White Sands Estate (sleeps up to 15)

As someone who loves researching holiday accommodation, I get a bit frustrated when I have to stay somewhere I didn't choose. But I have to admit, a recent family gathering helped me discover a great family friendly property on Tasmania's East Coast.

White Sands Estate located about half way between Bicheno and St Helens and is a perfect base from which to explore this beautiful area.

This resort is part old, part new, but has a new lease on life which means that while the accommodation that might look older from the outside, this is not the case on the inside. And with three standards of accommodation - deluxe, modern and standard - there are a range of price points for your stay.

Entering the property down a long driveway from the main road, the first thing that hits you is the large contemporary building that houses the Ironhouse Brewery and Brewhaus Cafe and Bar. There are four handcrafted beers on offer and there is also a small indoor play area for the kids.

We did not eat in the cafe as we were at a birthday party in the function room next door, but same chef and the food was lovely. Our package also included a breakfast pack delivered to the villa.

The villas are self-contained so you can stock up and cook inside or on one of the barbecues. In fact, if the weather is nice, eating on the large deck is just as scenic as what you get in the main building.

The large deck was a highlight of our two-bedroom deluxe villa - with huge bi-fold doors and a large dining table and chairs, as well as a couple of deck chairs that would be bliss on a summer's day.

The villa featured a queen room, as well as another bedroom with two bunk beds, meaning a family of 6 could be accommodated. There was a smallish bathroom with a shower. The open plan kitchen-living area had two couches, table and chairs and a full size fridge.

These villas are comfortable and functional, but it is outside that this place comes into its own. From its own slice of white sandy beach to explore, to what is the most beautiful swimming pool I have seen (and which Miss 9 and Mr 12 braved despite the cold weather). It was to be heated in time for the school holidays - missed it by this much!

There is also a small canoe lake (which does mean that small children have to be more closely supervised as the lake is not too far from the accommodation). Other activities include a basketball court, indoor games room, with our family favourite, table tennis, children's playgrounds and a small cinema. And that's not to mention the open spaces to just run around or kick a football.

I was really glad we discovered White Sands Estate and would be more than happy to stay again.

Note: Our accommodation was independently booked and paid for. Views are my own. If a property does not meet expectations, I will not recommend it to you.