Best Daydream Island Hotels

I first visited this island 8 years ago and unfortunately not much has changed. Restaurants - given there are only 2 restaurants that you can eat from outside of the breakfast buffet I would have expected the menus to have more diversity, healthier options and cater for dietaries. Only one of these restaurants is open for lunch and again the menu doesn’t change. Which means you could be eating ALOT of pizza, chips and pasta during your stay. Convenience store - there is a gift shop that sells drinks and crisps but there isn’t anywhere on the island to grab anything last minute in terms of amenities, variation of snacks or milk etc. I am really pleased that I packed daily snacks for the babies otherwise it would have made it tricky. Spa - I had booked a Mother’s Day facial and 90minute massage in. Only to be told when I asked reception where to go that the spa had shut down and isn’t looking to reopen anytime soon. This was incredibly frustrating as it was too late for us to book an excursion for the day giving the time and availability. Lovers cove - This is a beautiful spot but don’t be sucked in by the advertised sunset cocktails. They open at 5pm, only had 1 cocktail available on tap and one beer. The que was so long due to the slow service that it took 25mins to get a cocktail and then the server popped ice in my husbands beer! Live music - this was advertised 2 out of the 3 nights we were there but it didn’t happen once. Wildlife - there is a lot of this on the island, often joining you for breakfast and dinner. In many ways it is welcomed however I’m not sure the treatment of the birds/kangaroos is entirely ok by the staff. The birds are often kicked and the kangaroos are often fed serviettes to distract them out of the public spaces. Looking into hiring an expert who can safely look after them and ensure they aren’t hindering the guests too much would be a lovely thing to see here. Staff - I’m not sure we met one Australian member of staff during our trip. All of them seemed to be backpackers who were super friendly, chatty and helpful however given they turned over rather quickly they didn’t seem to know a lot about the island, why things weren’t open or what to do in terms of trips. One additional thing to note is everything on the island is pretty expensive which one would expect however the quality I’m afraid isn’t there. Most of the food they serve (wontons, spring rolls, chips, hash browns etc) are all frozen. If you are looking for a budget island stay in terms of service and amenities and are happy with limited options for food and take your own snacks but open to pay $10 for a small can of beer then this could be the right place for you. Unfortunately after given this island 2 chances I won’t be returning with my family!

Our stay at BIG4 Whitsundays Tropical Eco Resort was absolutely fantastic! The resort is beautifully maintained, with lush tropical gardens that create a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. The cabins were spotless, well-equipped, and so comfortable—everything we needed for a perfect getaway. The staff were incredibly friendly and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great stay. They were full of helpful advice about local attractions and made us feel so welcome. The facilities were top-notch, especially the pool and BBQ areas, which were ideal for relaxing and enjoying the stunning surroundings. The location is perfect for exploring the Whitsundays. It’s just a short drive to Airlie Beach, but far enough away to avoid the hustle and bustle. The eco-friendly focus of the resort is also a big plus—it feels great staying somewhere that cares about the environment.

Easy checkin even after hours, and very responsive via email. The location is a bit past town but there is a nice store and cafe about a 1.5 km walk down a busy highway. We didn’t do the walk so I can’t vouch for shoulder/sidewalk etc. Tons of families, and many quite loud. Cockatoos and kookaburras everywhere, also loud but very fun. Nice greenery around the park. Local tours do pickup here. Office hours are pretty short and unreliable. Major drawback - there’s one bathroom building for everyone (besides en suite or cabins), which happens to be a fairly long walk from the grass sites. However it was rarely busy even at peak morning shower time. Just a 2.5-3 minute walk from the back of the park. The grass sites are basically the camper’s dog’s toilets and there are fleas or some other small biting bug infesting the grass. Bring repellent and cover yourself, or avoid the grassy sites. Not the fault of the property, just a note. If I had it to do over again we’d book an en suite campsite - more private, with toilets. Overall, okay but not great if you’re child free and looking for a chill quiet spot.

The rooms are amazing. The service from the staff was above and beyond, we had a very early start on Sunday and the open the kitchen early for us to enjoy a continental breakfast before our long day. We have 9 rooms and everyone slept very well. We will be staying here again next year. Thank you for a great weekend.

We absolutely loved staying at Mango House. It’s only a 5 minute bus ride to Airlie Beach centre and has a supermarket, cafe and post office just across the street from it. The room was amazing - as backpackers we were very excited to see a washer and a dryer to use for free! The pool and garden are lovely too. 10/10 would recommend. Pam, the owner, was an gem and even dropped us at the bus stop to catch our greyhound bus.

Best place by far and good prices! Clean peaceful, lovely showers and toilets. The kitchen area was buzzing every evening. The reception lady was so so helpful. This site is just a 15 min easy walk to the Whitsundays Cruise terminal which takes you on trips to the Great Barrier Reef and other islands. I can recommend the full day Barrier Reef trip. Also do the guided snorkel tour - it’s great if you aren’t a confident swimmer but also takes you out of the designated area so it’s wonderfully peaceful. We also indulged in the helicopter ride - I took a great video of the reef - truly amazing. Also the Whitehaven Island - stunningly beautiful particularly Tongue beach. All day, hot and tiring but worth it (I’m in my 60’s). Bus stop - walk a few yards keeping right as you leave the entrance. $2:50 into town - change given.

We arrived on a Friday afternoon and Simon, the owner, was there waiting for us at the property! He helped us with our bags, and showed us to our apartment on the 3rd floor after a quick elevator ride. The apartment had all amenities -- full kitchen, washer/dryer combo (which we took advantage of after traveling for two full weeks before our arrival at Harbour Cove), comfortable living room furniture, and a double-sink huge bathroom with both a shower and a separate soaking tub ensuite to the separate bedroom. Simon was most attentive when we discovered that there was not enough detergent or towels for our needs when we arrived at the apartment. He left and returned in a matter of minutes with the needed items, and left them for us on the dining room table. He didn't disturb us while we were relaxing on the balcony enjoying the magnificent views, which was very sweet! The views were stunning, and we enjoyed relaxing on the large balcony watching them at different times with the changing tide levels. When we came, it was low tide and the harbour was mostly devoid of water. When we woke up the next morning, we were treated to a harbour full of gorgeous blue water as the tide was in! We loved the changing scenes based on the tides. Simon was also a wealth of information about the town, restaurants to eat at, where to purchase our needed supplies, etc. One of his recommendations for dinner was La Tabella Trattoria. We had the Veal Scallopini. It was delicious! In fact, we loved it so much that we went back the following night and had the same meal!! The apartment is located right on the harbour so boats and the ferry were located right in front of our balcony. It was convenient for our day-long cruise the next morning to the Great Barrier Reef -- a 30 second walk to get to the ship terminal, and also a 30 second walk to the Grayhound Bus terminal which was handy the following morning for our bus excursion up the coast to Cairns. We are so happy that we found this accommodation. It was exceptional!

I stayed at Vista apartments for one week and it was very relaxing, pleasant stay. The staff, the ladies, Bebe and Robyn were very welcoming and very helpful with advice on where to get the best coffee or meal, places to visit, and very helpful with suggesting and arranging the tours. And available for a chat, which is great for solo travellers. Thank you, ladies! I stayed in one bedroom apartment that was very clean, bed linen changed midweek. Well equipped kitchenette so I could make meals when I felt like. Stunning views from balcony. Nothing beats the morning coffee on the balcony with the views of the harbor, the sea and islands on horizon. Bus stop next to the hotel if you don't feel like walking, however, it was only short walk to Port Airlie and about 10 -15 minutes to the main street, lagune and boardwalk. By the way, bus fare is 50 cents! There is free underground car park as well. So.if you want great accommodation at the very sensible price, go to the Vista! Oh, almost forgot. There is Thai restaurant at the hotel, that offers delicious dinners and I would highly recommend Zorro cafe at Port area, look up the photos to see why.

We loved our stay at The Boathouse Apartments! The rooms were spacious and super clean with an amazing view over the marina. Staff were fantastic and couldn’t do enough to help. We loved the pool and tennis court and there’s a great coffee shop downstairs The location is one of the best in Airlie - an easy flat walk up to the Main Street, lagoon and cruise terminal. Everything we needed was close by. Will definitely stay here again.

Good location, near the pier, Free parking, breakfast included, stovetop and microwave for cooking. There are family rooms, swimming pools, It is convenient to have a washing machine for AUD4 and a dryer for AUD3. We went to Hamilton Island for one night, parked the car at the hotel, and returned for another night. Overall good, airlie beach is beautiful. The staff were very good, they also waited in advance to communicate, and introduced the facilities. That is, there are many mosquitoes, so take good protection.