River Drive Motel

“A little hidden gem in lower Tarwin. Well designed motel with artsy interior. Personal touch with welcome drink cherry wine to chocolate bar. Fully stock 3 type of soothing tea to dairy. check in process is online.”

“The River Drive Motel is the perfect spot to explore South Gippsland. The motel has been stylishly and thoughtfully renovated and has a very cool retro vibe. The spacious backyard area which includes barbecues and a fire pit is a great amenity, especially for families. Kate and Dic have created a warm and hospitable environment which is a pleasure to enjoy. Highly recommended.”

“My family loved the vibes of the motel, well renovated with lots of outdoor space for little ones to run around. Dic was helpful whenever we needed more information around the property. The highlight for us was the breakfast hamper, generous portions to feed family of 5 over 3 breakfasts. Tarwin lower is a small town with big character, there was an auto festival and a Monday market when we were staying there. Highly recommended!”

“We just got home from our stay at the River Drive Motel and we’re already thinking about our next trip. It was the perfect base to explore beautiful South Gippsland. Our room was spacious and comfortable, and every detail was considered, from the bedding to the artwork, to the (well priced) mini bar stocked with local goodies. Kate and Dic were wonderful hosts, and we loved the curated list of places to visit on the website. We can’t recommend this place enough, and look forward to returning!”

“Our family spent one of the best and most memorable Christmas holidays at River Drive Motel. Even before we arrived, Kate and Dic were very helpful during the whole booking process and provided us with lots of great information so that we could prepare for our trip to Tarwin Lower and Venus Bay. Communication with Kate and Dic was friendly and clear. Their hospitality was outstanding. When we are arrived, the whole family (especially the kids!) were pleasantly surprised at the cool retro vibe of the motel! The family nest was spacious and very clean. The kitchenette was well-stocked with everything we needed. The hospitality basket had a sample of produce from the local area. The Chiko roll artwork on the wall was a great finishing touch. We loved it! The location of the motel was perfect with the Tarwin River directly across from the motel, which provided plenty of fishing opportunities for the kids (we did catch a fish in the river!). Driving to Venus Bay for pippi harvesting was an easy 10 minutes. The shared motel backyard was a haven for the kids with a good old fashioned swing on a tree, climbing rope, tennis ball games, a quaint vegetable garden, and plenty of grassy area for the kids to run around and expend their energy and excitement. The shed in the backyard is well-stocked with everything we could possibly need during our stay. There were books for the kids to read, games for the whole family, beach towels, helmets for the bikes that we could borrow, racquets, lanterns for late night fishing trip, ice machine, a large shared fridge, and BBQ equipment. There was even an outdoor shower where we could wash off all the sand from our beach trip before going back into the room. We enjoyed a BBQ dinner with the friendly family that stayed in the room next to ours. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that they happened to live down the road from us in Melbourne and also drove down to Tarwin Lower for a Christmas holiday! All in all, it was a very enjoyable and memorable holiday for the whole family. Kate and Dic and the River Drive Motel crew made our stay very comfortable and easy. We highly recommend staying at River Drive Motel for your family holiday or romantic couples getaway. Our family will definitely come back here again!”

“We had the best stay and absolutely loved this place — it was everything we expected and more. The design and cleanliness were real highlights; the space was beautifully considered and immaculate. We also loved how close it was to the river and nearby hotel, which made going out for dinner so easy. We’d happily stay again and highly recommend it.”

“Beautifully appointed rooms with every detail considered. Pub, cafe, and supermarket all a short walk away, with Venus Bay beaches a short drive. A beautiful area to visit and explore with no shortage of attractions.”