles motel was reasonably priced when we stayed there - and the restaurant does home style meals at a decent price. Very close for sunrise and sunset!

Thanks for the tip. I have sent the motel an email asking for availability & room rate.

Any other food recommendations for the rest of the drive? We'll be taking pretty regular rest & potty breaks (two young kids) so I'd rather pan a stop at a "must see/eat/do" location rather than drive by and then take an emergency break just down the road.

Thanks,

Onedog

All I can say is make sure you book in early in the day! We rocked up at about 8:30pm in Port Campbell, and everywhere was already shut for the night :o Fun night of sleeping in the car for us!!

Are you after a hostel, cabin, hotel? There's a motor inn type thing, which was $110 for a self contained cabin with a double bed and 2x singles. I can try and dig up the name of it if you want. There's 2 hostels that I know of, don't know of any hotels though.

Did you end up staying at either the cabin or the 2 hostels? I'm hoping to stay at a place where I can get a first hand review. Sometimes descriptions and photos on websites are stretched to the far end of credibiity.

I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Onedog

I'll have a dig around google maps and my memory bank when I get home from work this arvo :)

Has anyone stayed or have any input on the The Port Campbell Beach Front Lodge (http://www.aussieweb.com.au/details.aspx?id=1801598)? The location across from a small park and the water looks nice. Now if only they had an email address listing...:mad:

I absolutely recommend SeaFoam Villa @ PortCampbell

for $110AU we got a suite with living room, kitchen and one bedroom with attached bathroom :)

LINK : http://www.seafoamvillas.com/

Groan, I FINALLY get around to looking all this up, and IE stops. Gah!

Anyway ....

http://www.portcampbellhostel.com.au/ - stayed here once, wouldn't again unless really poor. No hot water, charge for towels, dirty, freezing, just altogether not clean. Close to the pub though! (which is also not clean!)

http://www.portcampbellparkviewmotel.com.au/ - I haven't actually stayed here, but it has been recommended to me by a friend from Melbourne

I haven't stayed at the beach front lodges either, but that's because every time I've looked there they've been fully booked! So that's probably a good sign.

I'm sorry, but I can't for the life of me find the motel we stayed at in a pinch last time! But it was a similar price to the park view motel, which looks much nicer, so I don't think it's a loss anyway!

ps seafoam gets dreadful reviews on trip advisor!

Groan, I FINALLY get around to looking all this up, and IE stops. Gah!

Anyway ....

http://www.portcampbellhostel.com.au/ - stayed here once, wouldn't again unless really poor. No hot water, charge for towels, dirty, freezing, just altogether not clean. Close to the pub though! (which is also not clean!)

http://www.portcampbellparkviewmotel.com.au/ - I haven't actually stayed here, but it has been recommended to me by a friend from Melbourne

I haven't stayed at the beach front lodges either, but that's because every time I've looked there they've been fully booked! So that's probably a good sign.

I'm sorry, but I can't for the life of me find the motel we stayed at in a pinch last time! But it was a similar price to the park view motel, which looks much nicer, so I don't think it's a loss anyway!

ps seafoam gets dreadful reviews on trip advisor!

Thanks. I checked on the internet and the Port Campbell Park View Motel's prices are pretty steep, but maybe those are just thier high season rates? I'll do a bit more research.

I'm still trying to contact the Beach Front Lodge but they don't seem to pick up their phone. Maybe they close down for the winter months?

Onedog

I see you are from L.A. Well, you can save a bundle by just driving SR1, it beats anything you'll see on the Great Ocean Road, including the Apostles.

Australia is a wonderful country with great people. But geographic wonders there really aren't that magical (except possibly the Great Barrier reef). Take the hype and promotion and divide that by two for starters. For the Apostles, consider just a day trip, there is a fast inland road that will take you one of the two ways rather quickly.

I'm ready to be trashed for this view now! :)

I see you are from L.A. Well, you can save a bundle by just driving SR1, it beats anything you'll see on the Great Ocean Road, including the Apostles.

Australia is a wonderful country with great people. But geographic wonders there really aren't that magical (except possibly the Great Barrier reef). Take the hype and promotion and divide that by two for starters. For the Apostles, consider just a day trip, there is a fast inland road that will take you one of the two ways rather quickly.

I'm ready to be trashed for this view now! :)

I've driven PCH between LAX and SFO many times and I agree with your that the drive in some parts is fantastic. I commute between LAX and SBA and the coastal drive along the 101 is one of brighter spots along what is often a rather tortuous drive (101 throught the valley and up and over the hill to the westside is often hellish).

We have 4 days in MEL and would like to see some of southern Australia that is outside of the cities before we head to the Great Barrier Reef area for a weeks stay.

Onedog