Fodor's Expert Review Arajilla Lord Howe Island

One of the most luxurious accommodations on Lord Howe, Arajilla Retreat contains 10 spacious suites and two two-bedroom suites. Decorated with understated elegance, rooms have crisp white walls, timber blinds, polished wood floors, cream sofas, and Asian-style furniture. Each has a separate lounge area and a deck or terrace overlooking a lovely palm-filled garden. Just steps from Old Settlement Beach, one of several lagoon beaches on the island's western shore, Arajilla has all the charm of a boutique hotel, and rates are fully inclusive of meals, including room service, afternoon tea, and predinner drinks and canapés. Guests mix and mingle in the funky main lounge and bar area, which is a cross between a stylish beach house and a gentlemen's club, with its comfortable leather armchairs and sofas. The restaurant serves modern Australian cuisine, including fish caught by the owner Bill Shead. Guests are provided with mountain bikes, snorkeling gear, light fishing rods, and backpacks to ensure they get the most out of their stay. A spa offers facials and massages and some wonderful ayurvedic treatments.