After 17 years in the motel industry, Janet and Ross McDonald have learnt a thing or two about what makes guests happy. As Janet explains, first impressions go a long way to making sure guests at Junction Motel, Maryborough feel welcome.

“You can’t do this sort of work if you don’t love it because you would come across as really insincere,” Janet said.

The welcome guests receive is reflected in the facilities – starting from a compact and cost-effective Economy Queen room, to the unexpected luxury of the Premier King rooms.

In the 12 years the couple have owned the motel they have taken it from a drab, rundown premises to a modern accommodation option. Gone are the internal bare brick walls and dated bedspreads, replaced with contemporary colours and designs that give even the cosiest rooms a spacious feel.

The couple’s eye for design and detail is evident throughout the rooms. Whether it’s the colourful prints on the walls or the arrangement of towels in the bathrooms, their ‘hands-on’ approach means that guests can expect the highest standard of cleanliness and comfort throughout their stay.

“It doesn’t matter to us whether someone is a high-flying executive or a tradie passing through, they are all our guests and deserve the best we can offer,” Janet said.

“It’s incredibly rewarding that we have such a strong base of return guests. Over time, you get to stage where you form relationships with guests, you know their partner’s name, their kids’ names, what stage they are at in school."

“The joke when our regulars walk in the door is who will be the first to say ‘Hi honey, I’m home’.”