Our stay at the salamander shore hotel was strategically good as it's just about 10 minutes from nelson bay. The area itself has a nice jetty, very still water (not for swimming), and quite a few boats. If you fancy fishing and speed boating, this is the place for you. However, if you fancy just relaxing in your room, then it's definitely not the place. The place is more of a motel than a hotel. At the back of your room's door or toilet door, you'll find that it's actually a member of comfort inns and motels association rather than a hotel. The facilities are there but most of them are pretty old. We paid for a garden room expecting a nice garden but all we got was a view of rainforest trees right in front of our balcony, which blocked any potential views. The standard room that our friends got was even cheaper but had a beautiful lawn and floral gardens overlooking the bay. It was a rip off. Had we known, we could have just asked for a standard room. The bed sheets on the other hand were a bit itchy and our toilet was stinking. The breakfast in this place is surprisingly quite good. If you have to book a room here, it's best to pay for a breakfast buffet as well. The food is awesome with a wide variety of selection. Overall, it's okay. It didn't reach my expectations of the place. But then again, that really depends upon the eye of the beholder and your needs. After all, no two experiences are the same...