Meet Tori
Creative, Adventurous, Friendly
.
On a typical day...
I have a very open house. My house is your house.
When I host guests...
I’m helpful and hands on. I can show them where to go and help them get there.
Family Hobbies
Swimming, Sailing, Reading, Painting, Photography
Hosting guests since
2000
About the Homestay
- Welcomes
- Males
- Females
- Couples
- Families
- Students
I like to share my 3 bedroom home with guest/s, as it's in the wonderful bushy, northern suburb of Berowra.
My home is only an 11-minute train to Hornsby and a 30-minute train trip to Macquarie University. It’s also a 40-minute drive to the City Centre, Darling Harbour (55 min express train) to the CBD.
I'm within walking distance (15 mins) of the train station, local restaurants and cafes, and a short walk to a bus to the station.
I live here alone, but sometimes my adult daughter Savannah stays. I'm an experienced homestay host who loves meeting new guests.
My home is perfect for travellers, professionals or students studying in the northern suburbs, Hornsby, Chatswood or Macquarie University.
There are great views from the balcony, to watch the sunset and local bush walks to explore the area.
I have a guest bedroom with a queen bed, bedside drawers, an open wardrobe and a small laptop desk, with large monitor & bookcase, and it's suitable for 1person.
The house is high-set and is decorated in a modern, tribal, art vibe and it has a separate lounge and dining room. These both lead to a sizeable high-set balcony through sliding glass doors, accessing expansive bush views, that overlooks the Berowra valley. I have daily visits from cockatoos & rosellas.
I work professionally and enjoy doing art and photography and I’m happy to help you settle in, short-term or for a longer-term.
I have hosted many guests and students over the years, and have made many lasting friendships.
I also may be able to assist with your Airport collection for a small fee to cover tolls and mileage. Please ask if this is required.
Come and stay in lovely Berowra!
House Facilities
- Garden
- Bikes for use
- Laundry
- Patio
- TV
- Internet Access
- Smoke alarm
- Air Conditioning
Bedrooms available for booking
About the Area
My home is located in a bushy, northern residential suburb, surrounded by the Mount Kuring-Gai National Park and the house overlooks bush views, down Berowra Valley. Berowra has a small local shopping centre and is only 10 mins train trip to Hornsby Westfield shopping mall and only 35 minutes to Gosford, Chatswood, or Macquarie Centre shopping complexes.
The train station is only a 15 min walk away or a short bus trip, and it's an hour train trip or a 40-minute drive to Sydney CBD.
There are many parks, bushwalks, and waterways nearby. We are also only 15 minutes drive or train away from Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River.
Local Area Facilities
- Park
- Gym
- Swimming
- Cinema
- Library
- Shopping Centre
- Health club
- Restaurant
- Bus Stop
- Train station
Meals
Hosts can offer a complimentary light breakfast at their discretion. All other meals, including a full breakfast, might incur an additional cost, if offered. Meals and any additional payment should be arranged directly with your host.
Included in the stay
- Complimentary Light Breakfast
- Use of Kitchen
House Rules
I would like you to respect and look after my home as it was your own.
No additional guests can stay without approval. If approved, an additional guest fee will be charged a fee per night.
Please only no smoking guests accepted.
Please be aware that on arrival, I will ask to see your identification (passport or license) to confirm your identification.
Smoking Rules
Your host is a non-smoker.
Smoking is not allowed.
14 Reviews
December 2023
This stay was truly wonderful. My host Tori was always looking out for me and she made me fall in love with Australia. I enjoyed my daily life in Sydney more than I enjoyed sightseeing I was able to do that by conversing with her and working on the internet in this lovely house. I am not that good at English, but she was very attentive to that.
In this house, you can wake up in the morning listening to the birds and in the evening you can watch the sunset over the national park. I would highly recommend this house to anyone looking for a stay in a lovely environment.
Thank you, Tori, for your hospitality!
Host reply
Thank you Chikako, for your wonderful review! I’m so happy you had a wonderful time in Australia, come back soon!
May 2023
Tori is very welcoming and a lovely lady. She was making sure that when I first arrived I felt at home and not have that awkward feeling you can feel in someone else's home. The treehouse is amazing because you have beautiful views over the forest and white cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets visit the balcony. The house is as described and if you like to use public transport to get around a train station is nearby that can take you into Sydney CBD or you can explore the surrounding area, which is very beautiful.
Host reply
Thank you Jacquie it was a pleasure to host you!
January 2019
We came as guests, we left as adopted sisters.
Tori’s home is quite simply perfect. It’s quirky, snug and thoughtful.
As a host Tori is exceptional .... her attention to detail and anticipation of what her guests may need is beyond expectations.
We cannot impress on anyone reading this review enough that this is THE place to stay. We can’t wait to return, thank you so much for the most wonderful holiday.xxNovember 2018
Tori was a very friendly and caring host. Everything was clean and tidy. The only thing was that our bathroom was outside. the furniture was a bit old and not the newest. the bedroom was small. The other host had the bathroom inside the house.
Host reply
Hi Prince,
My apologies, it appears that you were unhappy, as you have only rated your stay, 3 stars?
My homestay site clearly describes my house, as an older bungalow and includes photos of all the rooms and living areas. My house is full of new furniture, including in your bedroom as guests regularly comment on the decor. Except, I do have an antique, oak, dining table & chairs and chaise lounge, in the sunroom.
So, I don't know what you were expecting? As after reviewing my site, you still chose to book the smaller and less expensive bedroom.
Also, I think that you must have misunderstood what I advised you at midnight on check-in, or you didn't read the printed guest information in your room?
I advised that there were two shared bathrooms and if the main bathroom was being used, you could use the second toilet or the pool shower situated in the laundry, which was closer to your bedroom?
As you left early each morning & arrived home late, I didn't see you much nor did you mention, there were any problems?
Please be aware that Homestay's in Australia are not hotels, or pensiones, we are just hosts who choose to open our homes to greet international guests, for a minimal cost.
Regards Tori
September 2018
Tori cared well for us and gave us a lot of information. As we stayed with her as a family and had only three days for visiting Sydney, we hadn't very much contact to her. I think Tori would have liked to spend more time together, but we wanted to see much of the city and it also needs some time to go there by bus and come back. Every time when we came back, Tori offered us some tea, gave us information, ask how the day was and so on. The location of Tori's home is very nice - you can see the harbour and the skyline of Sydney. Buses run regularly and stop directly in front of the house.
Host reply
Thank you Heike, for your lovely review, you are welcome back anytime.
August 2018
My little stay of 4 nights was amazing!
Really enjoyed it, the host is just so benevolent, she is listening and giving a lot of tips.
That's really the best Homestay I never had!Host reply
Thank you Thomas, for your lovely review and I wish you all the best with you job.
July 2018
Tori is a superhost!
I stayed her house for 5days, for the purpose of sightseeing in Sydney. She knows many good places for sightseeing in Sydney and kind enough to tell me how to get there. She also taught me nice local bars that are almost impossible to find by my self.
The room is very clean, comfortable with nice interiors. I could sleep well.
Although I’m not fluent at speaking English, she talked me clearly and listened to my poor English tolerantly.
I had wonderful time thanks to Tori. I strongly recommend you to stay her house if you are looking for Homestay in Sydney.僕は夏休みを利用してシドニーの観光目的に5日間Toriさんの家に滞在しました。彼女はとてもフレンドリーかつ親切な方で、シドニーの沢山の観光名所やそこまでの行き方を教えてくれました。彼女のガイドのおかげでシドニーで道に迷うことはほとんどなかったです。また、彼女は地元の人が行くような沢山の隠れ家的バーやレストランを知っていて、おかげでガイドブックには載っていない沢山の美味しいお店へ行くことができました。
部屋はとてもお洒落で綺麗で、ベットもとても寝心地が良かったです。
コミュニケーションは全て英語ですが彼女は外国人と話すことに慣れていて日本人の僕でもおしゃべりを楽しむことができました。
シドニーに滞在しようと考えている方皆さんにオススメです。May 2018
Victoria (Tori) was a super host and made us feel like family. Our stay with her and her other guest Jo just made Sydney an even better place. One of the best home stays ever.
Phil and Gill KeylockApril 2018
I stayed with Tori for just over a month and really enjoyed my time with her. She is a warm and engaging person who went out of her way to ensure I felt comfortable and relaxed in her home. I would strongly recommend a stay at her interesting and relaxing house. I will definitely be returning.
February 2018
I am so happy to get to know Tori and I really highly recommend staying with her. She is so nice, so warm-hearted and the room are all very nice. I have booked the 5 nights stay for my four friends and they said that was a wonderful stay . Tori likes sharing all her experiences with them and having given them a lot of helps. In the following days if possible I will recommend my others friends to stay with her. Thanks again , Kind Tori.
How do I book?
Contact the host to check their availability and ask them any questions you have about staying with them. Once the host confirms they’re available for your dates, you can complete your booking.
When do I pay?
Once a host confirms they're available, you can go ahead and pay the 15% booking fee (maximum of 250 $£€ for longer term bookings) and a 25% deposit using a choice of payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Laser, JCB & PayPal. The deposit is collected in advance on behalf of the host to protect against no show or late cancellations (within 7 days of arrival). You then pay your host the balance due on arrival. The 25% deposit payment is made to the host 2 business days after your scheduled arrival date. This deposit payment will only be refunded if you cancel the booking at least 7 full days prior to arrival.
When can I share my contact details?
Host and Guest email address, phone number and home address will be exchanged in a confirmation email sent to both immediately after a booking is completed. It's against our policy for Guests and Hosts to exchange direct contact details via our messaging system.