I'm planning on traveling to Australia this September, and based on what I've researched, I think I would like to stay in Port Douglas for my Great Barrier Reef portion of the trip. Can anyone recommend a hotel/resort in Port Douglas? I'm looking for a moderate/high price place close to the beach. Thanks for any help. <BR> <BR>Martha <BR>

Port Douglas is an excellent choice and September is a good time. There is plenty of high standard accommodation, mostly 2-3 storey self-contained apartment type. The best luxury is found at the Mirage and the Radisson. While close to the beach, both of these places are a long walk from the town centre, which can be a pain with the heat and humidity. <BR>I think the best location is at the far northern end of the peninsula - between the beach and town, which offers easy access to the shops, cafes, supermarkets, pubs, Marina, etc. There are plenty of good quality apartments in this area. Try www.great-barrier-reef.com and www.pddt.com.au. <BR>

Matt - <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help. Has anyone stayed in any of the places I find on the Great Barrier Reef website - and can you make any specific recommendations? <BR> <BR>Thanks, Martha <BR>

Martha, We stay at Marina Terraces each time we go to PD. We like it because we are only a 5 minute walk from the village centre and the beach. The managers are very helpful and your unit has facilities for cooking and washing, which I prefer to an overpiced resort where you get one room. The gardens surrounding it are not large but filled with tropical plants and there is a pool and BBQ area. <BR>here is the URL <BR>http://www.great-barrier-reef.com/marinaterraces/ <BR>Have a wonderful time in PD, regards <BR>Peg. <BR>http://www.great-barrier-reef.com/marinaterraces/ <BR>

hi martha, <BR>just back from aus & new zealand. we found a great place called the boathouse in port douglas. it's a self contained apartment, about a 5 min. walk to the beach. it's on the main street, on macrossan, but set in, so it's pretty quiet. i think they have a web site, you could probably do a search for it. it was just a beautifully appointed apartment, done in a balinese style. i highly recommend it. <BR>tina

Martha - <BR> <BR>I would go for Silky Oaks lodge. It's not on the beach...but a much better hotel than the Mirage and better Aussie atmosphere. There are separate rooms sprinkled throughout the rain forest! <BR> <BR>Check it out: http://www.greatbarrierreef.aus.net/silkyoaks/ <BR> <BR>I stayed at the Mirage (had lunch at Silky Oaks one day) and was disappointed in the 'luxury' found there. We switched rooms 3 times b/c of the moldy smell in the rooms, and the amenities were plain - nothing special. Service was awful. It was like a typical Sheraton. <BR> <BR>Also, no beach views from hotel. PD beach is kept natural...no viewable development from beach. Silky Oaks give you a better experience. <BR> <BR>Enjoy!

I've checked out all the luxury hotels in/around Port Douglas. Bar none, the top place to stay is Thala Beach Lodge. Look it up online. Enjoy!

We stayed at the Raddison treetops and found it to be reasonable and convenient. The local bus which takes you from the center of Port Douglas and back stops at the Raddison every 20 min. so not being walking distance from town was not a problem. I think you will be surprised at how small Port Douglas is- just one street with maybe a dozen or more restaurants and some shops. You will probably only go in there for dinner after you get back from your tours.<BR> As far as the beach goes, you probably wont spend as much time there as you think. The water is very rough and there are Marine stingers present for half the year, not to mention other things that either bite you or eat you whole. (Just kidding) <BR> Another tip: dont miss a trip to the wildlife habitat in Port Douglas. It's right at the entrance to town. They offer a wonderful buffet breakfast there in the morning and the animals are so tame and the enclosure is wonderfully maintained. We loved handfeeding the mini-roos.