Reviews & Guestbook.

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 'It's unseasonably warm and after a hard week a few days at the beach seems the perfect tonic. I can't wait for that hit of salt air and a wander along the cliffs. But the hotel name has us a bit worried. Dive. I'm really hoping it's not. The website is promising: a tasteful, coffee-coloured wall and a vase of crisp of white orchids. It all looks pretty groovy. And it is. Our room is truly enormous: ceilings 2.7 metres high, a nice big bed covered in crisp black and white, a comfy couch and a desk with two chairs. There are also a sink, fridge and fi xings for hot drinks. The walls are the colour of milky coffee, the highly polished fl oorboards covered with a chocolate rug. Dark blue glass mosaic tiles in the small but well designed bathroom. All of this is good, but it's the view that really gets you. This is the kind of view people in Sydney pay far too much for. It's the kind of view that washes all your troubles away and reminds you that you are a smallish dot in a very large and beautiful universe. From the couch you look out over the road and promenade to the ocean and Wedding Cake Island. A perfect Norfolk pine stands in the middle distance. As night falls you watch the sky make the horizon disappear. Lights come on along the promenade - big fat globes of warm yellow - and the ocean and sky completely fade to black. Mesmerising. If I lived here I would never tire of that view. Breakfast the next morning is self serve. Everything you need is laid out on the dining table at the back of the hotel. Under a crisp white cloth are four different kinds of bread for toast (the onion bread is great), sliced oranges for making fresh juice, cereal, banana bread, a variety of teas, coffees and my favourite brand of soy milk in the fridge. Dive adds another gem of Sydney's boutique hotel map, style by the sea at a very reasonable price.' Rating 17/20 Cerentha Harris, Weekend Edition Sydney Morning Herald September 8-9, 2001

Guestbook - May 2007 "I loved the Dive Hotel. It was a really small hotel so the service was a lot more personable and the whole feeling was really warm and cosy. We had a sea view room which was really nice and big, a friend stayed in one of the standard rooms and it was good too. The furnishings were really funky and great location."

NEW YORK TIMES 'Don't be put off by the name. Dive hotel is a small, casual, familyrun hotel overlooking the Pacifi c Ocean. The 14 clean-lined rooms feature wooden floors and beach house decor.'

Guestbook - May 2008 "Comfortable, clean, very hospitable hosts. Thoughtful extras (eg shoe polish, plenty of paper and reading materials). Great location. Excellent value for money."

'SUNDAY LIFE!' HIPHOTELS' After five years of staggered renovations, this spacious beachside mansion known formerly as the Grandview has been reborn as a laidback boutique hotel. Architect Virginia Kerridge, who is known for her sensitive melding of the old with the new, has opened up the rear of the building to create an open plan communal dining area that looks on to a landscaped courtyard. Demand is high for the two front rooms, because of the spectacular views of the beach and constant parade of pedestrian traffic. The 3.5 metre-high ceilings, polished boards and subtle décor create a spaciousness desperately lacking in other establishments. There's a TV, video and portable compact disc player. The bright blue tiled bathroom features the tallest shower stall ever encountered and a stylish Philippe Starck-ish custom-made stainless steel. EXTRAS: Beach across the road, popular coastal walking trails. Short stroll to Coogee's Café and seafood restaurant strip. Computer with internet access. 'Sunday Life!' hiphotels The Travel Issue The Sun-Herald Magazine 19 August 2001

Guestbook - July 2008 "Thank you so much for making our first couple of weeks in Australia so lovely. We instantly felt at home and fell in lovely with Coogee and the surrounding area. The Dive will always have a special place in our hearts!"

LONELY PLANET - SYDNEY EDITION 2002 'This delightful, small boutique hotel is beautifully decorated in a modern style that retains interesting original tilework and a sense of beach house space.'

Guestbook - June 2008 "just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed our brief stay at your charming hotel. Very comfortable with congenial and helpful staff. A lovely friendly, homey feel and great breakfasts (loved the homemade preserves!). We will be back!

GETAWAY 'Funky, clean, cheap and living beach life is what you'll get when you stay at Dive.'

Guestbook - May 2008 "Thank you so much for the great time we had at "the dive" during our recent stay. We found the hotel to be perfect for us and the service of all the staff friendly and professional at all times. We cannot wait to come and visit again and relax in the beautiful surroundings. We will definitely recommend the hotel to anyone we know who wants quality accommodation."

POSTCARDS 'What I like most is its warm and friendly atmosphere. It's more like hanging at home. You're not just stuck in a hotel room. There's a relaxing courtyard to chill out in.'

Guestbook - May 2008 "Thank you all very much for the amazing hospitality you showed us during our stay at "the dive". The atmosphere you have created there is one of groovy style yet the old fashioned personal service has been retained. Indeed a rarity these days."

TIME OUT GUIDES - SYDNEY 'Terry Bunton and Mercedes Mariano have transformed what was once a dingy, rundown guesthouse into an oasis of style. The best rooms in the house are the two large ones at the front, with a view of the sea. All are ensuite, with microwave, fridge, TV. The bathrooms are chic (if sometimes cramped), decked out in stainless steel and tiny blue tiles. Bed linens come in crisp black and white, while blocks of bold colour brighten up the look. At the back is a terrace with leafy bamboo and trailing bougainvillea. Despite its 'cool' status, dive is a friendly place helped by the presence of the pets, Babe the poodle and Stella the husky.'

EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDES SYDNEY TOP 10 BEACHSIDE ACCOMMODATION 'Dive. A stylish hotel featured in design magazines. Its rooms have high ceilings and designer bathrooms. Complimentary breakfast and unlimited tea and coffee are available. The two front rooms have spectacular views.'

BEAUTIFUL ACCOMMODATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES 'Don't let the name put you off- Dive is our favourite beachside place to stay. It is very reasonably priced for a Sydney waterfront hotel and is also one of the most sought after because of its great location - opposite Coogee Beach with views of the charmingly named Wedding Cake Island and just a stroll from 35 restaurants, Wylie's Baths and the Ocean walk. But it's the groovy renovation of this 1880s villa that has all the overseas travel mags going ga-ga. There are 14 rooms with well-equipped kitchenettes, small yet well designed stainless steel and blue-tiled bathrooms, comfy couches and some quirky features (the ironing board makes an artistic statement). If you want the sensational view, ask for a front room - they're worth the extra price. Breakfast here is a brilliant idea that will hopefully catch on. There's a sunny breakfast room with a self-serve kitchen at the back of the house overlooking the bamboofringed garden. You help yourself to a continental breakfast- and here's the good bit….That is served from 7am to 1pm daily. How incredibly civilized!'

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO SYDNEY Far from living up to its name, this is a wonderful small hotel in a renovated former boarding house opposite the beach. The hall features Art Deco tiling and high, decorative-plaster ceilings and there's a pleasant, bamboo-fringed courtyard (with BBQ and discreet guest laundry) that opens out from a spacious breakfast room for prepareyourself breakfasts. Two larger rooms at the front have splendid ocean views; one at the back has its own balcony. All have funky little bathrooms, CD players, cable TV, queensize beds and a handy kitchenette with microwave and crockery. Free Internet access.

TRAVEL AND LEISURE (U.S.A. EDITION) MARCH 2003 Overlooking a wide sweep of Coogee Beach- a 15 minute cab ride from downtown - the small family-run Dive Hotel, is more like a beach house than a hotel. All 14 rooms have polished fl oors, stylish stainless steel baths, and kitchenettes; Nos. 1 and 2 have drop-dead ocean views. Take a swim at spectacular cliff-hugging path to Bondi Beach.