Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
75 Kamerunga Rd., Stratford, Cairns, QLD 4870.
&
07/4055 1123.
Fax 07/4058 1990. www.lilybank.com.
au. 6 units (4 with shower only). A$88-A$110 (US$57-US$72) double. Additional person A$33 (US$21). Rates
include full breakfast. AE, MC, V. Free parking. Bus: 1E or 1G. Taxi from airport approximately. A$15 (US$9.75).
Bus stop 120m (394 ft.). Children not permitted.
Amenities:
Outdoor pool; tour desk; massage can be
arranged; coin-op laundry; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, hair dryer, no phone.
ON THE NORTHERN BEACHES
A string of white sandy beaches starts 15 minutes north of the city center. Trin-
ity Beach, 15 minutes from the airport, is secluded, elegant, and scenic. The
most upscale is Palm Cove, 20 minutes from the airport. Here rainbow-hued
shops and tasteful apartment blocks nestle among giant paperbarks and palms
fronting a postcard-perfect beach. It has several advantages over other beach sub-
urbs: a nine-hole resort golf course and a gym are within walking distance, the
Quicksilver Wavepiercer Great Barrier Reef cruise boat picks up passengers here
daily, and it has the greatest choice of places to eat. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the
traveling times above to reach the city.
Very Expensive
The Sebel Reef House & Spa Palm Cove
Picture yourself inside a
Somerset Maugham novel—but substitute the Queensland tropics for Singa-
pore—and you've almost got it right. This must be one of the most romantic
hotels in Queensland, or all of Australia. The Reef House's guest list has read like
an excerpt from Who's Who—the most recent addition being Bob Dylan and his
band. But no matter who you are, you will never want to leave. The white walls
are swathed in bougainvillea, and the beds with mosquito netting. Airy interiors
are furnished with rustic handmade artifacts and white wicker furniture. The
Verandah Spa rooms, which have a Jacuzzi on the balcony, overlook the pool,
waterfalls, and lush gardens and there are all the extra touches such as bathrobes
and CD player, as well as generous balconies within earshot of the ocean. The
beachfront restaurant, set on a large covered wooden deck beneath towering
paperbarks, is a favorite with locals and tourists alike for its unsurpassed ocean
views, gentle breezes, and unpretentious food. In mid-2003, the hotel opened a
health spa operated by Daintree Spa (see “A Spa in the Rainforest” on p. 300).
99 Williams Esplanade, Palm Cove, Cairns, QLD 4879.
&
1800/079 052
in Australia, or 07/4055 3633. Fax
07/4055 3305. www.reefhouse.com.au. 69 units (14 with shower only). A$275-A$480 (US$179-US$312)
double; A$480-A$595 (US$312-US$387) suite. Extra person A$30 (US$20). Children under 14 stay free in
parent's room with existing bedding. AE, DC, MC, V. Free undercover parking (for limited number of cars);
ample on-street parking. Courtesy airport shuttle. Bus: 1, 1B, 1X, 2X, or N.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; cafe;
honor bar; 3 small heated outdoor pools; nearby golf course; spa; access to nearby health club; concierge;
tour desk; limited room service; massage; babysitting; coin-op laundry; laundry service; same-day dry clean-
ing. In room: A/C, TV/VCR, kitchenette, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe.
Expensive
Outrigger Beach Club & Spa
Ask for a room overlooking the beach at
this new, three-story hotel on the waterfront. Still somewhat stark and new look-
ing, the Outrigger tries to mix the style of an elegant hotel with a Queensland
colonial house. By the time you get there, some of the newness may have rubbed
off. Hotel rooms are small, but have Jacuzzis on the decks. You can also choose
an apartment—the two penthouses have private rooftop terraces and pools.
There's no elevator. The first block of 48 rooms opened in late 2002, with
another 180 due to open in August 2003. Rates for the new rooms were not
available at press time.
123 Williams Esplanade, Palm Cove, Cairns, QLD 4879.
&
800/688-7444
in the U.S. and Canada, 1800/134
444 in Australia, or 07/4059 9200. Fax 07/4059 9222. www.outrigger.com.au. 228 units. A$280-A$400
