3 Best Hotels in Port Douglas, Great Barrier Reef

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.

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.

Centered on a complex of interconnecting saltwater lagoon pools, the Sheraton Grand Mirage is a good choice for families. Its refurbished guest rooms and suites 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.