We stayed at Tonquin Inn for one night. As a motel, the room was spacious, the gardens are nicely kept, and there are outdoor jacuzzis — overall decent for its category, though the property clearly shows its age.
Our room had two queen beds and a kitchen, which sounded great in theory. Some parts of the room had been partially renovated, but many areas were still very dated. For example, the kitchen cabinets and furniture were quite old, and the sofa was so worn and dirty-looking that we didn’t feel comfortable sitting on it.
The kitchen setup wasn’t very practical either: no paper towels and no ventilation/extractor fan. When we pan-fried steak, the fire alarm went off, which gave us quite a scare. We quickly opened the door to ventilate and called hotel staff for help. They explained that the room has a fire alarm but no sprinklers, so there was no risk of water damage — reassuring to know, but it would have been helpful if they had informed guests about this beforehand.
The staff were friendly and tried to help, but because there was no exhaust fan, the garlic and cooking smells lingered all night, making it hard to sleep comfortably.
Bottom line: good value for a basic stay with spacious rooms, lovely gardens, and outdoor hot tubs, but maintenance and cleanliness need improvement. Before booking, it’s a good idea to ask whether any rooms have been recently renovated, so you can choose the best option available.