Windmill Motel Coffs Harbour: Iconic 1968 Motel Review

Few motels arrive with their own full-size Dutch windmill, but the Coffs Windmill Motel has had one rising above the Pacific Highway since 1968. Inside that landmark, Em’s Windmill Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. This review gathers the verified details — pet policy, pool, parking, room count and history — so you can compare the property with other Coffs Harbour motels before booking.

Last checked: 2026-09-13

Address: 168 Pacific Highway South, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia · Year built: 1968 · Number of rooms: 41 ground-level rooms · Pet policy: Pet-friendly (allowed) · On-site restaurant: Windmill Restaurant (opened 1982)

Key facts

Specification table

Timeline

• 1968 — Motel established on the Pacific Highway; travel platforms describe it as a Coffs Coast icon from that era.
• 1982 — A restaurant opens on the property; the site now hosts Em’s Windmill Kitchen (Dutch Australian Cultural Centre).
• Former branding — Listed under Big Windmill and Comfort Inn Big Windmill before the current Coffs Windmill Motel name (Hotels.com).
• Today — Em’s Windmill Kitchen serves Asian cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner inside the windmill (Expedia listing).

Does Windmill Motel Coffs Harbour have a pool?

Yes. Qantas Holidays lists an outdoor swimming pool with a waterslide at the property. A Hostelworld listing describes the pool as 15 metres with a water slide and adds free BBQ facilities, a volleyball court and guest laundry to the amenity list; that measurement is not confirmed by the official site.

Pool facilities at Windmill Motel

The official accommodation page we reviewed emphasises rooms, parking and location and does not mention the pool. If swimming matters for your stay, confirm current pool access directly with the motel before arrival.

The bottom line: the pool is outdoor and comes with a waterslide, so it reads as a lively family extra rather than a lap pool.

What is the best hotel in Coffs Harbour?

No single property wins that title for every traveller. Within the 3-star band, the Coffs Windmill Motel is one of the more documented options: Expedia’s guest score sits around 8.2 out of 10 — “Very Good” — and a Hotels.com page with more than 950 reviews summarises feedback as particularly positive about the friendly staff.

The property also carries infrastructure that many highway motels lack. The regional tourism listing for the Big Windmill Corporate & Family Motel highlights full conference facilities, and Booking.com’s overview of Coffs Harbour motels repeats the 1968 icon story.

Windmill Motel vs. other Coffs Harbour hotels

• Pet terms: dogs and cats stay free, per Expedia’s Coffs Harbour guide.
• Ground-floor access: 42 suites with doors opening directly to the car park (official).
• On-site dining: Em’s Windmill Kitchen — Asian cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner (Expedia listing).
• Market position: 3-star, average rate around AUD 165 a night, with deal nights near AUD 89.
• Distribution: Jetstar’s accommodation directory lists the Windmill among Coffs Harbour motels, and Wotif also lists it as pet-friendly with free Wi-Fi and free parking.

One caution: sources disagree on the room count. The official site says 42 suites, while a hotel-information site and the Hostelworld listing both say 41 rooms.

Coffs Shearwater Motel as an alternative

Related searches surface the Coffs Shearwater Motel as another option in the same market. We did not verify its amenities during this research, so travellers weighing the two should check the Shearwater directly and compare its pet policy, parking and dining against the verified details here.

Why is a motel called a motel and not a hotel?

The word “motel” is a blend of “motor” and “hotel”. It was coined for roadside lodging built around the needs of motorists — a room with parking directly outside, no long lobby walks and a quick overnight turnaround.

Origin of the term “motel”

The Windmill fits that original template closely. It opened in 1968 on the Pacific Highway with ground-floor suites, and the official site still describes the property as a Coffs Coast icon of that era.

The pattern: the motel form was built for the car, and the Windmill’s highway address, ground-floor layout and direct parking are textbook examples.

What is the difference between a motel and a motor inn?

Key characteristics of motels vs. motor inns

• Motel: compact, direct room access from the car park, usually budget-oriented.
• Motor inn: larger, often with a restaurant, function space and more amenities.
• The two terms overlap in daily use; the official classification varies by region.

The practical test is access: if you can walk from the car to the room without passing a lobby, it is behaving like a motel. If the property adds a restaurant, conference rooms and reception services, it is edging toward motor-inn territory.

Where Windmill Motel fits in

The Coffs Windmill Motel sits between the two definitions. The ground-floor suites and free car parking are motel-style, while the full-size windmill houses Em’s Windmill Kitchen and the regional tourism listing emphasises conference facilities for corporate and family groups.

The trade-off: you get motel convenience with motor-inn food and function space — a useful combination for groups that want both.

Location and getting there

The motel sits at 168 Pacific Highway South, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia, roughly 1.4 to 1.5 km from the Coffs Harbour CBD. The official site puts the motel about 5.1 km from the hospital and roughly nine minutes by car from Jetty Beach; flights arrive at Coffs Harbour Airport, listed at about 5.1 km (3.2 miles) from the property by Qantas Holidays.

Parking is free and on-site, with room for trailers, buses and trucks; the official accommodation page advises calling ahead to arrange oversized-vehicle parking. A Trip.com listing details check-in from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, check-out before 10:00 am, and a lockbox self-check-in for arrivals outside front-desk hours. Guests may also be asked for government-issued photo ID before arrival, per Qantas Holidays.

• Check-in from 2:00 pm; check-out by 10:00 am (Expedia / Momondo).
• Front desk daily 8:30 am – 7:00 pm; public holidays 7:00 am – 6:00 pm (Expedia / Hotels.com).
• Late arrivals: express check-in and lockbox self check-in outside desk hours (Trip.com).
• Free self-parking, including spaces for trailers, buses and trucks (official).

The implication: the location suits road-trippers on the Pacific Highway and guests who want to walk to the CBD without paying beachfront rates.

Pros and cons, and who should book

Frequently asked questions