42 Best Hotels in Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

This beachfront property just south of Palm Cove has its priorities right: Kewarra's sensitively designed bungalows and restored pioneer's cottage overlook rain forests teeming with wildlife, free-form pools, or a private white-sand beach. The eco-friendly lodgings bring comfort with their silky wood floors, custom furnishings, high-tech appointments, and simply furnished balconies or terraces. There's a glorious restaurant, bar, and airy lobby; a beach shack; and a lovely day spa, and there are various on-site activities such as guided morning nature walks, sunrise yoga, and tai chi sessions. Browse the boutiques, book a spa treatment, take a dip, go sea kayaking, or do some serious lounging. If you must venture off-site, the helpful concierge and Adventure Desk can arrange customized excursions and transfers via car or helicopter to Cairns, Palm Cove, and the airport. The resort also offers good-value multiday packages, some including dinners with wine, spa treatments, and reef, rain-forest, and tablelands tours.

This unpretentious, eco-friendly resort epitomizes laid-back luxury, with sleekly appointed beachfront rooms, suites, and villas; romantic alfresco dining; boutique wines; and numerous outdoor activities included in the rate. Beachfront rooms come with sleek modern furnishings and private patios, air-conditioning, and plenty of creature comforts, including well-stocked minibars, coffeemakers, iPod docks, and flat-screen LED TVs. The property has a maximum of 28 guests, so no one competes for watercraft at the beaches or sun lounges around the infinity pool. Rates, discounted for longer stays, include all meals, select Australian wines, beers and soft drinks, unlimited use of dinghies, nonmotorized watercraft, light fishing tackle and snorkeling gear, and one nature-based island activity a day.

Fine landscaping, pools, barbecues, and sunny areas for relaxation enhance this classy colonial-style vacation complex fronting a palm-shaded white-sand beach. The resort's vast apartment-style suites have large verandas, comfortable lounging and dining areas, large flat-screen TVs, and up to four capacious bedrooms. There are also full kitchens and laundry facilities. The spa's open-air and indoor pavilions offer several soothing treatments. Nu Nu Restaurant serves fine modern international cuisine, excellent wines, and tropical cocktails.

Billing itself as "the ultimate in barefoot luxury," the laid-back, exclusive, child-free Bedarra Island Resort hosts no more than 24 guests in modern, eco-friendly accommodations, spoiling them with fine food and service, and upscale amenities. Villas have large private balconies, comfy king beds, ceiling fans, minibars, espresso machines, and LED TVs; some have outdoor showers, daybeds, and plunge pools. Guests congregate at a round table in the bar for cocktails at 6 pm before enjoying a multicourse dinner that showcases seafood and regional produce. All meals and drinks are included in the rate, and nature-based activities and use of water-sports equipment are complimentary.

This eco-friendly boutique retreat on the southern point of Long Island is nestled in a private cove between ocean and rain forest, and its large windows and private balconies with uninterrupted water views maximize on the setting. The 10 villas feature cathedral ceilings, neutral and calm decor, and luxurious finishes. If the stunning natural environment, surrounded by trails and beautiful flora and fauna don't entice you to relax, the hammocks, custom spa treatments, mineral pool, and private chef surely will. Snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and yoga are all included in your stay, and you can book romantic dinners, tours to Whitehaven Beach, Jet Ski adventures, and scenic helicopter flights. 

This attractive hotel has an enviable location near the waterfront, a flotilla of services, and classy on-site drinking and dining options. Built around a central, open-air atrium, Hilton Cairns has large, stylishly furnished rooms and suites with all the amenities you'd expect of a modern business hotel and some pleasant additions you might not, including big, breezy furnished balconies. Spa rooms have large hydrotherapy tubs for postdive-trip pummelings. Enjoy a sundowner at Gin Social, or partake from the eclectic menu at Mondo Café Bar and Grill, overlooking Trinity Inlet.

The clean, spacious, self-contained studios at this friendly low-rise motel just outside of town make it a practical base for those who don't mind a short walk or cycle to Port Douglas's center. The studios come with fridges, microwaves, tea/coffeemaking facilities, and a minibar with milk and soft drinks, replenished daily. All are air-conditioned, with kitchenettes, desks, ceiling fans, free Wi-Fi, cool tile floors, and small patios. There's a spotless guest laundry, lovely tropical gardens, a free-form heated pool and bikes for guests' use. Continental breakfasts can be delivered to your door. Lazy Lizard is conveniently close to the beach, town, bars, and restaurants, but far enough away to be a restful retreat.

Beloved by honeymooners, divers, and well-heeled travelers, this outer Great Barrier Reef resort ticks all the high-end tropical-island vacation boxes: luxurious beachfront accommodation, fine food and wine, and world-class diving and fishing. The beachside rooms, suites, and sumptuous villas have sail-shaded, furnished decks and views of the turquoise bay. Simple but comfortable rooms reflect the beachy environs with restful oceanic blue, sand, and white color palettes, polished wood floors and blinds, tropical ceiling fans (as well as air-conditioning), and private, furnished verandas. A freshwater swimming pool, day spa, a compact gym, a small boutique, and a guest library and lounge are just some of the facilities that await guests.

With beautiful Four-Mile Beach just outside and shops and eateries a brisk walk away, these comfortable, expansive, fully equipped apartments are in an excellent location. The regular units are large, but the pricier "Beachfront" units, which have two-person spa tubs and are closer to the shore, are huge. One-bedroom apartments are actually two-bedroom units with one bedroom locked off (available for the same rate as a two-bedroom during high season). Every apartment has a kitchen with all appliances, including a dishwasher, stove top, full-size refrigerator, and a washer-dryer. Families can rent strollers and highchairs. There are also two on-site pools and a tennis court. Make sure you meet Milo the dog, who might join you on a beach walk or curl up on your sofa if you want some company.

The huge lagoon-style pool—complete with swim-up bar—is the star of the show at this stylishly refurbished resort. But it also gets points for its location; close enough to the Esplanade to be convenient but far enough away to feel removed. The pool has day beds and cabanas to aid with relaxation, and a sandy beach where kids can play. It also has a great open-air restaurant, MOKU Bar & Grill, and a terrace bar.  

Catering to a privileged few, Hamilton Island's most exclusive resort has a tranquil and decadent ambiance, private beach, infinity-edge pools, and a complex of luxe, well-appointed freestanding pavilions. The pavilions, handcrafted from Australian timbers, stone, and glass, harmonize beautifully with the tropical surroundings and have expansive, flow-through lounge areas with designer furnishings and high-end entertainment systems opening onto large private decks. Activities include guided walks, kayaking and snorkeling tours, diving, fishing, sailing, scenic flights, golfing, and catered, crewed cruises. Dozens of resort facilities and services are included in the price—breakfasts, room and concierge service, nonalcoholic drinks, the use of water-sports equipment, wireless Internet, 24-hour chauffeur service, and buggies to get to the resort complex.

Part of a lively entertainment complex in the heart of Cairns, this high-end hotel has spacious rooms and suites, as well as several restaurants and bars, a theater, a casino, and an outdoor swimming pool. All accommodations have ceiling fans, plantation shutters, floor-to-ceiling windows, spa baths, and balconies. Soy Kitchen Street Food serves quality Asian dishes; the acclaimed Tamarind does contemporary cuisine with a twist; Bar36 serves up tapas and cocktails with live music acts often performing, and Flinders Bar & Grill is an inexpensive, tasty option inside the casino.

This beautiful, retreat-like resort and Advanced Ecotourism–certified hotel in the heart of the rain forest has luxe tree houses and suites clustered around an expansive open-sided lodge, day spa, and lagoon pool. All accommodations have been upgraded, and have minibars, aromatherapy-oil burners, and balconies. Tree houses and suites come with polished timber floors, large hot tubs, rain-forest showers, and bigger balconies with hammocks and daybeds. The Lodge's open-sided Treehouse Restaurant, which overlooks the Mossman River, serves gourmet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Full breakfasts and a raft of activities (river snorkeling, bicycles, tennis, and, in season, guided walks and morning yoga) are included in the price. The tour desk can arrange excursions by horseback, helicopter, or hot-air balloon, as well as cruises, Indigenous-guided rain-forest walks, and adventure activities.

This attractive, two-story colonial-style hotel in the heart of town is the best bet in Cooktown. There are plenty of on-site facilities, including a large swimming pool, laundry facilities, car rental outlet, free Wi-Fi, the town's most upscale restaurant, and a sociable bar. With a wide front veranda and horizontal wide-slat shutters, the resort has the air of a plantation house. Guest rooms and apartments are simply but smartly outfitted with tiled floors, lounge areas, flat-screen TVs, and balconies with views. The Balcony Restaurant and Cocktail Bar is particularly good, serving classic Aussie dishes and showcasing local seafood. 

Set on 145 acres with private beach access, coconut groves, and forest, this eco-certified nature lodge is about low-key luxury. Guesthouses, linked by meandering, stone-lined paths, are comfy, eco-designed refuges with polished-wood floors and forest or ocean views. Open-sided, canopy-level Osprey's Restaurant, bar, lounge, and reading room have stupendous vistas of the Coral Sea and rain-forest-clad mountains. Sunset cocktails and buffet breakfasts here are accompanied by colorful parrots in the canopy and a cacophony of birdcalls. There are two natural swimming pools (one split-level, with waterfalls and grottoes), bush-walking trails, a serene wellness center, and areas for secluded sunbathing. Eco-friendly activities include wildlife, bird-watching, coconut plantation walks, cultural performances, and turtle-spotting from sea kayaks.

With the town's small beach at its doorstep, three eateries and bars downstairs, and the main street directly behind it, this hotel makes a comfy and convenient base. The modern rooms and spacious suites have flat-screen TVs, bar fridges, and tea/coffeemaking facilities; most open onto big balconies overlooking the palm-lined waterfront or town. You can also stay in smaller, ground-level motel-style rooms. There's a nice pool, a guest laundry, and a tour desk on-site.

The sociable public areas at this family-friendly complex include a lovely lagoon pool, a guest laundry, and the terrific Bayleaf Balinese Restaurant & Bar. The main complex offers simple but spacious double, family, and studio rooms, some with balconies. The second-floor rooms are quieter, if you don't mind lugging your bags upstairs. Across the road are two- and three-bedroom apartments that are slightly more modern and larger and have their own, more private pool, internal laundries, and fully equipped kitchens.

The upscale amenities and no-kids policy mean this hotel swarms with couples, who can cool off in the infinity-edge pool, enjoy meals poolside, or admire the Catseye Beach and Coral Sea views from their private balconies or courtyards. Rooms, which all have ocean vistas, are adorned with chic modern furnishings and high-end entertainment systems. Public areas are spacious and stylishly appointed. Nightly rates include the use of the 24-hour buggy chauffeur service (including free airport and marina transfers); a small library stocked with magazines, books, and games; all nonmotorized watercraft; and sports-fitness facilities nearby. The staff is friendly, but don't expect them to go that extra mile.  Ask for a higher room to get a Coral Sea view.

Perched on the Port of Airlie Marina with enviable views of the boats bobbing in the bay, The Boathouse Apartments boasts generously sized two- and three-bedroom apartments, ideal for those looking for self-contained accommodations. It has ample amenities on-site, from a resort-style pool and Jacuzzi playground to a deck and tennis court.

A handful of simple but comfortable, solar-powered cabins sit among rambutan, mangosteen, and breadfruit trees on this 40-hectare exotic fruit farm. Each air-conditioned self-contained cabin has a kitchen with a full-size fridge, an en suite bathroom, insect screens, and a veranda with rain forest and mountain views. In the central farmhouse are a guest lounge, kitchen, and laundry. There is also a communal kitchen with a wood-fired pizza oven for guests' use and a shed full of free coconuts (if you can crack them). Commune with fellow guests around the nightly campfire, and wake to a chorus of birdsong.

The elegant solar-powered tree houses at this impeccably run boutique retreat invite relaxation and romance. All come with king-size, Balinese-style beds swathed in white mosquito-netting, under-floor lighting, fridges, and sea-breezy balconies overlooking the rain forest and out to the Coral Sea. There are no TVs or karaoke nights here; just a cacophony of birdcalls and several quiet walking trails, rain-forest waterholes, and unspoiled beaches to explore. Mingle with fellow guests around the infinity-edge pool and at low-key evenings around the Lodge's Python Bar, crafted from rosewood mahogany. Continental breakfasts include tropical fruit salad, cereals, organic yogurt, and warm croissants with homemade jams, and there are several restaurants and cafés in the vicinity (bringing a vehicle, or at least provisions, is a must). Your host can arrange tours, reef trips, jungle surfing, horse-riding, rain-forest walks, and restaurant bookings.  For best results, book your stay directly through the property's website.

These well-appointed luxe apartments and penthouses perched above Port Douglas's main strip have state-of-the-art furnishings and appliances, freestanding spa baths, and large entertaining spaces including big, furnished balconies or decks, some with outdoor barbecues and plunge pools. For couples and small groups, the three-bedroom set-ups can be reconfigured as one- or two-bedroom accommodations. In-house massages and tours are easily arranged and there are catering options—from having your fridge stocked on arrival to arranging a special dinner (and, if you like, a chef to cook it). There's a helpful reception and tour desk, undercover parking, and a 20-meter (66-foot) lap pool in the compact but landscaped grounds. Cafés, bars, boutiques, and the beach are a mere stroll away.

The Flynn is one of three five-star Cairns properties owned by the Crystalbrook group, and it's the "fun and energetic" brand. The rooms and suites are all light and bright and thoughtfully designed, and the on-site drinking and dining options—bustling, casual Boardwalk Social; upmarket Whiskey and Wine; and classy Flynn's Italian—appeal to a sophisticated, younger crowd. Of particular note here is the glass-sided swimming pool set on a mezzanine level, providing those having a drink and snack at Boardwalk Social with a rather interesting view.

This modern, contemporary property on Cairns Esplanade is in the heart of the city, and rooms come with a view of the city, the pool, or the sea. The hotel's rooms and suites have chic finishes, a designer feel, and a plethora of amenities, from free Wi-Fi to complimentary movies to an Nespresso machine. Relax in the large resort-style pool, which has a sandy entrance ideal for kids and a view of the Esplanade, or settle in at the city's highest bar and restaurant, Rocco, or kick back on a day bed at the beach club-style rum bar Calypso Club downstairs.  For an amazing view from your bed or balcony, splurge on one of the suites or sea-view rooms and wake up to the Coral Sea greeting you each morning.

At this 30-acre boutique eco-resort in the ancient Daintree rain forest, elevated boardwalks protect the fragile environs and link the day spa, heated pool, restaurant/bar, and 15 freestanding tree houses or "bayans." All are air-conditioned and equipped with ceiling fans, and king-size canopy beds. Every bayan has a balcony with mosquito screens. Julaymba Restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serves modern Australian food incorporating local seafood and fresh seasonal produce. There's an adjoining bar/lounge, a small gallery-gift shop, and a large outdoor dining deck. Activities here include yoga, guided rain-forest walks, relaxing treatments in the day spa, longer excursions with Indigenous-owned Walkabout Cultural Adventures, and Daintree River wildlife-spotting cruises. 

The only resort on the island, Fitzroy Island Resort has a range of accommodation options, including studios, two-bedroom suites, bungalows, beach cabins, and a four-bedroom penthouse apartment ideal for families and groups. There's also a pool with a swim-up bar, a kids' playroom, air hockey, and a general store. Dine alfresco at the à la carte Zephyr Restaurant, or soak up the beach vibes at the more casual Foxy's Bar and Cafe. 

The well-appointed studio rooms and apartments at Pullman’s gorgeous Palm Cove property have private balcony or terrace areas, high-definition flat-screen TVs, and comfortable beds with memory-foam pillows. Those who have business to do will appreciate the in-room work desk, ergonomic rolling chair, and free Wi-Fi access. The resort has a state-of-the-art business lounge, a well-equipped gym, and day spa, and there's a golf course and the beach nearby. You can rent bicycles from reception for A$20 for two hours. 

Opened in 2020, the Oaks is a much newer hotel than many in Cairns—and it shows, with smart and spacious rooms and one of the city's few rooftop bars and restaurants in Oak and Vine. This hotel is comfortable rather than luxurious, but service is friendly and efficient, and it's in the heart of the CBD opposite the lagoon.

The smartly configured studios and suites at this hotel are a five-minute walk from Palmer Street's bar and dining precinct, and an easy stroll across the footbridge from Flinders Street and the ferry port. Podlike accommodations are long and narrow but cleverly designed, with laundries, compact kitchens, and work desks. All have balconies and fast Wi-Fi. There are some useful guest facilities, too: a small gym, an outdoor pool, a business center, and free on-site parking. Don't expect five-star service, but if you're looking for a good base, this ticks the right boxes.