Whitsundays, AustraliaDaydream Island
Daydream Island Resort
Living reef island resort
Daydream Island Whitsundays, Australia
Renovated
2019
Price
$$$
Rated for
Resort Design LocalOutside the door
Living reef island resort
Days here revolve around the water, with wallabies on the lawn and resident biologists leading excursions across the Great Barrier Reef.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
A 200-metre outdoor coral lagoon wraps the central building alongside an underwater observatory.
Listed
Coastal Queenslander motifs translated into breezy rooms with pale blue and ivory tones.
Listed
Marine biologists guide encounters across fringing Whitsunday coral reefs and living lagoons.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
The family-friendly Daydream Island Resort reopened, showing off a $100 million renovation and breezy, barefoot-luxe rooms;
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
A rainforest track runs the length of the kilometre-long island. Coral shallows surround the beaches, a short ferry ride from Port of Airlie.
The rooms
Rooms draw on classic Queenslander style in pale blues and ivory, opening to balconies over the ocean or the pools.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
Three outdoor swimming pools spread along the waterfront, including a wide lagoon with a submerged swim-up bar.
The spa and gym
Solara Day Spa has private suites for massages. Nearby, an indoor fitness centre is lined with cardio equipment.
Restaurant
Infinity
Floor-to-ceiling glass looks straight across the Whitsunday Passage. Dinner courses focus on Asian-inspired dishes under glowing paper pendants.
At the table
Salti serves Whitsunday seafood under open timber pavilions, and Graze lays out breakfast buffets beneath a high shuttered atrium.
How it began
Lee and Connie Murray arrived on their yacht Day Dream in 1931, bought the island for 200 pounds, and opened with kerosene-can beds.
Whitsundays
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.