fripp

I?m trying to finish up my itinerary for my OZ/NZ Honeymoon and want to make Port Douglas our base for all things reef ?n rainforest in N. Queensland.

I think I have it narrowed down to 2 spots to stay, and I would like some opinions on which one to go with. So here?s the Question:

<b>The Breakfree PortSea Vs. Hibiscus Gardens</b>

Any thoughts or experiences?

Pros and Cons?

Do either have complementary transportation from Cairns (will be flying in from Sydney)?

Think I read on this board the PortSea has free use of laundry facilities. Does Hibiscus offer anything similar? This may seem like a small thing, but we are traveling light, so it sure would be great to have free laundry!

Are there any recommended travel sites to find discount packages for either of these two resorts? I don?t see either on wotif.com?

Anybody have any other suggestions for places that would be better than these two choices, (at around the same price point or less)?

Thanks a TON!

Cheers,
Josh

swensley

My husband and I just returned yesterday from a five week vacation in Australia. One of the places we stayed was at Hibiscus Gardens. It is in a convenient location, within easy walking distance to the ocean and also to the center of town. It is in a quiet location with gorgeous gardens, large swimming pools (2), and beautifully appointed accommodations, complete with kitchens and balconies. Our room was on the upper floor where the tops of the trees were at our balcony. Every morning and evening we were greeted with beautifully colored birds who came to sip the nectar from the flowers on the trees--an unforgettable sight! We would definitely stay there again.

Hibiscus Gardens has two self-laundry facilities on premises. They are not free but reasonably priced--around $2.20AU/load. There was a large drying rack in our room and I suspect that all rooms have them.

There is no complimentary shuttle service provided by Hibiscus Gardens. However, the cost of the shuttle is reasonable.

If you would like more information on recommendations for tours in the area or other information, please contact me at [email protected]. I would be glad to help in any way. Hope you have a fantastic honeymoon!

KayF

A couple of other sites you could try for discounted accommodation:
www.lastminute.com.au
www.needitnow.com.au

Lots of places don't advertise on these websites because they don't have to, they are pretty much booked up all the time at full rates. We stayed just near Hibiscus Gardens at the Port Douglas Queenslander where we had a washing machine and dryer in our bathroom. The Queenslander would be cheaper but a bit older in style, we had a one bedroom apartment with kitchen, balcony, etc. The only complaint was there was another apartment's balcony right outside our bedroom window which was a bit noisy at times. Owner/managers were friendly and helpful, pool was nice but nothing lavish. Check out www.queenslander.com.au
Kay

fripp

Thanks Swensley and KayF!

Okay, that is one vote for Hibiscus and one vote for a new contender, the Queenslander.

Anyone have any experience with the PortSea?

Thanks again,
Josh

mpoll

Can't comment on the PortSea, But have stayed a couple of times at Hibiscus Gardens and can highly recommend it. Apart from being a nice place it is ideally situated. Short walks to the patrolled part of the beach, the Marina or Macrossan St (main street). PortSea is a bit further out of town. Location is very important in port douglas.

fripp

Thanks for the insight, swensley, KayF and mpoll!

KayF: I must admit, I started this thread to help be decide between the Portsea and Hibiscus, but you now have me very interested in the Queenslander. The website makes it look like a very nice spot for the money (but then again, most everyplace looks great on their website. Oddly, apart from their website, I cannot find much information about the Queensland on the web. And I searched this board and apparently you are the only one here that has visited the Queenslander and wrote in about it. I'm sure it's nice, but it just makes me nervous that no one else has mentioned it.

So, can you tell me a little more about the Queenslander? Are the gardens/pool as nice as they appear on the website? Did you see any of the studio apartments? Were they okay or should I stick to the one-bedroom apts like yours? Any other Pros or Cons you can think of for the place? Can you get a discount if you book directly or are there any sites that may have discounted packages for extended stays at there?

Thanks again Kay!

fripp

No one else has stayed at the PortSea, Hibiscus or Queenslander?

KayF

We stayed at the Queenslander because friends had just stayed there and recommended it and it was in our price range (budget!). It was in a good location, 5 mins walk to the main street, 5 mins walk to the marina where the boats leave for the reef trips and about 5-10 mins walk to the beach. The apartment was a little worn but not bad. The bed was on rollers, probably to make it easier to make the bed but I'd prefer a bed not to move around at all! It had everything you could want, like laundry facilities, fridge, kitchen, TV, balcony etc. The pool was nice but fairly small, it's right by the road but the road isn't very busy. The photos of the rooms on the website look fairly accurate but a bit bigger than they actually are. I don't remember any gardens as such, parking was free and under the apartments so cars were out of the sun. You could stay at a nicer place, newer with more facilities but then you'd pay more. Didn't see inside any other apartments. I would try emailing the managers and see what price they will give you or see if the Queenslander is on any of the Wotif type sites. Hope this helps with your decision. We found it fine for the price.
Kay

Port_princess

Hi there, I live in Port Douglas so maybe I can help.
Portsea is a nice property, all open and modern and very white. However it is not in town it is a 10 minute walk from the main street.
Hibiscus is in town and closer to everything.
Queenslander is near Hibiscus. Hibiscus has a &quot;bali&quot; type feel to it.
For information on the local area try port douglas daintree tourism association (do a search on web)
or try welcome to cairns, or try port douglas directory. All are on the web and offer good information on the local area.
Cheers