A beautiful new home, located in the perfect place to explore Kangaroo Island, or just kick back and relax in peace and quiet!! Clean, roomy, tranquil surrounds and fabulous views as well as great hosts in Brian and Kris. We cannot give a higher recommendation to this fabulous spot and I would recommend it to anyone.
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I can't say enough about how beautiful A Dune Escape was. We were visiting Kangaroo Island for the second time, but this was our first time there with a young child. Our hope was to have a relaxing, quiet place to stay, close to the beach, that would work well with a three-year-old. A Dune Escape ticked every box, and more!
The house is situated just behind a dune overlooking the beach. A minute's walk up the dune, and you're at a sitting area overlooking a stunning beach. The sunrise shots from the dune made the amateur photographer in our family very happy. We were there in the fall, but coming from Vancouver, it felt like summer but without all the crowds -- sunny with temperatures in the 20s, yet not a soul on the beach. Peace, quiet, and beauty!
The house itself was very comfortable, and I loved seeing such a nice accommodation that was entirely off the grid. My husband was perhaps a bit skeptical when I told him, but nothing fell short, including the shower (which is usually his gripe). The kitchen and appliances were top notch (oh, how I love gas stoves), the bedrooms were very comfortable, and the bathroom was also very nicely done. Burning a fire in the stove warmed the house up quickly at night, and was also very cozy. The back patio was a lovely place to sit and enjoy dinner.
My daughter loved the idea of the bunk beds (if in the end she decided not to sleep there -- having the option of a double bed and bunk beds in the second bedroom was great for an indecisive toddler, and would work beautifully for mutliple children). She also thought the wallabies we saw each evening on the road were great fun.
The house is also well situated for groceries, etc. in Kingscote -- far enough away to feel removed from a more active town, but close enough that you could always get whatever you needed. It's also fairly central on the island in general, so the sights on the west side of the island were a bit closer than they would have been had we stayed in some of the more populous areas on the east coast.
Kangaroo Island is beautiful; we have loved both of our visits there, both as a couple and with a child in tow. There's no better place to see wildlife, and to get away and relax in a low-key environment with beautiful beaches. Brian and Kris were wonderful hosts with a lot of suggestions, and very responsive over email (which is a huge help when you're booking across a very large ocean) -- they live there and know the island well. Overall, I just can't say enough about how lovely A Dune Escape was, and I hope we'll have the chance to return sometime soon.
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Thank you for sharing such a great place. We loved it! Even all the steps down to the beach and then up again- we walked the length of the beach every morning. I fell in love with your lime chair so strategically placed to get the 330 degree view. I could not wait for it to get light enough in the morning so that I could sit on it , take in the view and begin to reflect. You were so right, the house is so warm - we were in t-shirts whilst the outside temperature dropped to 7 degrees. Everything about the house was lovely and beckoning for total relaxation. We appreciate fully the wonderful touches you have included in your house to make your guests feel welcome and comfortable.
It rained just about the whole time we were in KI but it was not a deterrent. We bought the last two umbrellas from the garden shop and we have left them at the Dune escape so that other guests are not deterred by a few drops of water whilst walking on the beach. They would be missing out if they did. The only thing the rainclouds did was not allows us to watch a true sunset from the top of the Dune. Never mind, the view was still lovely and worth it sunset or not. We did so much birding around the island (even in the rain) and were rewarded at Admiral's arch by the incredible dives of the boobies feeding.
Unfortunately we did not get to see everything- would have loved to explore American River and Cape Borda and Cape Willoughby. Definitively next time! I have already recommended A Dune escape to friends and colleagues.
All the best and thanks again.
Josie
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Wow, this is a beautiful property located on the picturesque KI. We chose 'A Dune Escape' after locating the property on TripAdvisor and the other reviewers are accurate in everything they state.
Booking: the booking and communication process was extremely prompt and easy via email with Brian and Kris. There was no ambiguity with the booking as compared with other accommodation we have tried to book in the past.
Directions: The property is easy to locate in day light, unfortunately we arrived at night and struggled with the maps (marked up Google maps) provided. We know that Brian and Kris will update this and road signage will be added like other accommodation venues.
Property: Very recently built house with quality fittings and furniture. There is a stair case to access the property and people with mobility issues should take this into consideration. The surrounding property is visually appealing with wallabies located less than a 2 minute walk from the back door.
Comfort: Well constructed and functional spaces for our party of 2 couples. We enjoyed the 4 burner Gas Mate BBQ located on the back decking and ample outdoor dining space. The kitchen area indoors is generous with a gas stove top and oven. A generous sized refrigerator and food preparation area to take advantage of the Island's offering.
The bedding was extremely comfortable with quality linen and towels provided. Kris has colour coordinated the towels and face washes for the separate bedrooms with Mercer + Reid towels, a quality and comforting touch!
A few things we noted as missing is a toaster (assumed as it is a solar powered house?), microwave (not really needed but may be an issue with a baby) and an electric kettle (gas top kettle provided, once again assumed as a solar powered house). A mirror in the second bedroom would have been useful but not a major issue as there is one provided in the bathroom and the main bedroom.
Our other note was the water pump is located on the exterior of the wall where the bed head is located. As there is no water retention tank the pump will kick in with any water usage including a tap turned on, toilet flush, etc. It meant that as soon as one person was awake, everyone was awake! Once again not a major issue but an observation.
KI has patchy mobile phone coverage. A Dune Escape has Telstra coverage but like most of the Island there is no Optus nor Vodafone coverage.
If you are considering A Dune Escape we would strongly recommend this property and the hosts. The location is so close to Kingscote, 10 minute drive, means you have access to the supermarkets and pubs as well fuel and the freshest fish options you could imagine (Telegraph Rd next to the Caltex, Kingscote).
We will be back in the future to once again this property and hospitality.
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Absolutely perfect accommodation. I have never stayed anywhere as sparkling clean as A Dune Escape. Spotless. A really well thought out holiday house with absolutely everything you need. The kitchen is really well fitted out with quality appliances and Brian and Kris have obviously thought about all the items you need in a kitchen. Comfortable lounges and extremely comfortable beds too. The house has been well designed and is light and airy and spacious.
The verandah was an amazing sun trap perfect for early morning breakfasts and afternoon drinks.
Loved the fact that the house is ecofriendly. Loved the fire too - cosy and lots of wood.
The view from the dune at the back of the house is incredible. Gorgeous sunsets. Walk down to the beach so easy (thanks to the 100 steps Brian built) and what a perfect beach! When we stayed it was picture postcard calm.
Brian is an amazing host who went out of his way to help organise a marine tour for us and even lent us wetsuits!
Our family of three is fortunate to have traveled widely overseas and in Australia and we have to say that A Dune Escape is definitely one of our favourite self-catering holiday homes.
A Dune Escape is a great location to explore the beautiful North Coast. Highly recommended.
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We wanted peace and quiet with nature at our doorstep - we were thrilled to get that and more at The Dune Escape. It was lovely to come back to the house after a day travelling around the island or playing on the beach to take in the beautiful views from the veranda and living spaces and to enjoy the sights and sounds of the wildlife. We saw an echidna, wallabies, kangaroos and even a small bat! The hosts, Brian and Kris, went out of their way to make our stay easy and comfortable, and they have put a lot of thought into making the house both very liveable and environmentally sustainable without compromising on comfort and a sense of style and luxury. We loved it!
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We were so pleased to have had the opportunity to stay at this amazing place. It was well designed, immaculately cleaned and great attention to detail in terms of everything you would need for a relaxing, private and comfortable getaway. The location is superb and we loved sitting up on the dune taking in the stunning views of the beach and surrounding landscape. Kris and Brian have a great knowledge of Kangaroo Island and are more than happy to share that with you to maximise your time there. Would very happily return there and could not recommend it enough.
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