Hotel Review: Bedarra Island Resort
- Rob & Mike
- Jul 28, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 17, 2021
In this review we are taking you to somewhere truly special, Bedarra Island Resort is located on Bedarra Island which is part of the family group of islands approx 2hrs south of Cairns in Tropical North Queensland. The resort is luxurious and exclusive yet relaxed and laid back at the same time. Being adults only and with only 10 villas you are assured privacy and exceptional service from the staff, we stayed 3 nights on the island in one of their pavilions and were sad to leave, especially due to the personal service provided by the staff it felt like we were saying goodbye to family and friends at the end of our stay.
Getting There
There are a couple of ways to get to Bedarra Island Resort and all of them are arranged by the resort staff. The first way which was the how we arrived was on the resorts private helicopter from Cairns airport to Bedarra, the resort arranged for a chauffeur to collect us from the domestic terminal and take us to the general aviation area where we boarded the helicopter for our 45min trip to the island. If it is within your budget we would highly recommend arriving by helicopter as you get a scenic flight as part of the journey and it is the fastest way to get from Cairns to the Bedarra, we were fortunate enough to see crocodiles, a pod of whales and stingrays on our tip to the island. The second way which was how we left the island is to travel by boat launch between Bedarra and South Mission Beach which takes approx 30mins followed by a 2hr chauffeured private transfer to Cairns airport.
The Room
We stayed in one of the resorts Pavilions which is perched up the hill overlooking the south bay of the island, it features separate living and bedroom pavilions with an infinity edge pool between so you can cool off after a day in the sun. The outdoor area has two day beds and a table and chairs and is where we spent most of our time during our stay. On arrival there was a bottle of Champagne and a fruit and cheese platter waiting for us as well as a fully stocked mini bar stocked with our preferred drinks and snacks (the island staff email a pre-arrival form to complete so they know exactly what you want in your room as well as any dietary requirements). The large bathroom has twin sinks, a large bathtub surrounded by rain forest and a separate toilet and shower. Aveda toiletries are provided as is a Bedarra scented candle.
Customer Service
We found the customer service exceptional and the best we have received in all of our worldwide travels, everything requested was happily provided by the team who are professional yet relaxed and calm in everything they do which assures you of a calm and relaxing stay. We could not rave more about the staff from the management, reception and wait staff through to the chef who provided us with amazing meals 3 times a day.
Restaurants & Bars
The resort has a restaurant and an adjacent open self service bar with an outlook over the main pool and the islands north bay. All meals and alcoholic drinks are included in the room rate with the exception of top shelf wines and spirits which are at additional cost. Each night at 6pm cocktail hour is held in the bar with a daily special cocktail followed by dinner in the restaurant from 7pm. Breakfast is served from 8-10am and lunch from 12-2pm, all dietary requirements were catered for with all meals being made gluten free for us and also having coconut milk available for morning coffee. The resort even went out of their way to source gluten free beer specially for us which was stocked in the self service bar and in our pavilions mini bar. The food was exceptional and of a very high standard with lots of fresh seafood on the menu which is what you would expect of an island resort, the food style was modern Australian with an Asian influence with a focus on local fresh produce served with paired Australian wines. Aside of the restaurant there are several gazebos set out throughout the gardens which are used at breakfast and lunch and the staff generally rotate the guests around so everyone gets a different view every meal time.
Hotel Facilities
The resort has several rain forest walks available which end up either at a lookout or one of many secluded beaches, with so few guests on the island you rarely run in to anyone else on your walks which makes you feel like the island is your own private paradise. They also have kayaks, stand up paddle boards and motorised boats that you can borrow if you want to explore the nearby uninhabited islands (the resort will even arrange a picnic lunch for you to take with you on your adventure). There is also a massage pavilion but as day spa staff come from the mainland as required it is highly recommended that you book your treatments in advance with the island staff. Next to the bar there is a lounge with a selection of library books and board games and a small boutique for any souvenirs you wish to take home with you. Many rooms have their own private pool however for those rooms without their own pool there is a main pool adjacent to the restaurant and bar. At night the resort comes alive with colour and light which makes for a lovely walk back to your room at night and stunning outlook during dinner.
Summary
We cant stress how much we loved our stay at Bedarra Island Resort, not only is it one of the most beautiful places you can stay but the exceptional service provided by the staff puts it head and shoulders above anything we have experienced both within Australia and internationally. We will definitely be back again one day soon and we hope you will consider them next time you want to stay somewhere special, just make sure you book ahead as due to the exclusiveness of the resort you often need to book 12 months or more in advance to get in.
Want More Information?
For more information about Bedarra Island Resort you can visit their website
About The Author
Rob has been passionate about cruise ship holidays and exploring the world since the first cruise he went on when he was only seven years old. Since then Rob who is a Photographer and his partner Mike of 18 years have travelled the world on over 25 cruises with over 10 different cruise lines visiting every continent across the globe as well as many remote tropical islands along the way. In addition to cruise holidays they enjoy relaxing at beach side holiday resorts and first/business class air travel as well as transcontinental rail journeys. Between them both Robert and Michael have worked out the best way to maximise frequent flyer reward points allowing them to travel first/business class at economy class prices or in some cases travelling first/business class for free.
Comments