SanDiego1K

Any recent stays? We plan to return in 2024 and hope we have as amazing a stay as we did in 2018.

joecool1885

I have a booking for late November this year in one of the Pavilions. I did recently notice they removed the in-room chef option in the description of the room, and confirmed with them the other day that they've discontinued that due to Covid. Kinda disappointing, and now wondering if I should bother with the ~$500 premium over the signature rooms.

Will be my most high-end non-points hotel, so looking forward to it regardless. Will have an in-house chef experience at Eagles Nest a couple days after our stay here.

callmedtop

I also have a stay booked here for 3 nights in early November.

sklo

Had a 3 night stay in Dec. Overall impressions were good, rooms were big and spacious with comfortable beds and amazing view of the mountains across the bay, staff in general were friendly and attentive, F&B were decent but don't think of it as a selling point for this resort. View from the room is what you're paying for, along with the service. Activities wise, we did seafood and sparkling cruise, oyster farm, tasmanian devil experience, wineglass bay lookout walk. Would only consider the oyster farm activity as must do, the rest is kind of average. I think that is the takeaway I had for this resort, nothing is outstanding but nothing is offensive. There were some inconsistencies amongst staffs, some were genuinely friendly and wanted to get to know you while some would ask how was your dish and left before you could even say "it was good". If you're planning on going, keep in mind not all activities are scheduled every day and they keep each activity to 6 people each time so you might not be able to do all all the activities you want if you're only there for 1-2 nights. Spa also fills up quickly so might want to book prior to arrival.

SanDiego1K

If you're wondering about Saffire post Covid, be assured it is as magnificent as it was pre Covid. The report above is from Dec 2018. I can now report on March 2024. I wish it were closer. I'd be going a couple times a year. The price is all inclusive with food, beverages, and activities. More importantly, service remains exceptional. And this is despite a number of the staff coming in from all over the world and only being on site a few months. Senior staff does an exceptional job of training warmth and graciousness in all who work there.

On our first visit, we focused on included activities. This time, we added a couple for which there is an extra charge. We took the half day Schouten Island cruise. The boat was extremely comfortable with 3 rows of 4 seats each facing forward. We were given long padded coats to wear. Near the end of the morning we stopped for scones, jam and cream along with coffee or tea. I felt that I was at an Aman property. My husband went out on an ATV ride. You can go out on a 2 hour or a 4 hour trip.

I asked for scallops again on this visit. Again, they were not on the menu but the chef put together a delicious dish for us. We wanted rack of lamb. Given the multitudes on the island we were sure this request could be met. And it was. The chef put together a meal worthy of a significant holiday with lots of side dishes in addition to the lamb.

Here are some examples of great service.

1. Our view to the water was obstructed by shrubbery when we sat in the step down living room. We asked if one particular shrub could be trimmed. We were told yes but the next day. However, the grounds manager came in 15 minutes, sat in a chair by me so he could realize what he could not see, and immediately set to work trimming three of the shrubs into shape. What a difference it made.
2. We don't drink alcohol. We had a nonalcoholic ginger soda made by Cascade in Strahan that we really liked. None was in house. An employee who lived locally stopped at a store before coming in the following morning and bought their entire inventory of 4 bottles. He put them in our refrigerator. We assumed they also had them in the dining room. When we asked at lunch, they didn't. Philippe, who is there with his wife Carinna for 12 years now, walked to our room to get a bottle for us.
3. We had a young Australian woman who had been working at the property for less than a month clean our room. She refilled the snack basket and asked if there was anything we particularly liked. I said yes, the chili cashews. She put several bags of them in the basket. That really gives a sense of service, first, that she asked, second, that she was empowered to act.

We booked the top room, the pavilion, one of four in the 20 room property. We liked it a lot. Don't book it for a plunge pool which is a bit of nothing. It's like a large tub and enters into the courtyard, not directly into the bathroom. Pointless in my opinion. But we liked having a small ktichen and a big dining room table. My husband used the table as his work desk and we had breakfast there two mornings.

Patrick Barrie is the General Manager and is present in a very understated but sufficient way.

SanDiego1K

callmedtop

Thanks SD1K. We visited in November 2023 and had a fantastic time. I agree that it felt like an Aman, with fantastic attention to detail.

My only critique was breakfast, where they insisted on burning the toast every single morning of our 3 night stay!