What it’s really like at the best hotel on Earth, Qualia
IT HAS topped numerous lists of the best hotels not only in Australia, but the entire planet. So what’s it really like inside? You’ll need to fork out $5000 for the weekend.
MY MIND is racing and my heart soaring as I jet off to stay at a place that has topped numerous lists of the best hotels not only in Australia, but in the entire planet.
So it’s inevitable that my hopes are high. Can Qualia, which lies nestled on the northern edge of Hamilton Island, live up to the hype?
The hotel’s main selling points are its spectacular location, tranquillity and luxury. But the first thing that stands out to me is the fact that Qualia is cut off from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the island by a massive gate, and once it opens you’re greeted with a sedate sight of single-level suites in earthy colours that are spread out from each other and partly hidden by trees. It’s a far cry from life on the rest of the island, where happy, boisterous tourists roam wherever they want and sky-high hotels loom over the shorelines.
The anticipation builds as we (my partner joined me for a romantic getaway) creep along in our buggy — the only mode of transport in the area — to the room.
There are three types of suites. We’ve been booked into a Windward Pavillion room for the weekend, which has a going rate of almost $5000, with meals included. It’s perched on the edge of the resort and is quite private, with surrounding walls and bush on the sides blocking out neighbours — but not the view.
The hotel is designed to blend in with nature, but offers slices of extravagance, from the fancy organic amenity kit to its sheer size, and it doesn’t hurt that you get your own pool by your room.
The huge floor-to-ceiling windows really show off the incredible water and mountains that surround the hotel — even in the bathroom, where you can truly soak up the experience.
At once point we got quite a surprise when a local resident, a curious wallaby, popped in for a visit to the room. Roo(m) service, anyone?
And on that note, a word of advice; if you eat your breakfast on the balcony keep a VERY close eye on it. If you turn your back for even a split second you could (like us) find a gang of birds devouring it.
So what about the bed? Well it’s pretty much what you’d expect: comfy, massive and yep, it has a prime view too.
There’s another bed on the balcony next to the pool.
And a larger pool in the main area of the hotel, by the beach.
The beachside restaurant, one of two dining options at the hotel, has some impressive seafood offerings, but be prepared for limited offerings if you’re a vegetarian.
Qualia is so close to some of Australia’s most incredible natural sites, so to really get a sense of your surroundings, a helicopter ride is recommended.
The trip is totally mind-blowing. We flew over the famous Heart Reef.
Then we went for a dive nearby, but were left a little disappointed by the lack of colourful corals and failure to spot any other sea creatures other than fish. Oh, and it was freezing!
But flying over (and landing directly onto) the incredible shores of Whitehaven beach made up for it:
And there were plenty of other pretty places we spotted along the way.
Ultimately, it’s paradise all right. With a catch — you need to splash a fair bit of cash.
The writer was a guest of Qualia.
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