The Best Luxury Stays for Your Next Queensland Break

Private island luxury in the Whitsundays is nothing less than you deserve, and ready to cater to your every need (and heck, whim), is InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef, an IHG Hotel. Even the journey to the island by catamaran is an experience in itself.

Something of an Australian icon, this multi-award-winner is home to one of the biggest swimming pools in the entire country. You can step pretty much from resort to reef here, making it one of the finest places to stay on the Great Barrier Reef. Throw in ocean-view dining, an Elemis spa and hair salon, yoga classes and a raft of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and you might have to be evicted from the island at the end of your stay.

Going off-grid into the outback by no means requires a compromise on luxury – as proven by one of the finest lodge stays in Australia, Mt. Mulligan. Sat on 28,000, history-laden hectares (think coal and gold-rush eras, not to mention 37,000 years of indigenous culture), at the foot of Mount Mulligan (Ngarrabullgan), this is about as spectacular as settings get.

Hosting just 28 guests at any time, intimate, all-inclusive luxury is the name of the game here. Stays include three gourmet meals a day based on locally sourced, seasonal produce, all drinks and a daily outback experience. Buckle up, as this one’s reachable only by helicopter, or 4WD (approximately 2.5 hours from Cairns). 

It’s easy to find this new five-star Gold Coast resort: just look for the towering, jewel-inspired architecture sparkling on the city skyline. Right on the sands between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, this is the first new luxury hotel to grace the Gold Coast beachfront in more than 30 years, and the latest addition to this iconic brand’s collection.

Enjoy views over either the Pacific Ocean or the hinterland, two ocean-view pools, treatments at the signature Chuan Spa (inspired by the practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine) and six restaurants and bars, including Palm Court (whose London equivalent is known as the birthplace of afternoon tea).

There’s good reason this Port Douglas resort is an unequivocal favourite. A huge, palm-lined lagoon pool, flame-lit by night, features a lazy river that winds all the way round the resort (with some rooms offering direct pool access). Easy breezy self-catering apartments and rooftop penthouses are the main drawcard, giving you the flexibility to holiday your way.

There’s an onsite restaurant, Aluco, that marries the flavours of TNQ with the Mediterranean (think crab linguine, and coconut panna cotta with finger lime), and a day spa, Vie, where the Earth & Ocean treatment includes a native aromatic back scrub and a lemon myrtle and cucumber foot mask.

For some, happiness might be found at the bottom of a wine barrel (though not advised), and for others – it’s a luxury stay within one at Barrel View Luxury Cabins.

Three hours from Brisbane, in the heart of Queensland wine country, is this most unique of stays, where just three barrel-shaped cabins offer panoramic views over the Granite Belt and 40 acres of natural bushland. Each one, named after the region’s ‘Strangebird’ wine varieties, includes handy kitchenette facilities, an ensuite bathroom and contactless, smart-room check-in (the ‘Saperavi’ cabin even has an outdoor bathtub). Set out to explore 50 local wineries and vineyards, trek national parks, or simply check out from the world with a good book beside the fireplace (fluffy robe and slippers included).

Formerly the Palazzo Versace, the newly named Imperial Hotel Gold Coast promises as much glitz and glamour as ever. A grand mosaic driveway, glittering marble lobby, twinkling chandeliers and a cabana-lined pool set the scene for indulgence – two Rolls-Royce Phantoms are even on hand for chauffeur service.

Its high fashion legacy means Italian inspiration remains, in the dining of Il Barocco (where fresh local seafood is the star of the menu) and the ‘couture afternoon tea’ of Le Jardin. See, be seen, book a cabana and make the most of the Gold Coast’s 300 days of sunshine a year.

Named as one of the World’s 50 Best Hotels – and The Best Hotel in Oceania for 2024 – it comes as no surprise the uber-stylish Calile offers an experience that is simply next level.

Expect Miami-style architecture, one of the most Instagrammed pools in Australia, and six restaurants taking you all the way from Greece (Hellenika, with its chargrilled seafood and Hellenic mezze) to Japan (Sushi Room, where you can choose from a la carte sashimi and sushi rolls, or omakase). Located in the leafy James Street precinct, you’ll have access to the Kailo Medispa, boutiques of some of Australia’s best-loved brands, and laneway restaurants that are the ultimate hidden gems. 

This idyllic boutique hotel has brought adults-only indulgence to the shores of Palm Cove for almost 50 years, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down, as it was named the number one luxury hotel in Australia and the South Pacific in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards for 2024. 

Guests (aged 16+) are invited to relax beside the butler-serviced heated mineral pool, tranquility pool and spa, bliss out at the day spa led by a pioneering Dior-trained specialist, and enjoy complimentary signature inclusions such as daily stretching and yoga, a gin cocktail on arrival and mixology classes. And that’s not to mention the food: a 250-strong wine list, seafood platters of Moreton Bay Bugs and king prawns, and gourmet picnic baskets.