I was looking forward to my stay at plush four star Cable Beach Club Resort in Broome, Western Australia. According to their advertising material, I could expect Asian serenity and Colonial Indulgence. It sounded great and friends had recommended it as a very pleasant place to stay.

The hotel runs a shuttle bus to Broome Airport to greet tired travellers. Or you can get a taxi to the resort ($10).
First impressions of the resort were favourable. A porter was on hand to take my bags, and I entered the Asian themed lobby which was refreshingly air-con cool after tropical heat outside.
It must be said at this point that some hotel check-ins go easier than others. My experience at CBC resort was unfortunately in the 'others' category. By this I mean that the young lady behind the desk - blonde, with an American accent - was cool to the point of being disdainful as she checked my details.
I had to ask twenty questions to get any information from her, each question eliciting a cryptic, one word response. It wasn't so much that she was uncommunicative, just not all that forthcoming with answers. Summing up, I found the check-in reasonably efficient, but frosty.
I should also mention at this point, that there is a gift shop adjoining the lobby and you can use free internet (two terminals) in a corner of the shop. I appreciated this convenient service.
As I'd arrived mid-morning, my room wasn't yet available. I lazed around the pool area - very comfortable - until a call at midday on my mobile (from reception) informed me that my room was now ready.
Armed with a plastic room key/card, I set out to find my room. This proved somewhat easier said than done. It is easy to get lost here. Cable Beach Club resort is spread out over a large area, and is impeccably landscaped in Oriental style. Red chinese bridges, stone lions and sculptured horses are dotted around the grounds. Very picturesque, but leads to navigational errors when finding your room, One solution is is to follow directional signs if you can find them, and work out which wing you are in. These are given names like Dragon Flower, Bougainvillea etc.
I found my objective eventually, by deciphering the resort map leaflet (given to me by reception) . Useful tip for tired travellers - it may be easier for you to get to your room by hitching a lift on one of the many golf buggies driven by staff, which whizz around the resort . This way, you are deposited at your room with a minimum of fuss.
If you are still with me at this point, you may well be wondering what the room was like. I can assure you, so was I. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised to step into a cool oasis - in my case, on the ground floor - that was ideal to relax and recuperate in. General decor I rated as stylish. The floors were made of dark-stained timber. Shuttered doors (and flyscreens) led out to cane furniture on a small balcony, complete with leafy garden view. Privacy was good, neighbours couldn't look in, and vice versa.
The room itself had some of the walls painted black - not a choice I would have used myself I must admit - but it did emphasise the coolness and seemed appropriate in this setting. Elsewhere in the room, the walls were made of corrugated iron, arranged vertically, and painted white. Elegant bird prints of an old fashioned design added to the ambience.
Plasma TV, ceiling fans, air-con, mini-bar were provided as you might expect. Some expensive brown teak cupboards in antique style completed the decor. The bed was impeccably made, and firm, with no sag detected. Lighting was well arranged despite the dark decor. Cleanliness, I found first-class.
In the ensuite, I discovered a host of free good quality Natio products, and the overall impression was that everything worked, and could be expected to work.
I was quite happy with the room. There was a convenient self-service laundry located very close to my front door - a wash cost $2 and the dryer was free.
Later, I purchased a hamburger from the resort's Sunset Bar, located overlooking Cable Beach. View was superb, and I watched a couple of whales cruising past out at sea as I munched my expensive burger. This item, along with a beer, came to over $30. But it was worth it to see the whales. You can do a camel ride at sunset near here, on the beach. Most spectacular. Staff attitude in the Sunset Bar was much more friendly, and helpful.