Oaks Pacific Blue Resort

Oaks Pacific Blue Resort Salamander Bay is housed in a sprawling condo-like resort with white and cream two-story buildings. Paths meander throughout the property and are complemented with lush greenery and palm trees. The central lagoon pool curves around the buildings but leaves grassy areas with loungers for guests to relax. It’s an overall quiet and chill atmosphere. The lobby has a cream design with little else beyond a front desk and cozy chairs and couches for seating. The restaurant has the typical design of a pool bar -- woven outdoor furniture and a window where guests can order from outside. Couples are the main clientele here. Although it’s not particularly romantic in design, the apartment-style units are convenient and there’s enough to do for a weekend getaway. Families make up a good majority of the guests, too. 

Oaks Pacific Blue Resort Salamander Bay has a decent location that’s a 13-minute walk from the beach. It’s surrounded mostly by residential homes. Across the street is a small shopping center with stores like Target and K-Mart and fast food restaurants like McDonald’s and Dominos. It’s a 17-minute walk to Toboggan Park. The Port Stephens Kangaroo Encounters takes five minutes to reach by car. Newcastle Airport is a 28-minute drive away. 

The property offers spacious studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, some of which have swimout access to the pool. Units have a contemporary decor composed of a white-and-brown color scheme, gray carpeted floors, and blond wooden streamlined furniture. Features are plentiful with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, balconies, and kitchenettes. The Hotel Rooms and Studios have kitchenettes with sinks, mini-fridges, microwaves, toasters, and coffeemakers. Multi-Bedroom units have additional features in the kitchenettes like stove tops, ovens, and dishwashers. The three-bedroom apartments have single car garages and private plunge pools. Wi-Fi is available in all rooms, though it’s only free for 30 minutes per day. Simple bathrooms have white tile, separate glass showers and tubs, hairdryers, and toiletries. There have been varying reports on the quality of housekeeping in the rooms. 

There are plenty of features at Oaks Pacific Blue Resort Salamander Bay to keep guests busy. The hotel has one of the largest pools -- a lagoon pool -- in Australia. There’s also a lap pool and hot tub. To relax, this property offers a spa with a Japanese steam room, hairdresser, and massages. Guests can stay fit with a small gym with a handful of cardio and weight machines and outdoor tennis courts. As far as dining options go, there’s a single restaurant on-site with indoor and outdoor dining. Guests can enjoy a free hot and cold breakfast with direct booking through the website. There’s been varying reports on breakfast and food quality. There’s three fully-equipped meeting and event spaces. Parking is free. Wi-Fi is available but it’s only free 30 minutes per day and costs a fee beyond that.