.png)
A Missed Opportunity: Rockwater Secret Cove Resort Review
- Rachael Bell-Irving
- 12 minutes ago
- 11 min read
Saturday May 16 to Tuesday May 19, 2026
Luxurious in views, average in execution; that is my overall experience during my long weekend stay at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort on the Sunshine Coast.
My partner Andrew and I were celebrating five years together and had splurged to stay in one of their tenthouse suites. Staying in a treehouse and lounging in a soaker tub with a view were both on my bucket list and the Signature Tenthouse Suites at Rockwater checked all those boxes.
Being a self-described “iconic luxury glamping experience”, Rockwater promises a breathtaking, romantic or family-friendly getaway. There are lovely amenities, a kind staff and an incredible natural backdrop. And I think the location is part of the problem. Rockwater Secret Cove has come to rely on their views to do the heavy lifting, rather than doing the work to deliver on their promise of quality. And it shows in the rooms and operations.
Allow me to help you set your expectations appropriately for Rockwater Secret Cove Resort so you can enjoy your stay to the fullest. I’ve summarized the pros and cons up front if you’d like a quick overview. If you’d like to get into the nitty gritty details and my overall recommendation, read further.
The Successes
Amazing views
Great soaker tub in the tent
Lovely staff
Good sized tent
Free kayaking
Great massage service
Good food at Tubird Restaurant
Did I mention the views?
The Shortcomings
Several maintenance issues with the tent
No accessible drinking water in the tent
Limited storage for space or drying clothes indoors
Mishandled bookings and miscommunication amongst staff
Not all tents have equal privacy
Issues with temperature regulation in the tent
Cracked infrastructure, cement and decaying facilities
Garbage left around the property
The Need-to-Knows
This is glamping. You get a flushing toilet but also expect there to be sounds of nature and the sun brightening the room as soon as it rises. If you’re a sensitive sleeper, consider bringing earplugs and an eye mask.
This is not an accessible property. There is a lot of walking, uneven terrains, hills and stairs. Pack easy-to-carry luggage.
The Full Story Review of Rockwater Secret Cove Resort
I’ll be the first to admit I had higher-than-usual expectations when arriving at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort. I had been looking forward to this trip for months and put a lot of effort into planning it. The anticipation built when driving up the narrow and winding road to the oceanfront property. This may be a nerve wracking drive for the inexperienced, especially when trying to find parking in limited spaces around a steep property.
Andrew and I found a spot on the gravel road beneath the main building, backing up against the beautiful sunkissed cove at the base of the property. This required a small hike back up the hotel to check-in, after we took a few wrong turns along unmarked walkways.
After a smooth check-in and making the short hike to and from the car with our luggage, we found ourselves on the boardwalk that leads to the iconic tenthouses sitting along the bluffs. The walk through the trees is beautiful and you can find views at every angle.
The walk to our tent made me grateful it was one of the furthest away. Some of the tenthouses are very close to the walkway and have their front windows directly looking over the path. Given that any guests are welcome to walk the boardwalk, our further walk promised more privacy.
When Reality Doesn’t Meet Expectations
We opened the door to a warm and inviting tiled room with a king bed in the centre, facing glass double doors that led onto our private patio. On our initial walkthrough I was really excited, especially when we opened the doors to the view beyond. Then Andrew noticed that one of the lights was broken, that some of the stains on the walls appeared to be on the inside of the canvas, and that first impression went downhill from there.
I rolled up the window cover next to the soaker tub, only to find that one strap was missing and the other was broken. In fact, every window cover had at least one broken or missing strap, though thankfully most also had at least one still functioning tie. The window cover in front of the shower had a big tear into its cover. It was clear the tent frame hadn’t been cared for in a while.
Of the two shades covering the glass patio doors, one could only be pulled up halfway and the other had cables so horribly knotted it couldn't be pulled up at all. We macgyvered a solution by folding the blinds and then tucking their end into the edge of the doorframe so we could actually see the view we had paid for.
For something described as “luxury” on the website, it felt shabby and unkempt. It was surprising that Rockwater hadn’t bothered to fix such obvious — and what I would consider basic — issues with the room. The sink faucet leaked constantly (more on that later), the shower randomly expelled water even before we used it, and essential amenities like a spare toilet paper roll were absent. There was no mattress protector on the bed, but at least the sheets were clean and the bed comfortable.
Overall that first impression of the room left a nagging feeling of disappointment, one that would ebb and flow throughout the rest of the trip.
Come Prepared
The heating unit in the room operated with a loud rumbling sound, so we turned it off during our first night only to find that that left the room too cold to sleep in. Even with the duvet my face was freezing. We left it running overnight for the rest of the trip, making due with the rattling and light from the fire.
We were able to get some great blankets from the front desk and later learned that space heaters are available, so if you’re visiting outside of the summer or you know you prefer a warm room, consider asking for these upfront.
The biggest design flaw with the room is that there is no easily accessible drinking water. Normally I would just use the tap water from the sink, but the faucet was so deep into the bowl that I couldn’t get anything underneath it, making filling up water bottles or the provided kettle impossible.
The only option would be to use the bathtub faucet, but we found the water from that to be harder than usual BC tap water. Great for baths, not for drinking. We bought a jug of water from town, along with a stash of snacks, during the second day and used that for the rest of the trip.
The Smart Design Choices
There were three things that I loved about the room. The first is that half of the floor tiles are heated. There was a temperature control for it specifically. Even if the room was cold, my feet never were.
Second is that we had great hot water, and the tub comes with some fun features like lights and jets. Plus, there was a surviving strap for the window cover in front of the tub, so the dream of enjoying a soaker tub with a view was achieved.
Finally, the view did a lot of heavy lifting for the trip. Being able to sit on the patio with a coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening and enjoy the peace and quiet was incredible. Slowing down and listening to the waves lapping against the rocks below and the birds chirping in the trees is why you come to a place like Rockwater.
Missed Opportunities to Make it “Luxury”
Speaking of views, it would be great if they considered cleaning the plexiglass that make up the tent balconies. It’s a small thing, but it’s a bummer to look at the beautiful view through grimy plastic. If you’re going to call yourself a luxury property, those little touches make the difference.
It’s important to note that everything closes at 8:00 PM. The restaurant, the front desk and also the maintenance. So when we realized an hour after closing that our sink faucet was leaking and showed no signs of stopping, the only person we could connect with was the after hours front desk staff. While I commend him for coming over and attempting to help, he said himself that he was not a plumber and had no way of fixing the issue.
The solution we came up with was to place a towel in the sink, and the front desk representative offered to send someone to fix it the next day at 11:00 AM. The full-sized pool towel stopped the dripping noise overnight, and was completely soaked by the morning. We don’t know if anyone ever came to look at it, since no one showed up the next day at the designated time and the faucet was still leaking when we came back from a day of adventuring. The leaking didn’t stop until that evening and continued on and off periodically throughout the visit.
Given the property’s proximity to the coastline and the forest, and how many things could potentially go wrong in that setting, I’m surprised they aren’t better prepared to deal with unexpected maintenance issues. It makes me wonder what their emergency response looks like.
The disorganization of the staff also offers room for improvement. Everyone we worked with was lovely and welcoming (shoutout to Suzanne at the front desk for being an absolute gem), and so I want to be clear that my criticism is not about the individuals, but of the organizational practices as a whole.
For example, I had booked a tandem massage months in advance and emailed a few days ahead to confirm Andrew as the second guest, because they had put my name down on both appointments. I was told this didn’t matter and we could update the booking when we checked in for the massage.
So I was not impressed when I got a call the night before the appointment to let us know that the massage therapist had been double-booked, because someone confused my tandem booking for a duplicated booking. Which was an especially odd mistake after learning from the manager later that doubling the name is how the staff are supposed to book tandem massages.
It was no problem to move our booking, it was just disappointing that I had made my best effort to be organized so I wouldn’t have to worry about these things during the trip, while the staff didn’t demonstrate that same level of care. Or perhaps it was a gap in their training
The Compounding Factor
Everything up to the last day were minor inconveniences that were individually insignificant. We mentioned the maintenance issues, which the staff informed us they were already aware of, but we were otherwise happy to swallow these little grievances. No property is perfect and nothing was anything worth getting upset over.
That was until one of the maintenance staff let himself into our room without knocking, because he had been assigned to clean it the day before we were scheduled to check out. Mistakes happen, and I am confident it was an accident that he was assigned to clean our room. The problem was that his intrusion could have been so much worse, and there was no way to confirm he was staff. He wasn’t carrying any tools or cleaning supplies, only a cigarette (in a non-smoking area of the resort no less).
The front desk handled the situation well. They connected us immediately with the manager, John. He acknowledged these individually small issues can compound, addressing not only the cleaning confusion but also the other unmet expectations of our visit. Being acknowledged meant a lot to us, and he was even kind enough to provide us a credit at the restaurant.
Mistakes aside, the staff we met were all very kind and polite. I know that sounds like the bare minimum, but it is something that Andrew and I genuinely appreciate. We often find that the staff, whether it’s at hotels or restaurants, can be the difference between a great experience and an exceptional one. While that wasn’t quite the case on this trip, there is a lot of potential.
What I Loved
Sitting on the porch, overlooking the incredible view of the water and spending time together easily made this a memorable trip. And the day we didn’t leave the resort was actually our favourite day. We utilized the free kayaking (book a time slot when you check in to make sure you get something) and got to explore the tidepools from the water.
The massage was a huge highlight, and I definitely recommend booking a treatment if you can. The treatment tents are right next to the water and the sound of the waves along with a little pampering and relaxing music is an absolute treat.
We also really enjoyed the breakfast, dinner and takeout we had at the restaurant. The food was consistent, even when we ordered burgers for takeout the first night, and the staff were lovely. Going in May meant that it wasn’t very busy so we didn’t actually need our reservation, but I can see why it would be recommended in the busy months.
The pool deck is very nice, with comfortable loungers to enjoy time in the sun. Though it says “heated” pool on the website, don’t get your hopes up. It’s heated to room temperature, whatever that means. It’s not warm, but it’s not too cold, and definitely nice on a hot day.
There is also morning yoga available twice a week, which I sadly didn’t get to because of when we visited, but the oceanfront patio location makes for a very promising experience. We also didn’t make use of the firepit to make the complimentary s’mores, but it’s a cute touch.
Would I Recommend?
Yes, with an asterisk. By the end of the weekend, having used all the amenities and eaten at the restaurant, both Andrew and I agree that we would recommend a stay here with a disclaimer.
It is glamping but not luxury, especially not in the quality of the room. The fact that the staff were already aware of the maintenance issues with our tent tells me that the management has willingly allowed the rooms to fall into disrepair. Maybe with their recent rebrand there’ll be some improvements to the upkeep of the property. It opened in 2005, so it’s about time for some upgrades.
The amenities offered do elevate the experience. Make use of the amenities and everything the property has to offer and you’ll enjoy the location to the fullest.
Star Ranking
Star rankings differ so wildly from person to person that it’s hard to call them accurate, but nevertheless it is the way that most reviews work. Whether it’s restaurants or hotels, here’s how I determine my star ranking for my own personal opinion:
Five stars = Mind blowing. Something worth travelling for. I’m still thinking about it later. Definitely worth the value.
Four stars = Wonderful. It met or exceeded expectations. I would do it again. The quality met or exceeded the value.
Three stars = Average. Not all expectations were met, but I was comfortable and might do it again, probably with a caveat. I may be questioning the value, but I don’t fully regret the spend.
Two stars = There were significant issues, cleanliness or safety concerns. I am struggling to see the value or I regret the spend. I don’t recommend it, but would encourage you to do your own research nonetheless, or this could have just been my experience.
One star = I do not recommend, or I would warn friends and family against it.
I scale my opinion based on the category of the hotel. A hostel should not be evaluated at the same standard as a five star resort. Similarly, because Rockwater Secret Cove Resort claims to be a luxury glamping experience, I’m evaluating it to that standard. It’s glamping so there were certain discomforts I don’t hold them accountable for, like the heating in the room. But there are also things well within their control that would not or should not be acceptable at a “luxury” level.
Overall, my review of Rockwater Secret Cove Resort is three stars. I think it is a lovely stay, it just set itself up for expectations it did not put an effort into delivering on. You decide if it’s worth it yourself based on what matters to you in a hotel stay.
Happy travels!
Comments