Resort famous for bad reviews on the market
A 51-ROOM waterfront resort, described in scathing reviews as “dirty”, “smelly” and “not for the faint-hearted” is being advertised for sale after its managers went into liquidation.
The former Ramada by Wyndham Hope Harbour, which has been closed since February 2020, has been advertised for sale at offers over $12.5m.
Meanwhile, the owners of the Ramada brand revealed the hotel, still emblazoned with Ramada signage, has had no right to use the global trademark since 2020.
The resort is tucked away at the end of the Hope Island Marina, where colourful previous owners have included fallen developers John Fish and Craig Gore.
The current sales listing is for 56 of the property’s 101 titles, the balance of which have separate owners.
The Bulletin understands it was under contract late last year, but the deal fell through.
Wyndham Destinations terminated its own contract to manage the hotel in September 2019, and it was operated after that by Australian Lingfung Hotel Management, a company with ties to the property’s owner.
Australian Lingfung Hotel Management went into liquidation in August 2020 with debts of more than $1.1m.
The liquidation followed years of scathing reviews from travellers, who spoke of shocking service, dirty sheets and poorly-maintained facilities.
“Our room overlooked a sickly green pond which I suppose was once a pool,” one reviewer wrote.
“A gecko showed us the way to our room and we had to go through a fire escape to get to our room.”
Another said “the sheets hadn’t been changed and the bed had someone else’s black hair and dribble marks and was clearly slept in”.
“The balcony is covered in mould and looks like it’s never been cleaned and there was a pair of someone else’s undies just over our balcony,” they wrote.
Another customer found bloodstains on a blanket and was told she couldn’t have a new one until the following day. “So I was expected to sleep on a blanket with someone else’s blood on it?,” they complained.
The hotel’s owner, Australia Kam Shuen Investment, is held by Hong Kong-born Kam Shuen Leung, 70, and Chinaborn Changan Zhou, 60.
Changan Zhou was a director and shareholder of Australian Lingfung Hotel Management until two months before it went into liquidation.
The Bulletin attempted to contact the owners, who are understood to live overseas.
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, which operates the Ramada brand, this week said it had terminated its association with the property in 2020.
“We therefore confirm that this site does not have rights to use the Ramada trademarks as part of any ongoing operation,” a Wyndham statement said.
The last post on the resort’s facebook page was a photo of a letter, advising guests the restaurant, bar and eastern swimming pool would be closed for renovations from February 4, 2020.
Ramada Hope Harbour hasn’t posted to social media since and its website domain name has expired.
The property is listed for sale as “an exceptional opportunity to secure an international hotel”, listing its 120seater restaurant, ballroom, retail shops, massage suites and grand foyer among the features.