travelsis

My husband and I am planning our first trip to Australia in July and I need your expert help. Most of our trip is pre-planned by the travel agency but we wanted to extend the trip to include a drive on the Ocean Road. My problem is hotel suggestions. Can anyone suggest clean decent hotels in these cities along the way: Lorne or Apollo Bay, Mount Gambier, and lastly Victor Harbor or Cape Jervis. We are on a budget and would like to stay as econmomical as possible but not in poor quality hotel. Something like a Hampton Inn here in the US. We are mid twenties and this is our first wedding anniversay celebration trip. We don't need fancy but need clean and safe.

Melnq8

We really enjoyed our stay at the Apollo Bay Colonial Cottages.

www.colonialcottages.com.au.

Here's an excerpt from my GOR trip
report regarding the cottages:

These cottages are actually located in Marengo, 2 km past Apollo Bay, set back from the road, yet just across the street from the ocean. A$132 per night got us a very nice two bedroom colonial cottage complete with fireplace and two person spa tub. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for moderately priced, self-contained accommodation. We chose Apollo Bay as a base, from which we made day trips along the GOR, thus avoiding packing and unpacking.

Melnq8

Forgot to mention that these cottages have gotten lots of glowing reviews on Trip Advisor - including mine.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...oria.html#TOPC

marg

Most of the accommodation along your route will consist of small motels and B&B's. There is a big resort at Lorne - the Cumberland, but apart from this, there is nothing like the Hampton Inns in US.
If you like the outside appearance of a motel, just ask to see one of the units before you commit to staying there.

prue

Most of the places you list are only smallish towns - certainly not cities - but there is a variety of motels, hotels and b&bs in each one.

travelsis

Thank you very much. Does anyone know about Cape Jervis? What kind of weather shoudl we expect on the GOR in July?

Bokhara2

Hi Travelsis,
July is mid winter in Australia and the southern States will be the coolest. Ranges will probably be single digits to mid teens (Celsius). (Poss 6 - 14 ish) It can be be windy along the coast. Days can be gloriously clear & sunny, but take an all weather jacket.

Looks as if you're going to have a great trip!

travelsis

How long does it take to get from Melbourne to Lorne or Apollo Bay? How long is the Great Ocean Road from the Lorne area to Kangaroo Island area? I can't get a straight answer.

THANKS

speckles

Hi travelsis. I just googled Lorne to Cape Jervis. It came up as 794km and 11 hours drive time and this was using the inland roads. The GOR would take a little longer I would guess. You need another stop in there ie Mt Gambier, Millicent, Robe or even Penola (inland from the GOR).

Cape Jervis is the ferry port for Kangaroo Island. I don't know that there is much around there as far as accommodation. You might need to stay near by at somewhere like Victor Harbor, Yankalilla (small), Normanville (small) or Carickalinga (small).

Have a look at this website and look under Regions for KI, South East, Corong areas.

http://www.southaustralia.com/

speckles

Sorry, check "Limestone Coast", not "Coorong".

Bokhara2

Melbourne to Lorne is about 150km, say 2 - 2 1/2 hours, depending on your stops.

Suggest you use the Google "Driving Directions" link - very useful.

Do you have a good map of Victoria/South Australia?

DownUnder

www.visitvictoria.com.au will be a very useful site for you. You should have no problems finding accommodation as July is the not the holiday season for that area. It will be cool(12-16 celsius)but the coastline should be magnificent. There are many B & B's that you will find to be comfortable and friendly and for a one night's stay better than hotels. www.wotif.com is also another useful site. The towns you have mentioned are excellent stopover choices also take a look at Pt. Fairy and Robe. Lorne is about 2 hours from Melbourne and Apollo Bay about a further 30 mins. The Lorne AB section is one of the most spectacular on the route.

travelsis

Thank you all for the help. These websites are great. Anyone else have advise for the GOR. Places to go, places to eat, stay?

We are leaning towards Bed & Breakfasts to stay in.

Bokhara2

Downunder's links are excellent, Travelsis and with 50 B&Bs on the GOR, I'm sure you will find something perfect for you.

Make sure you take time to go into the lay-bys along the road so you can walk around and really enjoy the spectacular scenery & environment. Many people don't realize that the view from the road to the ocean is obscured in many parts by sandbanks, so you can't just whizz along and see it all as you go.

Warrnambool has a wonderful maritime museum, brings the ruggedness & danger of the ocean along this coast alive with relics from many ship wrecks.

Port Fairy is my favourite, I think. Feels as if time has stopped in the 1800s.

mariebut

Travelsis, just to let you know that Victor Harbor and Cape Jervis are not essentailly on the Great Ocean Road route, That is only in Victoria. Mt Gambier is actually inland without sea views and the highway extends mostly inland. Cape Jervis is a tiny port town for the Kangaroo Island ferry with barely any accomodation perhaps a couple of B&Bs nearby. I would as was suggested on your other thread drive via Robe to Adelaide and then do a day trip to the Fleurieu peninsula for Victor, Cape Jervis.