heathy

We are so looking forward to returning to beautiful Queensland at the end of April - first week of May 09.

OH has a conference in Cairns for a couple of days and we thought it would be lovely to spend 7 nights in Palm Cove or Port Douglas. Husband happy to commute from either town.

We spent a week at the Sheraton Port Douglas last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. My children ( 7 and 9 ) and husband want to stay there ( Sheraton ) again. I think it would be worthwhile staying elsewhere. Palm Cove sounds idyllic.

Would anyone be able to advise me which Sea Temple resort would be the " best " to stay at?

Our major requirement is a decent sized pool and good food ! Im fairly certain we will miss the Aussie school holidays - would anyone know for sure ? What is the weather generally like at that time of the year?Im assuming we will be unable to swim in the sea.

Thanks for your time

marg

The commute time from Palm Cove to Cairns is about half that from PD to Cairns. The highway from PC to Cairns is double lane whereas the highway further north is single lane and very windy, so longer travelling time.
I think all the hotels in Palm Cove are close to the beach - not necessarily so in Port Douglas.
Palm Cove has more of a village atmosphere and is probably more of a family environment than PD.
There is one resort near the beach with a number of swimming pools - Novotel I think.
If you stay in Palm Cove and are without a car during the day, it is easy to get into Cairns or Smithfield for shopping etc with the local bus.

heathy

Thanks Marg

We are familiar with the road from Cairns to Port Douglas. I think Palm Cove would be lovely - just need to convince the rest of the troops. I will look into the Novotel. I seem to be fixated on the Sea Temple though - not sure quite why !

Bushranger

Having a look at http://www.seatemple.com.au/ the SeaTemple PC looks to be as classy a place as the PD ones and the Sheraton.

I would have put the PC commute time as closer to a third of PD and whereas PD will have more shops closer as Marg says, Cairns is not far away.

I'd sell it to Hub as:
you and kids can go in and have lunch with him a couple of days if he wanted and then stay on doing stuff in the afternoon and have tea in there somewhere.
and it'll be more relaxing and easier on him not to be driving so far each day.

School hols shouldn't be a problem:
http://www.dest.gov.au/portfolio_dep...dates_2009.htm and most families with kids will not be going so far or staying at classy resorts.

End of April will still be warm enough without being super hot and should not be overly humid but any good walks will still bring out a sweat.

And you're getting to end of box jelly season but see what the locals are doing re swimming in sea in or out of netted areas.

pat_woolford

Am pretty familiar with both resorts, ie, locality and restaurants and I'd give it to Palm Cove over Port Douglas when choosing which Sea Temple.

Sea Temple Palm Cove is absolute beachfront and easy walking distance to restaurants along its attractive foreshore, where ancient melaleuca trees have been carefully retained. Sea Temple Port Douglas is newer, but not walkable into town, although there's a shuttle bus. Both are well equipped with pools. Sea Temple PD is set back a little from the southern end of 4 mile Beach with a vegation barrier between the resort and beach. Also a very long walk to stinger net, although with all those pools you wouldn't need to worry.

Queensland school hols will be over by end of April, there may be a few days of overlap from other states at end of April, after that they're all back at school.

heathy

Thank you for the great replies.

Between us, we have convinced OH to commute from Palm Cove to Cairns.

Now my dilemma is choosing accommodation...

Pat , would you say the swimming pool is a decent size at the Sea Temple ? I had read that it was a tad on the small size. Would you perhaps recommend Peppers Resort instead ?

Thank you for your forbearance.

Bushranger

It is smaller but then I'd also look at the number of units it is servicing for there seem to be more down at Peppers, formerly Outrigger and if you orientate yourself to the map here: http://www.outrigger.com/2/ and then scroll it south right to far end of esplanade and down Triton Street a bit more you find the Temple.

Open up Google Earth now and you can scan right in onto both and check out where you'll be.

One thing to notice is that Peppers is sandwiched between two streets and other units and you have to cross the esplande to the beach whereas Temple has direct access and is less crowded in.

Be Temple for me with the kids.

Bushranger

Sorry, link above not the map one.
Use this: http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en...=directions-to

If you google up Sea Temple, Palm Cove and click on "get directions" opposite the map you get to see where to look for it on GE, but about the last development heading south.

heathy

Thanks Bushranger ! Google Maps is fantastic ! I've been strolling up and down the esplanade of Palm Cove and having a good nosey round. Must say it is very , very pretty. Had a good look at the various swimming pool complexes etc and though the Sea Temple pool is on the small side - the location looks super. I think you're quite correct about Peppers - it looks like it could be a bit claustrophobic. Anyway after some deliberation we've agreed to give the Sea Temple a whirl. Many thanks once again.

pat_woolford

Good idea heathy, if you don't like the food at Sea Temple PC, at least its easy to go elsewhere, whereas you'd be sort of stuck at Sea Temple PD.

Yes, the pools and grounds at PC are smaller than either Sheraton or Sea Temple PD, when Skase built the Sheraton back in 80's land was cheap and plentiful and Sea Temple PD is quite some way out of town where larger building areas are still available.

wlzmatilida

Hey Heathy,

Just adding my 2 cents to the good advice given by Pat and Bushranger, and don't want to knock your choice as it seems you've made a decision to go with Sea Temple in Palm Cove, but just from personal experience I can tell you that the pool in Port Douglas is HUGE! And especially lovely at night when the resort has lights shimmering on the water, and people are dining outside by candlelight.

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

heathy

Melodie !!!!! &gt

wlzmatilida

Heathy!!

Melodie

JohnFitz

And ST in PD has received accolades as a reasonably new hotel . Mkae sure all the building works of the last 2 - 3 years in PC have finished .The place was one large construction site in June 2006

Bushranger

Melodie !!!!!
etc. etc.
Regards,

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

Have you lost that certification now Melodie or was that just a tad too much advertising of your advertising for are you an agent of sorts? !!!!

pat_woolford

Hi John Fitz, was in Palm Cove yesterday and all was well, in fact it was just one of those top tropical days where you just go "wow"!

Stinking hot if it hadn't been for a gentle NE, but the water was that aquamarine/turquoise and ideal reef conditions with just a light breeze.

The constructions of a few years ago at PC are finished, not to say there won't be more though with the advent of Argentea to the south, one wonders why on earth someone would want to build an "Italian style village", complete with piazzas, in Australian tropics. But fortunately it hasn't happened yet, and maybe in these gloomy economic times it won't, or at least hopefully for a long time. see www.argentea.com.au

ST at PD is several years younger than that at PC and whilst it has acres of pools I do find the whole complex terribly sterile - maybe will improve when surrounding landscaping vegetation matures. Am not that mad about the one at PC either, when I first saw it instant images of Nusa Dua, Bali zapped at me. I do wish newish resorts in both PC and PD would stop trying to emulate those of other countries. Just my 2 cents worth.

wlzmatilida

Bushranger,

I THINK you're making a joke because I didn't sign my "Heathy!" reply with my "title"...yes?

FYI, I'm still the same, I just responded in a more personal way!

Melodie

Bushranger

I was actually thinking Melodie of sheepish wolves advertising posts that pop up and how the editors do frown upon them.

wlzmatilida

Bushranger,

ah, I see...well, that's quite a different matter.

I'm not advertising and have not solicited business from anyone on this Forum in all the years I've been posting here (and I think it must be about 10 years now). In fact, I routinely direct people to visit australia.com to find an Aussie Specialist in their area, or to go to: www.newzealand.com/travel/USA/ if they're planning a trip to New Zealand; as well as other sites that have nothing to do with me.

Melodie

heathy

Well, Im still focused on the S.T. Palm Cove . However, we saw some photos WWW, which OH reckons, give the impression that the Sea Temple could be rather too shaded.
http://www.pbase.com/gibsong/palm_cove

A few murmurings in favour of the Sheraton Port Douglas have started.

Thanks everyone.