Introduction

On Kangaroo Island I’m staying at the Kangaroo Island Lodge. As we’re in the middle of the southern hemisphere winter, the island is very quiet, and the hotel is on reduced service and undergoing maintenance and repairs ahead of the next summer season.

Trying to find a place to stay on Kangaroo Island was not easy. Eventually, I settled for the lodge simply because it was one of the few places that was actually open.

Location

The lodge is located in a small village by the name of American River, even though, technically, there is no river. Or Americans. The lodge isn’t in the town proper. It’s a short walk of about fifteen minutes. For me, the appeal of this place is that it’s remote and quiet. And it has that smell of Australia I’m obsessed with.

Check-In

By the time I reach the hotel on the day of arrival, the sun is setting. The young lady at reception who’s also manning the bar quickly checks me in. She tells me I may want to move my car and park it closer to my studio. I tell here I haven’t got a car and arrived by shuttle – and for just a moment, she looks at me as though a unicorn had just waltzed into reception.

Staff & Service

The staff are friendly and relaxed. Whatever inquiry I have about the place, they’re happy to answer. The young lady at reception tells me the room is not serviced daily by default, and inquires how often I want the room cleaned. I tell her not to worry, and that I’ll just holler if I want it done.

Bay View Studio Suite

I’m staying in a bay view studio suite overlooking the bay across the road. I don’t really pay attention, but I don’t think even thirty cars pass through here on any given day.

The studio is quite spacious. It has a large king bed, two armchairs and a small coffee table, a dining table with two chairs and a small kitchenette.

The bathroom is large but dated. However, it’s clean and well maintained. The pressure in the shower is also good, but I only avert flooding by keeping my showers short. Controlling the water temperature is also a bit tricky.

The room has a good size balcony with two chairs and a small table, and especially at dusk and dawn the view is gorgeous.

Dining

In terms of dining options, there is a bar and a separate restaurant. Dining is available from 17h30 to 19h30 for the main menu. After 19h30, only pizza is available to order. The food is good, but the menu is somewhat limited if you’re trying to avoid meat.

The breakfast is a bit of a let down. Basically, there is no buffet, and instead there’s just a small menu with a few items to choose from. And the portions are rather small.

Amenities

As far as amenities go, every room has two cartons of still water, a small bottle of wine, a packet of crisps and a jar with three biscuits.

There’s also a capsule coffee machine and a kettle. Milk is in the fridge. However, I don’t think I would drink anything that was boiled in that kettle. It looks ancient and the bottom is all rusty and caked in… something.

Conclusion

I greatly enjoyed being back on Kangaroo Island, and I just love the sense of remoteness you get here. It’s just so tranquil and peaceful. As far as the Kangaroo Island Lodge is concerned, it’s nothing fancy by a long stretch, but it’s certainly comfortable. However, the kettle was just plain disgusting, and the food options were a bit limited, especially for breakfast. I suspect it may be a very different experience in the summer, when the place is a little livelier. I definitely wouldn’t mind staying here again.