Best hotels and resorts in Port Douglas
From family fun vacations to adults-only getaways, here are ten of the best places to call home on your Port Douglas holiday.
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Niramaya Villas
At Niramaya Resort and Spa you can lie back on Balinese inspired day beds beside an infinity pool and feel the warm, frangipani scented air. The resort’s self-contained villas all come with large kitchens, outdoor barbecues and either plunge pools or 12-metre private pools. The sleek architectural lines of the private villas and high ceilings frame the lush gardens outside, while floor-to-ceiling glass doors open out onto private courtyards. And if making your way to the Niramaya Day Spa feels all too hard you can let the therapists come to you for an in-villa treatment.
Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas
The white sands of Four Mile Beach are on the resort’s doorstep but prime location aside, with two hectares of saltwater lagoon swimming pools it would be easy to forget what’s just beyond the palm trees. Lie back in a poolside cabana and let the cocktails and snacks come to you, or if you’re feeling active you can head for 18-hole golf course or pop over to the Mirage Country Club for a game of tennis. There are fine dining and relaxed beach eats restaurants and 16 ways to stay with resort accommodation including swim-up rooms and villas with up to four bedrooms for the whole family. For many visitors, this is the Port Douglas Resort that put the town on the map and is synonymous with a type of luxury only Australia can offer. Come for the lagoon pools and sweeping views and stay for the amenities including top notch spa facilities at the Kaia Day Spa.
Thala Beach Nature Reserve
One of National Geographic's unique lodges of the world, Thala Beach Nature Reserve is a deluxe eco resort 15 minutes outside of Port Douglas. Built high on stilts the boutique timber bungalows offer views of the Coral Sea or the jungle, while at Osprey’s restaurant you can dine in the treetops on ethically sourced local ingredients. At this family-owned wildlife retreat you can join a kayaking tour to look for dolphins and dugongs, go butterfly and bird watching on a guided nature walk or just relax on the beach. And when it’s time to be pampered you can be covered in clay, seaweed or organic coconut oil in one of Thala’s Rejuvenate Spa treatments. If you like your luxury resorts nestled in nature with rainforest views and quiet at night, this is the spot for you. Especially it is still has easy access to town and the marina is just a short drive away.
Oaks Port Douglas Resort
When it comes to ways to enjoy your lagoon-style pool at Oaks Port Douglas you can sip cocktails in the swim-up bar, laze under a blue and white striped umbrella on the water’s edge or claim one of the sunbeds on the lagoon’s island for a seat in the middle of the action. The family-friendly resort has king or twin rooms and one or two-bedroom apartments with outdoor spa options. There’s also an onsite spa where the signature treatments include the Pina Colada body scrub and massage for some cosmetic cocktail fun. It's also within easy walking distance to the town's main drag.
Shantara Resort Port Douglas
The kids-free boutique stays continue at the adults-only Shantara. All of the accommodation is self-contained and ranges from studios up to two-bedroom apartments with outdoor hot tubs or direct access to the lagoon-style pools. The Shantara Day Spa has also won a slew of awards, so you may want to book your massage when you book your room to make sure you don’t miss out.
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Port Douglas
Some resorts have koi ponds. At the Ramada Port Douglas large barramundi are the stars of the lily pond in rainforest gardens where bright blue Ulysses butterflies can be seen fluttering through the trees. This relaxed family-friendly resort has lots of games to play including air hockey, Ping-Pong, and giant Jenga, and while the kids are having their fun the adults can have theirs at the swim-up bar. Hire a bike or hit the gym to get the blood pumping then treat yourself to a Thai, Fijian or Hawaiian massage in the Treetops Spa.
Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa
Built around a 3000m2 lagoon style pool this family-friendly five-star resort offers babysitting on request so parents can head out onto the reef or into the rainforest, or just have some grown up time relaxing at the resort. Undoubtedly one of the best swimming spots in the area, the 194-room Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple includes plunge pool apartments, swim out villas and penthouses with rooftop spas and barbeques. At the resort’s Vie Spa you can share the experience in one of the couple’s suites or if you prefer to go solo you can reunite with your honey for sundowners on the terrace as you look out over the flame-lit lagoon. Definitely try the onsite Aluco restaurant while you're there between.
Peppers Beach Club
Four Mile Beach may only be a stroll away but at Peppers Beach Club you can build a sandcastle beside the pool and feel the sand between your toes as you have lunch delivered to your poolside sunbed. Bright white buildings around a turquoise pool create an air of modern tropical elegance and here even the standard rooms have spas on their balconies while the suites offer private swim-up pontoons. It almost feels like your own private beach.
Peninsula Boutique Hotel
The Peninsula Boutique Hotel is a stone’s throw from the beach and a two-minute stroll to the boutiques and restaurants in the heart of town. This adults-only hotel has a modern tropical feel with tiered heated pools and a Jacuzzi, and the spacious one-bedroom suites have large private balconies and a concealed kitchenette so you can be self-sufficient and make your own meals or simply pretend it’s not an option as you head to their Hi Tide Beach Café.
Paradise Links Resort
Looking out over the Palmer Sea Reef Golf Course the Paradise Links Resort has 67 self-catering apartments and villas in four hectares of tropical gardens. There are two pools to swim in, tennis courts that you can play on day and night, and then there’s that 18-hole golf course right next door waiting for you to play a round. There are no on site restaurants but the town of Port Douglas is only five minutes away. And if you don’t feel like going out you can whip something up in your villa or take advantage of the two poolside BBQs in that tropical air.
How far is the Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas?
Situated in tropical North Queensland, Port Douglas is between 30 and 72 kilometres from the Great Barrier Reef - depending on which part you visit. It takes around 90 minutes to two hour to get there.
How far is the Daintree Rainforest from Port Douglas?
It will take 90 minutes to get to Daintree Rainforest from Port Douglas with Mossman Gorge always a highlight.
Can you fly to Port Douglas?
Even though you are going to stay in Port Douglas, you will have to fly into Cairns Airport. It is 65 kilometres away and any inconvenience is more than made up for with a seriously scenic drive with ocean views of the Coral Sea.
Originally published as Best hotels and resorts in Port Douglas
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