19 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 20 guests in modern, eco-friendly accommodations, spoiling them with fine food and service, and upscale amenities. All 10 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 in the open-sided restaurant for tropical buffet breakfasts, varied lunch offerings, and multicourse dinners that showcase seafood and regional produce. All meals and drinks are included in the rate. Nature-based activities and use of water-sports equipment are complimentary.

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.

Catering to a privileged few, Hamilton Island's most exclusive resort has a tranquil and decadent ambience, 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.

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 recently 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 Tree House bar and restaurant 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.

Set on 145 acres of private beach, 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.

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.

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, satellite TVs, 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 (average main course A$38) 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 guided rain-forest walks, relaxing treatments in the day spa, longer excursions with Indigenous-owned Walkabout Cultural Adventures, and Daintree River wildlife-spotting cruises. Note that no kids under six are allowed at the resort.

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 non-motorized 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.

Spacious, self-contained, and with a relaxed island vibe, these steep-roofed, freestanding bungalows are great for families and self-sufficient travelers. Each Polynesian-style hut has a private furnished balcony with a hammock, cool tile or polished-wood floors, a basic kitchenette with cutlery and bar fridge, a king-size bed and divan, air-conditioning, and ceiling fans.

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. There's a golf course and a beach with jet-skis nearby. You can rent bicycles from reception.

This beachfront property houses self-catering travelers at alluringly reasonable rates. Relax in simple but stylishly furnished bures (tropical-style bungalows), A-frame bungalows, villas, and suites, all with balconies and hammocks or daybeds, strung along a palm-fringed, white-sand shore and scattered around the tropical grounds. While there, you'll have free rein of the resort, including its kitchen, dining room, lounge, media room, day spa, tennis courts, saltwater pool, and kayaks. The resort is mostly self-catering, though staff are on hand 24/7 to clean up and make drinks at the bar, and Azure restaurant does basic lunches and dinners five days a week. While the island shop has food supplies, it's cheaper to bring your own from the mainland. Cooking is a cinch in the resort's guest kitchen. With few tourists and no TVs, piped music, or organized activities, the ambience here is peaceful. Wallabies, goannas, brush turkeys, and big-eyed curlews wander freely about the grounds, and kookaburras cackle from the trees. If you're keen to explore neighboring islands, beaches, and the reef, scenic flights, day cruises, and diving can be arranged through the resort.

The expansive one- to three-bedroom apartments at this high-end hillside resort are tailored for comfort, with spa baths the size of small cars, designer decor and appliances, high-end entertainment systems, free Wi-Fi, and big, furnished balconies with great views of the bay and yacht club. The resort is a steep trek (or about a A$12 taxi ride) from Airlie's main strip (or before 11 pm take the resort shuttle, but it only runs every two hours). In-house dining at Tides restaurant is sophisticated, if pricey, offering breakfast, pool-side lunch, and Modern Australian dinners. On-site facilities include a licensed bar, a wet-edge pool, a well-equipped gym, and an endota spa that offers detox, destress, and anti-aging treatments using organic Australian ingredients. Reef trips and water sports are at your doorstep, but there's plenty of incentive to stay put.

Its beachfront location, excellent on-site dining, and tropical suites make this laid-back resort popular with city dwellers seeking upscale relaxation. With three magnificent lagoon pools and a day spa, it's not hard to find a spot to relax. The open-air lobby opens onto compact but well-landscaped grounds and the largest of the Club's three pools, with a soothing waterfall nearby. All rooms and suites have contemporary furnishings, flat-screen TVs, ceiling fans, minibars and/or fridges, and large balconies or courtyards; spa rooms have balcony two-person spa baths, and deluxe rooms have rooftop Jacuzzis. You can rent a quad bike, chill out with a cocktail at the swim-up bar, or receive a treatment at the Day Spa, which does everything from detoxifying body treatments to Vichy showers and massage.

The hotel and studio rooms, apartments, and penthouse suites at waterfront Blue on Blue are stylishly designed, with high-end entertainment systems, luxe amenities, and balconies overlooking the ferry port, pool, or the island's private marina. Apartments and penthouses also have full kitchen and laundry facilities. There are two lagoon pools, a restaurant serving Mod Oz fare, and a full-service day spa. Nearby are shops, eateries, water-sports outlets, a marina-front boardwalk, and a supermarket. It's a 20-minute walk (or bus ride) to Alma Beach.

This centrally located small resort, once a private residence, feels positively quaint, and that's a good thing when you're looking for a low-key escape in this resort area. Gigantic rooms have expansive terraces or private patios (some with large spa tubs), large flat-screen LCD TVs, and minibars; some have separate lounge rooms and small kitchenettes. The well-regarded on-site restaurant predates the hotel and serves modern Australian cuisine with Asian influences and big buffet breakfasts. Light lunches are served alfresco, poolside. There's a tranquil guest lounge, and Brigadier's Bar, operated on an honor system (you sign for the drinks you pour yourself). There's also a lovely beach just across the street, but if the ocean doesn't call you or it's stinger season, there are two pools—one with a jacuzzi, the other with a waterfall and an outdoor spa.

Centered on a complex of interconnecting saltwater lagoon pools, the Sheraton Grand Mirage is a good choice for families. Recently upgraded guest rooms, suites, and villas are light, modern, and beachy, with sleek wood furnishings and appointments, flat-screen TVs, and iPod docking stations. The landscaped grounds front a white-sand beach, and there are lots of on-site dining and drinking options. It's a big resort, with all the pluses and minuses size can offer, but thanks to the clever configuration of the pools, you can almost always find a lounge chair.