Hotels & Lodges in Northern Australia, Great Barrier Reef

Sebel Margate Brisbane Beach

Location
Margate, Queensland, Australia

Less than 30 minutes from the Brisbane Airport in the upscale beach suburb of Margate, this stylish boutique hotel offers contemporary rooms with private balconies overlooking Moreton Bay. The beach boardwalk is just outside the door, or stake your spot around the rooftop pool for a view from on high. Our accommodations are in deluxe 420-square-foot rooms furnished with a modernist vibe in tones of gray and white with burnished accents. Spacious bathrooms have large glass walk-in showers. Amenities include high-speed Internet, LCD TV with free movies, multimedia hub with radio, in-room safe, mini bar and Illy coffee machine. The Margate Beach House restaurant features contemporary Australian cuisine showcasing fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The Margate Beach Bar has an oversized deck with uninterrupted ocean views, the perfect spot to sit back and enjoy a special cocktail as you survey the sea.

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort

Location
Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

Lady Elliot Island is a coral cay at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. It is located within a highly protected "Green Zone" that provides sanctuary for more than 1,200 marine species, including an abundance of manta rays, turtles and healthy corals. The island is home of the second-highest diversity of seabirds on the barrier reef. This low-key, family-run ecolodge is the island's only accommodation, licensed to operate with the Marine Park and designed to have minimal impact on a fragile ecosystem. Outstanding snorkeling is available directly from the beach, with additional snorkeling offered on boat excursions farther afield. Twenty different dive sites surround the island, and certified guests may choose a guided dive for an extra fee.

Rooms are simple but comfortable, just steps from the beach, with en suite bathroom, private balcony with lagoon view, a mini fridge, microwave and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Meals, which often feature fresh seafood, are served in the Beachfront Dining Room, while the Lagoon Bar offers cocktails, spirits and Australian and international beer and wine. So guests can truly connect with nature, there are no telephones, televisions or radios in the rooms. Limited Wi-Fi access is available for purchase at a central hotspot point. Enjoy a selection of books, movies and games in the Manta Lounge, and visit the Reef Education Center to learn about the flora, fauna, marine life and history of Lady Elliot Island and the Great Barrier Reef via informative wall graphics, fact sheets and educational videos. Recreation activities in addition to snorkeling and nature exploration include beach volleyball, table tennis, a pool table, and a saltwater swimming pool.

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort has been a conservation leader in the Great Barrier Reef region since it opened in 1985. Under the stewardship of its passionate custodians, the resort has earned Australia's Advanced Ecotourism Certification, Climate Action Leader Certification and Green Travel Leader status from Ecotourism Australia, as well as numerous other state and national tourism awards including the Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism and TripAdvisor GreenLeader status for its low-impact operations and commitment to sustainability including reducing carbon emissions, water use and waste; protecting and improving the island’s biodiversity in partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and private industry; and inspiring its guests and the surrounding community to join in its mission to protect the Great Barrier Reef for future generations.

Pullman Cairns International Hotel

Location
Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Conveniently located just a short drive from the airport for our nighttime arrival, the Pullman Cairns International offers premium accommodations in the heart of Far North Queensland's main city. Recently remodeled rooms feature bold contemporary decor with trendy mid-century furnishings and one king or two long double beds, a large work desk, flat screen TV, mini bar, Nespresso coffee machine, in-room safe, and individually controlled air conditioning. On the walls are striking artworks from a curated selection of the most talented artists in the Cairns region. Spacious marble bathrooms have a glass walk-in shower, vessel sink, bathrobes and slippers, and quality toiletries. Each room has a balcony overlooking the mountains beyond. A breakfast buffet is served in the bright and airy Coco's Kitchen.

Heritage Lodge

Location
Daintree Rainforest, Queensland, Australia

Here where the world's most ancient rain forest meets the reef, follow in the footsteps of Sir David Attenborough who stayed at Heritage Lodge while filming The Life of a Plant. Twenty secluded cabins are nestled amid the intense greenery of ferns, vines and palms, while Cooper Creek, a crystalline stream with pristine swimming holes, winds through the property on its course from the mountains to the sea. The silence is broken only by the call of birds or a passing musky rat-kangaroo rustling the leaves. The lodge, which feels one with its surroundings, has been lovingly renovated by its owners, a couple who bought and restored it from a state of disrepair. While upgraded with every comfort, it retains a sense of family-run intimacy and friendliness. Individual cabins feature dark tropical hardwoods, queen-size beds, en suite bathrooms and private balconies from which you might spot an endangered tree kangaroo, cassowary, bandicoot or tree frog. Air conditioning and a ceiling fan ensure comfort, and amenities include coffee- and tea-making facilities, a small refrigerator, TV and DVD player. Start the day overlooking the creek with a tropical continental breakfast featuring fresh-baked bread, homemade jams and special Daintree Tea. In the evening, dine in the open on creative chef-prepared dishes featuring local ingredients, as candlelight, flaming torches and rain forest night sounds create an exotic atmosphere.

Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodges

Location
Yungaburra, Queensland, Australia

Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodges sit on 20 private acres of lush, tropical highland rain forest in the waterfalls and crater lakes district of the Atherton Tablelands. A pioneer in ecotourism in the region, the property caters to birdwatchers, wildlife enthusiasts, naturalists, photographers, film crews and anyone who wants an authentic experience of the rain forest. Accommodations are in 10 one-bedroom lodges that are exceptionally spacious at 570 square feet. Each lodge suite has a king-size bed, en suite bath with spring-fed shower, a full kitchen, and a lounge with 32-inch LCD television and an electric fireplace for chillier nights—here at 2,460 feet above sea level, temperatures are markedly cooler than on the coast. An expansive covered veranda lets you take in all the sensory wonders of the rain forest beyond. Free Wi-Fi is provided in each lodge. Shared facilities include a covered swimming pool, large rain forest deck with lounge chairs, and a lounge area with pool table and wildlife library. A 3/4-mile boardwalk path connects you to platypus ponds, brush turkey mounds and tooth-billed bowerbird stages. More than 110 bird species are found on the property, and an illuminated nocturnal animal viewing platform is situated for spotting wildlife that emerges after dusk, including kangaroos, striped possums, sugar gliders and bandicoots.

Blue Summit Hideaway Lodge

Location
Yungaburra, Queensland, Australia

Blue Summit Hideaway is a romantic retreat tucked away in the lush highlands of the Atherton Tablelands where waterfalls, volcanic crater lakes and ancient rain forests converge. This collection of private villas is located in the village of Yungaburra, home to just under 1,000 residents, at the top of the Great Dividing Range, nearly 2,500 feet above sea level. Owned and operated by a charismatic Yungaburra native, Blue Summit Hideaway offers contemporary flair and deluxe amenities in an optimal setting for exploring the wild tropical environs that surround it.

Our accommodations are in newly renovated luxury king/twin spa villas, accessible via a garden path and shaded by palm fronds and a variety of tropical plants and flowers. The teal exterior of the villa gives way to shades of deep blue on the inside, juxtaposed with fresh white linens and vibrant floral artwork. Individual villas have an array of stylish comforts including a sitting area with electric wood flame fireplace, kitchenette, Nespresso coffee machine, wall-mounted HD TV with Netflix, and reverse cycle air-conditioner. A luxurious spa bathroom has a deep soaking tub, and guests are treated to a collection of toiletries and amenities made from locally sourced natural ingredients including candles, bath bombs, body scrubs and New Zealand manuka honey products.

Platypus Park and the Peterson Creek trail are adjacent to the property. And just 20 minutes away on foot is the iconic Curtain Fig Tree, where a curtain of aerial roots drops to the forest floor — a visit is included on our itinerary.

Bamurru Plains

Location
Kakadu National Park, Australia

This luxe safari-style camp in the savanna bush features stilted tent-style bungalows with unobstructed views over a floodplain that teems with birdlife and other animals. Bamurru Plains is the perfect spot from which to explore Australia's wild bush in absolute comfort and understated elegance, with nature taking the front row seat while you're out of range from Wi-Fi or cell service. Mesh, semi-transparent screens serve as the walls on three sides of your bungalow, offering the most immersive experience with wildlife and wilderness. Beds are supremely comfortable, with organic cotton linens and a pillow menu, and spacious en suite bathrooms have high pressure showers. In addition to corrugated iron and lantern lighting, the decor reflects the region’s earlier indigenous, hunting and pastoral history with buffalo horns, explorer’s maps, Aboriginal art work and fish traps, and historic photos that show the area's heritage. Each room has a cold water thermos, local flora and fauna reading materials and species list. After days spent exploring the bush, the main lodge provides an oasis of tropical calm with comfortable wicker sofas, a well stocked library, an infinity pool and sprawling deck. Meals feature local ingredients, and the bar offers all the perfect accompaniments for a spectacular sunset. The camp was consciously built to minimize its impact on the environment. Sustainable measures include solar-generated hot water, solar electricity generated by an array of 240 solar panels, organic cotton linens that are hung to dry without ironing, locally produced and chemical-free soaps with native herbs, an absence of plastic water bottles and a commitment to environmental education through active interpretation and debate.

Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront

Location
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

This trendy hotel overlooks the lagoon in the heart of Darwin’s vibrant seafront promenade, just steps from cafes, gastropubs and boutiques. Air-conditioned rooms are bright and airy and furnished with minimalist flair, mostly in crisp white. Each room overlooks the water and has one king or two single beds, a work desk, telephone, safe, flat screen TV, Wi-Fi, mini bar and tea and coffee facilities. A restaurant is located on site, along with two poolside bars. Guests can enjoy the spa pool and fully equipped fitness center, or catch some gentle surf at the palm-fringed Wave Pool right next door in the heart of the Waterfront district.