Mantra Aqua is located at Nelson Bay in the Port Stephens area, over 2.5 hours north of Sydney. It is located in a convenient location just a 5 minute walk from the shops, cafes and the clear waters of Nelson Bay. This scenic region is a dream for water-lovers with dolphin cruises, whale watching, 26 beaches to explore and surprisingly clear waters to dive into in every bay in the area. Adrenaline junkies don't miss out either, with a variety of quad bike and 4WD tours to the impressive Stockton Beach sand dunes, which leave from Anna Bay.
Our family stayed at Mantra Aqua on a recent trip, after finding a sale on the Mantra website. We were fortunate to secure a 2 bedroom apartment for the dates that we wanted and we were looking forward to our holiday in the spring sunshine. When we first arrived after a long drive from Canberra, we were welcomed with flocks of lorikeets, tropical trees lining the walkways and a pool that made us just want to fall straight in!
The tropical and colourful Mantra Aqua
A welcoming sight at the start of a holiday!
The Reception desk was the first point of call, where we received a warm welcome and received the keys to our home away from home. The apartments are located in different buildings and on different levels, so you are given a map and told where to park your car under your particular block. It is then an easy lift ride up to the apartment with your luggage.
On our family's visit, we opened the door to our apartment and all breathed
"wow"! The sheer size of the apartment was impressive, with modern furniture, a large kitchen and views down to the pool from the verandah. As we wandered around, the size of the apartment was the biggest attraction - with plenty of room for our daughter to run around and places to hide!
Spacious, clean and comfortable in our 2 bedroom apartment
It wasn't long before we slipped on our swimming costumes and were diving into the clear, rippling pool in the centre of the hotel complex. The water was cool on a spring day, but refreshing and relaxing, with the quiet sound of a water feature tinkling in the background. If you wish to warm up, the spa is set to a much warmer temperature, with bubbles that massage and soothe sore muscles.
Aaahhh...bliss!
For kids, there is also a water play area, with a button to press to activate the huge sprinkler system that they can run under. The pool and water play area is open until 9pm at night, which is ideal in lighter evenings to cool off after a hot summer's day. If you have a room near the pool, however, it can get a little noisy if your kids go to bed before 9pm and there are people still in the pool area.
Run under the sprinklers and cool off!
At the back of the property, there is also a small gym area and toddler games room, if you have a rainy day or are looking for something else to do at the hotel.
Work out at the small gym or relax in the games room
There are plenty of breakfast and dinner options just a short walk away if you wish to go out for meals, with
Nelson Bay Golf Club accessible from a staircase within the property. Our family had heard from friends that the
Nelson Bay Bowling Club, located next to Nelson Bay Golf Club, was also a good venue to try with views down to the water and tasty food for the whole family. You could walk up the small hill to it, however we hopped in the car and we were more than happy with the views, roast dinners, delicious kids' meal and the friendly hospitality of this locals club.
An enjoyable dinner with a view at Nelson Bay Bowling Club, just a short walk or drive from Mantra Aqua
If you are looking for a tropical escape with comfort, then check out Manta Aqua at Nelson Bay for your next weekend away or holiday. Although there are many other hotels nearby, such as
Oaks Lure and
The Landmark, the Mantra Aqua is particularly popular with families due to its fun and colourful pool area. All of the hotels are easy walking distance to the shops, cafes and large Woolworths, if you wish to fill up your fridge or cook on your holiday.
All of these hotels were also just a walk away to Nelson Bay and some of the clearest waters I have ever seen, rivalling those of the Whitsunday's. It is easy to see how Mantra Aqua got its name, with the water a hundred shades of blue.
Mantra Aqua - just a 5 minute walk down the hill to the clear waters of Nelson Bay