Sponars Chalet
Location: Kosciuszko Road, Perisher Valley, Perisher Valley, au
Star Rating: 3 Stars
Property Type: Lodges
About this Property
Historical 3-Storey Lodge near Perisher Ski Resort
Located just 8 km from Perisher Ski Resort, Sponars Chalet is a historical 3-storey lodge offering a cozy retreat for guests.
Indoor Heated Pool and Recreational Activities
The lodge boasts an indoor heated pool, steam room, and a variety of recreational activities including pool table, table tennis, and a Wii games console.
Bar and Restaurant with Mountain Views
Guests can unwind at the bar and restaurant featuring an open fireplace and stunning mountain views. Indulge in delicious meals like roast dinners, spinach and ricotta lasagne, and lamb shanks.
Book your stay at Sponars Chalet for a memorable ski lodge experience.
Important Information
Please note there is no mobile phone reception at this property.
Please note there is no elevator at this property and access to higher levels is via stairs.Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Policies
Check-in: 02:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Check-out: 09:00 AM
Amenities & Facilities
- Free beach shuttle
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Family rooms
- Luggage storage
- Sauna
- Table tennis
- Ski storage
- Darts
- Non-smoking throughout
- Shared lounge/TV area
- Board games/puzzles
- Shuttle service (additional charge)
- Kid meals
- Heated pool
- Evening entertainment
- Outdoor furniture
- Coffee Shop on site
- Steam room
- Staff adhere to local safety protocols
- Guest rooms disinfected between stays
- Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
- Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
- Cashless payment available
- Fire extinguishers
- First aid kit available
- Sanitized tableware & silverware
- Contactless check-in/check-out
- Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
- Smoke alarms
- Guest room sealed after cleaning
- Key access
- Process in place to check health of guests
- Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
- Face masks for guests available
- Broadcast Live sport events
- Happy hour
- Ski storage
- Billiards or pool table
- Free wired internet
- Access to nearby indoor pool
- Ski equipment rentals on site
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Free beach shuttle
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Internet access
- Games
- Concerts/live shows
- Art gallery on site
- Wine release events
- Japanese garden
- Snow sports gear
- Swimming nearby
- Hosted evening meal (reserve)
- Vegetarian menu options available
- Accessible shuttle
- No accessible shuttle
Rooms Available
-
Suite
Includes 2 separate bedrooms and a private bathroom. Features tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer, clock radio and individually controlled heating. Each room is serviced daily by housekeeping.
Please note there is no capacity for additional guests.
Please note that this room type does not include TVs or refrigerators.
Please note there is no WiFi and no mobile phone reception at this property.
Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Electric kettle
- Tumble dryer
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Dining table
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Heated pool
- Wine or champagne
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shower cap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Family Suite
1 King Bed and 4 Large Twin Beds
Individually furnished room
Layout - 2 bedrooms
Food & Drink - Electric kettle
Comfort - Heating, fresh towels every 3 days, fresh bed sheets every 7 days
Need to Know - Housekeeping on request, no cribs (infant beds) or rollaway/extra beds available
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Electric kettle
- No rollaway/extra beds
- No cribs (infant beds)
-
Family Room
Guests will have a special experience as this family room features a pool with a view. The family room offers a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, as well as a private bathroom featuring a shower and a hairdryer. The unit offers 4 beds.
Max Occupancy: 5 (5 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Electric kettle
- Tumble dryer
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Dining table
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Heated pool
- Wine or champagne
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shower cap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Family Studio
1 King Bed and 3 Twin Beds
Individually furnished room
Food & Drink - Electric kettle
Comfort - Heating, fresh towels every 3 days, fresh bed sheets every 7 days
Need to Know - Housekeeping on request, no cribs (infant beds) or rollaway/extra beds available
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 5 (5 Adults)
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Electric kettle
- No rollaway/extra beds
- No cribs (infant beds)
-
Double Room
Features an private bathroom, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer, clock radio and individually controlled heating. Each room is serviced daily by housekeeping.
Please note there is no capacity for additional guests.
Please note that this room type does not include TVs or refrigerators.
Please note there is no WiFi and no mobile phone reception at this property.
Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Electric kettle
- Tumble dryer
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Dining table
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Heated pool
- Wine or champagne
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shower cap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Triple Room
Features an private bathroom, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer, clock radio and individually controlled heating. Each room is serviced daily by housekeeping.
Please note there is no capacity for additional guests.
Please note that this room type does not include TVs or refrigerators.
Please note there is no WiFi and no mobile phone reception at this property.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Electric kettle
- Tumble dryer
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Dining table
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Heated pool
- Wine or champagne
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shower cap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Quadruple Room
Features an private bathroom, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer, clock radio and individually controlled heating. Each room is serviced daily by housekeeping.
Please note there is no capacity for additional guests.
Please note that this room type does not include TVs or refrigerators.
Please note there is no WiFi and no mobile phone reception at this property.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- Hair dryer
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Alarm clock
- Dining area
- Electric kettle
- Tumble dryer
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Dining table
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Books, DVDs, or music for children
- Heated pool
- Wine or champagne
- Trash cans
- Wine glasses
- Shower cap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
Guest Reviews
- Claudia (5/5): -
- Laura (5/5): loved the snow. - The location. Bathroom door in room didn't close. Light switch in second bedroom didn't work. There was no guard rail on top bunk bed.
- Lea (5/5): -
- D'Alberto (1/5): Disappointing Stay – Mouldy Beds, Poor Service, and Misleading Amenities - The location was good Our stay was extremely disappointing. The room was overpriced considering the condition — the beds, including my daughter’s, had visible mould. When I asked the staff to change the bedding, they assured me it would be taken care of, but by that evening, nothing had been done.
I raised my concerns with the manager, especially regarding the advertised pool being out of service. Rather than addressing the issue calmly, he became defensive and began yelling, claiming it wasn’t his fault. I chose to leave the conversation, but about 10 minutes later, he showed up to move us to another room. Unfortunately, this room also had signs of mould, though the beds were at least better than the first. In the second room, the door to the bathroom didn't shut, which made it hard to shower.
In both rooms, the sheets appeared stained, which was quite off-putting. To top it off, my daughter refused to eat breakfast after the first day, saying the bacon was cold and unappetizing.
Overall, this was a very poor experience. Between the hygiene issues, unhelpful management, and misleading advertising, I would not recommend staying here.
- Leaf (10/5): - Funky place! Great service. Fabulous location. Warm, clean and tasty generous breakfast!
- Jessica (8/5): - Great location, staff were great
- Kareem (6/5): - breakfast was ok
- Loxley (10/5): -
- Cohan (7/5): -
- Patricia (8/5): - Whilst the property is in need of repair the staff do their best to provide good wholesome meals and are very helpful with regards to ski hire and any other questions you may have.
- Vanessa (1/5): The stay was expensive for what it was and disappointing. - The location is very good. It's close to Perisher. The hotel has rats which they say are native mammals. Even if they are, I don't think we should have to sleep with them running around our room. The staff were rude and unhelpful. Eg. I asked if the car park gets full and the answer was "We can't see the car park from here". I asked what time the chair lifts open and the answer was similar. The shuttle only runs twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon which was disappointing. The dinner was $60 per person and we found it inedible. Also, we arrived on the first night to be told we hadn't booked dinner so there was no dinner available for us. In general, we felt unwelcome.
- nafisha (4/5): - We paid $600 / night for one night . We checked in towards late afternoon . The guy at reception was very rude , unwelcoming . When we pressed the bell for reception , he kept saying have patience ! He was rude about us not booking for dinner . He kept saying we cannot have dinner at hotel when we were not really concerned as we other plans . We just wanted room keys and be on our way but he made a huge deal that we were sent email and we did not book . The room we got was not worth $600 . It was pretty small , bed was not comfy . The room had no hair dryer . The stairs were old and creaking . If anyone walked up the stairs or do anything in their room the noise was too loud , could be heard in our room , very difficult to sleep . The building needs renovating , it's old creepy definitely not worth the money
- Kevin (8/5): -
- Heidi (10/5): Can't wait to go back - It was great continental breakfast with different choices available Everything was great
- Katrina (9/5): Fun, convenient and affordable. - It was a great location, I loved the historical photos and stories. Fun and relaxed atmosphere. The room needed a fan in the bathroom.
- Michelle (2/5): Don't stay here - Proximity to skifields Run down. Poorly cleaned bathroom. Unable to differentiate staff from guests. No greeting on arrival. Cold breakfast, not enough food for all guests.
- Bianca (2/5): - This place has gone downhill... for the price id rather just pay a few hundred dollars more a night and stay on the mountain!
- Jenny (4/5): We had a great time but very disappointed that the standards have dropped since previous visits and it was overpriced fo - The location. The other guests there. Lounge area is large and comfy. Beds clean and comfy. Staff behaviour. The manager gave us especially my husband the wrong skis. He also told off two little boys in front of everyone including their parents. He shouted at them and banned them from playing pool. They weren’t doing anything terrible.
Lack of choice for dinner. The first nights meal was horrible. Two small meat balls boiled rice with tinned tuna stirred into it. Luckily the meals improved over the next meal.
Lack of staff engagement.
The shuttle bus used to have a trailer for skis and snowboards. Now everyone has to get on with all their equipment. It’s very difficult and lucky I had my helmet on. I got hit on the head accidentally just getting on and off.
Overpriced. We had to pay extra for dinner when it was always included. We were told if we booked straight through them it would be included. That’s just wrong.
Lots of very steep narrow steps 44 to our room.
- Peter (10/5): - Really nice place to stay. Feels like family holidays from the '80s. Lots of people sitting around reading books and playing cards. Good family vibe.
- Tripntjc (2/5): Absolutely Horrendous experience, avoid at all costs!! - We endured a horrendous night at “Sponars Chalet”! We were booked in for 5 nights, we stayed one night. Basically we went to sleep and could hear lots of noises in the room. Turned on the lights to see several mice running under beds, jumping from shelf to shelf and through our belongings. We told the manager, were we given a new room? No, we were given a huge trap to put in our room and told it was a rare Pygmy possum. We had sighted the mice, we knew it wasn’t a possum. Stayed awake all night terrified. Every time we turned lights on the mice were back straight under door, not scared at all. Spoke to reception in morning, no compassion at all. Said she would have someone put trap in room and try to patch any holes. She stated that these mice were all Over the mountain and in Perisher food court at night, like we should get used to it. Went to snowfield exhausted on no sleep. No reception to use phone.Looking at alternative accommodation. 100% booked out elsewhere due to peak season. Went back in afternoon to discover all the beds move around, hundreds of mice droppings and a disgusting bowl of half eaten scrambled egg (not ours). We packed our things and left. Apparently they went to catch the mice but then were busy. Our family trip that was planned as a fun escape was a nightmare. We phoned the owner who said “NO Refund”! Refunded half the amount. We found alternative accommodation that cost a lot more again unpacked everything. The accommodation we stayed at said they had never heard of or had Pygmy possums and that they had no issues with rodents. We contacted fair trading and the owner refunded our money. Avoid this place at all costs. It is outdated, old tired, unclean and full of rodents. No wifi. You cannot pick your meals. Nothing looks clean or looked after.
- Ali (10/5): Flawless , comfortable & was a good decision staying there! - Location location location. Parking onsite!
The games area with pool tables and darts is pretty cool after a day on the hill.
The manager Josh is an awesome dude, mega helpful
& super welcoming. As were the other staff members.
Older building, but cosy vibe!
Most likely my new first option when looking for accommodation for our snow trips. Nothing really, apart from no TVs in the room (easy solve - bring your iPad or go hangout downstairs lol)
- Tony (10/5): - Internet access. Good food and drink. Laid back.
- Lynn (7/5): Great location, comfy feel - Dinner was professional, breakfast was ok. Could do with a coffee machine Not understanding that you had to book dinner was a bit frustrating
- Gus (4/5): - Well it was a roof over your head and that's about it. Dinner was linited(45 only) so we missed out. Internet wasnt working. Limited amenities ie no fridge or tv and not enough power points(not hygiene to boil the kettle in the bathroom) and the other power point was at the door. One of the lights didnt work... This was Room 20. Breakfast is what saved them, that was good.
- Soo (2/5): - Found the linen was not changed over as kids found hairs around sheets. Terrible. No apologies from staff when mentioned.
- Altansukh (8/5): -
- Hitesh (5/5): -
- J7288BBlisac (8/5): Best located almost-on-the-slopes alpine accommodation. - Best price accommodation closest to snow, can park on site, no need for ski tube. Free shuttle bus 10 minutes from slopes.
Charm of bygone era of this historical site. Breakfast and dinner supplied, hired skis easily. Friendly staff, some from Europe.
- Mudtikar (10/5): -
- Abhinandan (6/5): -
- Chris (2/5): - Its very old and out dated. The staff are trying their best but the property is in desperate need of renovations and upgrades.
- Ping (6/5): Good location, outdated facility. - Good location. There was a rat in our room, waking me up in the middle of the night every night. It also showed up before we went to bed the last night
- james (3/5): Close to the snow but pack your own food and enter if you can brave the mold and rave down stairs - Very close to the ski fields and shuttle bus to and from the slopes. The places is rather run down and tired, black mold in the bathrooms. No fans to create some airflow in the rooms. They have no food options and when we arrived late at night they informed us that they don’t have a restaurant and would have to go to smiggins or Perisher, the following day we went to have dinner and we were informed we had to book dinner that morning as there will be no food for us now so we went to bed eating only a banana each.
The breakfast is ok but if you’re vegan then you’ll have to settle for toast. Breakfast was sausage, bacon, over cooked scrambled eggs, toast and coffee/tea.
The other strange thing is the techno music they had pumping in the bar area on a Sunday night when the place was full of families and couples.
This is meant to be a hotel not a rave.
- Palatip (6/5): - Find
- MD Asaduzzaman (7/5): -
- Anna (6/5): Our stay was generally comfortable. - It was cosy and the staff were super friendly. It was also so close to the snow fields which is great. It was quite noisy as the walls are thin between rooms. There was also a mouse in our room.
- Greg (10/5): - This is an historic old building. See yesteryear - though don't expect the latest. It is history not modernity!
- Zirbel (7/5): -
- Lesley (8/5): Ski trip - Rustic ski chalet splendour. Wonderful history … loads of pictures in the common areas dating back to 1900’s. Fantastic lounging area, perfect for reading or enjoying a wine from the bar.
Staff were so lovely and welcoming and really worked to make sure I had a good stay. Food was family style home cooking. Filling and satisfying.
Comfy firm bed and nice hot water! Nothing … it was all awesome
- Mohit (10/5): Will stay there again - Very nice , snows all around, have a swimming pool. Staff are favolous. They would go extra mile. Both Shawn and Josh are a legend. Ahh steam pump was broken before we serviced. But the manager, Josh said it is going to get fixed. Josh was very helpful
- Prasad (2/5): Poor place in good location . Not recomend - Only the location is good with good view.
Food not bad for the breakfast. Leaking roof some of my friends room lost electricity at night. . Poor heaters with cold rooms.
- Maduranga (1/5): Bad experience - Good location Issue with electricity and water leak from ceiling kept off sleep since midnight
- Aleem (7/5): I enjoyed it. - Good basic breakfast included with the room. Didn't have dinner The room was a little cold as the heater was not very effective.
- Vanessa (10/5): - I recently stayed at Sponars Chalet for a ski trip, and overall, it was a decent experience. The best thing about Sponars is definitely the value – it's one of the more affordable options in the Perisher area, and for the price, it really delivers a cosy, social lodge vibe. The rooms are simple but clean and warm, which is all that is needed after a full day on the snow. The staff were also super friendly and helpful. If you want a place that’s friendly and reasonably priced, Sponars is a solid choice.
- Bower (8/5): Very memorable as it was a "bucket list" stay. - Josh is the heart and soul of Sponars Chalet. Nothing was a problem for him and he had a fantastic "can do" attitude. The food Josh prepared was hearty and delicious but maybe a bit overpriced for what you got.
- Cindy (10/5): My stay was amazing - Feels very homey and the staff are lovely Nothing at all
- Aaron (4/5): - The guy running the chalet seemed to be a decent chap. The location to the snow made things a little easier with a small family. Clutter!!!! It was a hoarder's paradise filled with dusty junk and nicknacks that made no sense. I get it's an old establishment but toss some things out.
We had the "$60 3 Course" set menu meal as there really isn't an alternative within a 30-minute drive. My recommendation is to bite the bullet and take the drive.
- hunnieja000 (2/5): Would not recommend staying at Sponars Chalet anymore 2024 - Please note this place has gone downhill since the new owners have taken over. I would not normally write a negative review, but the new owners simply do not care about the feedback at all - which makes it very risky to book without understanding the new conditions - same price level.
The owners are not in the chalet for the season and have hired one person to run it - which is far too much for one person. On top of that, the manager - Josh - allows emotions to get in the way of business. As soon as he saw us he fully yelled at us (single mums with children there to sadly witness) Other patrons also voiced concerns of him yelling at them, or at best terse. He could speak nicely too but hard to forget the yelling - even not nice to the kids.
The staff they hired are very quiet, compared to the energetic bar service, front of house in the past.
There was no band as advertised and no communication why not.
There was no welcome basket as advertised.
Phones go unanswered.
Reception is no longer manned during the day.
We asked twice for bins and toilet paper in our room - my first reply from Josh was “well missy, that is because you put the bags in the room”
Ski hire is downright dangerous and will be reported as I do not trust the owners will heed advice. Most was very old and could not be unclipped. The worst was when my friend went to click in and the skis fell off. Very disappointing. Josh was meant to be there on arrival to do the ski hire (we planned in writing via email). We called 6 times on our way without a response and emailed. They advised the equipment would be ready but no one knew about it. Josh was missing in action. Therefore one of the girls did it, of which I checked if she was experienced. She said yes, but clearly not. I advised Josh of the issues with her fitting the ski equipment and he blamed the Chinese owner for teaching her.
The food has gone down hill - budget at best. Cold scrambled eggs with uncooked cold bacon on the first day. Dinners were mostly very ordinary and not a vegetable or salad in site. This is very disappointing as it was one of the best things in the place.
We paid $4,400 for 2 adults and 4 kids for 3 nights and it absolutely did not live up to that standard.
I completely understand Josh is overworked being a solo manager. That does not explain his bad behaviour. They need to hire staff that do the front of house personal skills.
The rooms - they all are run down and have issues. I am used to the lodge style tired rooms. But the whole venue is not getting the TLC it deserves.
Sponars has a lot of history which is ignored and negated with these new owners sadly. There is no care factor what so ever, including with patrons.
We also understand it has not been a great season. We go skiing a lot and understand what we get at a price level. This was not anywhere near that price level. The owners own 3 resorts so even with a bad season they can clearly afford to honour their guests bookings accordingly.
Their facebook page does not allow for reviews - that should be a hint of what is really going on behind the scenes.
- ali (1/5): -
- Philip (8/5): - The relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the building, the live music and the staff were extremely helpful. The climb up the stairs, especially after a day of activity, but at least I was getting some exercise and step count up.
- Rachel (3/5): Good location with great potential but let down by terrible food and tired facilities. - Location: this is the only thing I can really recommend Sponars for. It is a 10 minute drive to the main Perisher car park.
Previous issues mentioned with the Wifi not reaching upper floors have been remedied: we got good wifi signal in our room on the 2nd floor (which is needed as it's in a mobile phone black spot due to the location)
The pool was warm.
The lounge area is cosy and comfortable.
Room and adjoining bathroom was clean. The food was atrocious (I don't use this world lightly) and extremely poor value for money:
- We had read the previous reviews and went in with low expectations, but even these were not met. $60pp for dinner which consisted of: a starter of 2 dumplings from frozen which had been either deep friend or baked to the point of dessication, a main course of lasagna which seemed to have been baked for 2 days as the many layers of pasta were stodgy and what little filling there was was dry (I didn't think it possible to ruin a lasagna but I was proved wrong) accompanied by several pieces of undressed salad leaves and a dessert of a small square of brownie with cheap ice cream. (In contrast I paid $75 for a high quality 3 course meal including wine at the Guthega Inn restaurant).
- The included hot breakfast consistent of a small spoonful of overcooked scrambled eggs and several rashers of bacon. There was an assortment of packet cereals and bread for toasting. Occasionally some yogurt/mueslis but these ran out pretty quickly.
- Save your money (and your stomachs) and eat elsewhere
The place is looking tired and run down
- The driveway is full of potholes
- Our room consistently smelled of damp despite trying to dissipate it with the heater, the bathroom extractor fan and having the window open (no we did not have any wet or damp ski clothes in there)
Value for money
- You're really just paying for a headstart to the ski resort carpark
- Marena (7/5): -
- Zia Gul (1/5): Not for human, maybe only for animals - Nothing, horrible beds and furniture
Horrible wifi
Horrible phone connection Everything
Not for human
- Casey (1/5): -
- Nikki (3/5): Disappointing - Nice family friendly atmosphere, live music and communal lounge room were great.
The bathroom in our room looked like it had mould on the ceiling and needs a full renovation. The ‘steam room’ does not heat to 50 degrees as advised. Dinner left a lot to be desired for with cold sweat potato chips served. Definitely not aligned to the price point, even for Australian winter skiing.
In addition Booking.com charged an international transaction fee for booking an Australian hotel using Australian currency. Booking.com also confirmed we had a double bed but the hotel said they never received that request.
- Isabel (6/5): Shuttle bus is a great way to avoid the stress of the perisher car park. - Comfortable bed. Cosy bar with log fire. Dinner and breakfast were lukewarm warm.
- Ladda (9/5): -
- Shannan (7/5): Lovely friendly staff and superb location! Facilities could use a bit of a clean including bathrooms and bedrooms. - Was close to Perisher! The shower curtains had black mold on them and the bathroom floor had dust and hair on it.
- Ozetravellers (10/5): Perfect for the price point! - Being an intrepid traveller and writing many many reviews, I immediately was thinking that I would give Sponars a 4 star rating when I entered as the building is quite old and basic but after 3 nights there I could give it no less than 5 stars. Why? Josh. Pure and simple. He is the on-site manager and lives and breathes Sponars. His mission every day is to give the guests everything they want or need. Personable , cheery, present . The other staff who come for the winter were also very nice. Make no mistake, Sponars is not a luxury lodge. It however, has everything you need to make your stay fun , cosy and comfortable. From the convenient and well priced ski hire, to the free shuttle bus daily to the lifts, skiing is made easy at Sponars (for an off site lodge). The breakfast is plain but plentiful , there is always tea and coffee available , and the 3 course dinners were really good too. We had a great musician over the weekend to provide live music whilst we played darts, pool and ping pong. The pool is a tad cool unless you are doing laps (very quickly) but there is a sauna to heat up again right next to it. If you are looking for a nice but basic lodge at a great price point with all your needs met, this is the place for you!
- Robert (3/5): Will not be going back. Very disappointing - Location Very very run down and the food was very poor standard
- Ruth (4/5): Terrible food don't eat here - Great old building in a good location Really run down inside no effort at all has been put into the interior fit out drab and dull. Such a shame as building has great potential. Food was absolutely terrible $60 per head for dinner and the worst food I have had in 20 years just inedible dinner. Really feels like no one working here owners/managers cares at all about quality, Just trying to get as much money as possible off their customers for a one off stay. I stay at the snow a lot so used to paying too much for a dump but this was low even for Aussie Snow standards.
- Karen (7/5): A good base but quite basic for the amount it costs to stay there. - Amazing location! The staff were super friendly. The smell of the room. There was no utensils/plates/bowls in the rooms.
- 143evieh (10/5): Amazing place to stay! - Amazing and friendly staff, with great facilities, a welcoming atmosphere and good services. The staff were very helpful with allergies and the provided food was very good. Interesting history that is displayed all throughout the building. Overall a great stay!
- Joe (8/5): - Location, service Bit of variety with breakfast
Sauna needs a bit of an upgrade/fix up
- Elizabeth (10/5): - Friendly staff, fun facilities, very convenient.
- Tatiana (6/5): - Location Bad breakfast. Scrambled eggs and bacon are only until 7:45 a.m.
No veggies and greens. No pastries. Fruits are only mandarins.
- Ryan (1/5): -
- Kyle (8/5): Had a great stay here & would return. - Sponars Chalet is in a great location for the snow & the staff were great It lacks wifi network to the rooms, though works reasonably well in the common areas.
- Roshni (1/5): - Nothing Spider webs were there. No options for Indian vegetarian people. They have there own times. You cannot even have more food. If they served you 1 piece of Bruschetta, you cannot have more. They have there fixed time slots. It felt like a university canteen system where you have to be there on time, otherwise you will.miss the food. Food was not at all tasty. Beds were not at all comfortable. We had a double bed room but it was 2 single beds joined together. My partner had back ache after sleeping there.
- Mel (10/5): The staff are the best and the vibe was unreal - The staff were so amazing helpful and friendly and the location was perfect Nothing loved it all
- Chris (9/5): -
- Dulip (1/5): -
- Yousef (10/5): -
- Elizabeth (10/5): -
- Evans (7/5): Everything is great except the cleaning - Near snow centre No cleaning room service our first into the room the rubbish from last user was still there
- Patti (7/5): -
- nroma1 (10/5): -
- boris (10/5): -
- Loxley (8/5): -
- Guest (10/5): Would highly recommend to stay here! - We had a fabulous time at Sponars, beautiful meals, in house entertainment and the convenience of the courtesy bus up to Perisher. Very friendly staff made the whole experience even better!
- Joseph (3/5): not value for the very high prices - manager lady was very good, pleasant, helpful
good heating in the room Apart from the manager, everything else was ordinary.
No WiFi in the room, only at reception area
no lift
Prices are disproportionally high. A mediocre dinner cost 60 dollars per person
- Unish (10/5): -
- fionabD4736VA (10/5): Best value for money on the mountain. - What a great experience after our less than desirable visit in 2020. New owners and managers are brilliant. They are still ironing out issues due to the short time they had to prepare for the 2023 season. The vibe was great, food was tasty, rooms are comfy, pool and sauna are a great plus. The skis we hired there were brand new and brilliant. Also being bussed up and back each day was great. Definitely great value for money. A must stay for next season!
- Johnny Murphy (6/5): Handy place to stay without the hassle of driving up the mountain - Conveniently located close to Perisher resort. Hotel provided shuttle service to the slopes was a nice feature. Hosts were very accommodating to our needs. No fridges in room, communal fridge to store drinks was inadequate.
- S7069FFjanb (10/5): Enjoyable Stay - We had a great stay..the other guests were friendly and a pleasure to have a pre dinner drink with after a day on the mountain. Management were always helpful food was tasty staff were pleasant as was our whole ecperience. The bus is a great alternative to driving on the real busy days when carpark fills up early. Wifi available in lounge and dining area. Room and bed cosy
- Brad (1/5): -
- Jane (5/5): Lovely Kosci heritage that could be outstanding with a few tweaks - It’s a lovely piece of the Snowfields history, handy to Perisher. The staff are friendly and the rooms cozy. The food isn’t as good as it could be, and there is no choice, breakfast is very basic. Was sad to see the previous selection of nice teas is no more, as is the old welcome pack with some cookies and ‘Sponar’s tea’. Suggest bringing your own tea, yogurt, etc if you want those things.
- Guest (1/5): -
- joel (4/5): -
- Carmen (1/5): Terrible - The vintage vibes. Over run with school kids so unable to use the facilities. Cereal and bread for breakfast only. Pool was closed. Unable to get food for my toddler from the kitchen. No power on one day.
- Lucy (10/5): -
- Guest (10/5): - Close to where you can ski, friendly and helpful staff, great food options!
- Guest (4/5): Disappointing - The indoor heated pool was well liked by our children The meal was terrible . The bar only opened at 5 and closed at 8. Only internet was in the common area. No phone no wifi up stairs .
- 913nealf (6/5): Lack of staff, poor food options, and cleanliness detracted from this otherwise charming chalet stay. - We stayed at Sponars for the opening weekend of the 2023 snow season. We learnt that the new managers had only JUST took over the place, and the full staff had not arrived yet. Which explains the poor customer service (had to regularly find a barman to buy a drink, had to find the barista to make a coffee as the kitchen staff couldn’t). The pool and steam room weren’t available (pool was cold as heater wasn’t going, and the steam room was dirty and used for storage). The included breaky was ok, just bacon/eggs/toast and packet cereal, but dinner was pretty bad. No salad, despite being on the simple menu, steamed veggies were stone cold (and very few). A buffet style sitting would be much better than table service (and prevent long wait times).
The rooms were adequate, lounge area good and location absolutely stunning. The lake out front looks amazing at sunrise and you’ll see platypus playing on the surface. Overall the hotel has a lot of charm, it just needs polish (dusting/cleaning, etc).
I would only return to Sponars for the location; and when it is busier (as there would be more profit to pay for staff, salad, and to heat the pool), and the management and staff were more practiced.
- Alpine_traveller_AUS (10/5): Great family traditional 'Lodge' style experience - Great option for families looking for the on-snow 'Lodge' experience just a short drive to Perisher. Plenty of good places to play and relax with a 28C heated 25m pool with sauna, comfy lounge area with large screen TV to keep in touch with other sports plus rustic touches everywhere reminding you of the grand history of the location as NSW's first alpine haven - Hotel Kosciuszko.
- John (7/5): Staff very helpful but considering somewhere else - Ski hire and transport to the snow
Good gluhwein
Possibility of seeing platypus in the lake No muesli or porridge for breakfast
No choice for evening meal. Bread (no rolls) only on request
- Sue (8/5): very friendly stay with basic facilities but good proximity to the ski fields - the staff were great and rooms comfortable.. newly refurbished and looked good.. beds very comfortable The indoor swimming pool needed to be warmer. The menu needed more variety..
- Alistair (9/5): -
- Andrew (6/5): -
- BRETT (1/5): The worst accommodation we have ever been to - Nothing it was dirty we saw the old man drop food on the ground and pick it up and gave to the people near us It was dirty saw mice running around in the bar bed rooms were small no tv hole in the windows curtains were filthy. Dinner was cold chips were dripping in oil. The staff were drinking red wine and were getting drunk in the bar.
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