Stella's Dromana Hotel, Dromana review: Pub stay with drawbacks

Patricia Maunder enjoys the sea views but turns up her nose at a shell of cigarette butts.

Checking in at the Dromana Hotel is a bit of a drama. The entire ground floor seems to be one giant, multi-roomed bistro and we have arrived about 7pm on a long weekend when staff are busy dealing with hundreds of hungry holidaymakers. Eventually we find the right bar and, several minutes and two staff later, have our key to the spa suite.

Upstairs, where there is surprisingly little noise from the diners, that key reveals a spacious room of surprising contrasts. The far end is a striking white, clean, streamlined space dominated by a large spa. The other thing that immediately catches my eye is the stunning view out the windows that run almost the entire length of the room. The hotel is directly across the road from the beach, so from this second-level room it's nothing but the bay and boats.

Back to the large, open-plan bathroom area, which also has a shower and a toilet partly partitioned off (perhaps not ideal for a romantic getaway). It is a fairly sleek affair but let down by elements reminding me that I am staying at a pub: only one face cloth, a thoughtful arrangement of tea-light candles on the spa but no means of lighting them.

The bedroom/living area is an odd mix of a fussy vintage look (including three rustic faux-flower arrangements) and a contemporary style, more '90s than noughties, though evidently the room was fairly recently redecorated.

The fundamentals of the room are good and the bed is comfortable.

But first, before darkness falls, it is time to enjoy the large balcony (the spa suite includes most of the balcony that dominates the front of the original building). There are wine glasses in the bar fridge but sadly no bottle opener. We improvise and enjoy our drinks on comfortable armchairs, averting our eyes from the shell on the table filled with soggy old cigarette butts.

As the sun sets, I revel in the rare view and reflect on the remnants of the building's original architecture: spiral columns reminiscent of Melbourne's Forum suggest it was built in the 1920s. For the most part, however, the Dromana Hotel is a contemporary affair.

We head back downstairs for some classic pub-bistro fare (filling and unadventurous) about 9pm and are surprised to discover nearly all the diners have departed no risk of being kept awake by rowdy holidaymakers here. Food, wine, a relaxing spa and we are ready for a good night's sleep.