STAY > Villa Abbazia, Follina Italy (17/20 points)

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Bunker Bay is one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the world. Turquoise blue water, sandy white beaches, red stone feature reefs it is stunning. With one of the best new world wine districts (for Cabernet and Chardonnay) just down the road, there are hundreds of excellent Margret River wineries to visit too!

The Pullman resort sits just behind the sand dunes of Bunker Bay in Western Australia’s Margaret River region. What was once a super luxury resort is today more of a family friendly venue (though not really family friendly pricing). A sprawling 35-acre resort that offers a range of accomodation from studio rooms to three bedroom villas, some close to the pool and others facing the lagoon and closest to the beach.

SLEEP >

 The resort features 150 studio, one, two, and three-bedroom villas each incorporating local materials like sandstone and Jarrah timber. While spacious and well-appointed even very fashionable when they were built, now the rooms show signs of aging, particularly in the bathrooms which feel clinical and poorly designed.

The villa layouts are practical with studios a generous 45m sq and featuring ensuite kitchenettes, Nespresso machines, lounge areas and many have outdoor seating some with views over the lagoon.

EAT >

The Other Side of the Moon restaurant serves what it describes as modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean influences, offering both indoor and alfresco dining with sweeping Indian Ocean views.

For the buffet breakfast there is quite a good spread but be warned if you get there at peak periods the staff have trouble getting the more popular dishes replenished.

The evening dining experience falls short of expectations, with an incoherent menu that ranges all over the place (Pad Thai, Butter Chicken Curry, Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes for instance) and a wine list that doesn’t adequately showcase the region’s offerings or provide strong alternatives.

Cocktails were very good though the service can be exceptionally slow during busy holiday periods. The popular pool bar with DJ has the makings of a perfect wind down spot after a day in the sun, but the kid friendly nature of the venue means it does tend to be a bit more noisy kids rather than chill grooves with the margaritas. Not to mention the prices are sky high – two glasses of soda water for $16???

Facilities  >

The resort’s amenities include a very popular heated infinity pool, tennis courts, and fitness center (good equipment, couple of rowing machines, rowers, bikes and an elliptical machine).

The Vie Spa offers rejuvenating treatments in private suites, massages, facials and they have a sauna too. Though the overall facility maintenance could use attention.

The pristine private beach access remains the property’s strongest asset and it is perfect for walking, swimming, fishing and more. The natural currents bring warm water down the coast and the cove is often protected from wind and waves.

Service  >

The staff are warm and enthusiastic, keen to assist with any challenge. However particularly during breakfast service things can be very slow. The restaurant staff felt like they were fairly new on the job and unaware of details of the menu or the limited range of wines on offer.

Cleaning staff are varied some seem days they were excellent and other days a little lax. For instance shower gel was not topped up a pillow case that was clearly dirty was not replaced. Minor things but not quite 5 star.

Verdict  >

While the location and natural setting are undeniably spectacular, it really is one of the best beaches in the world. The resort has started to sag a little and struggles to fully deliver on its five-star promise. It is currently the most upscale accommodation option in the area, and as part of the Accor Pullman chain there are additional benefits from their loyalty scheme. All that said a refresh of certain facilities and more polished service would help justify the premium pricing.