Great Barrier Reef Villas | Places to Stay in Great Barrier Reef

May 1, 2023 Misti Hsu

The world's largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef stretches almost 1500 miles into the Pacific from the tip of Queensland. Designated a Marine Park by the Australian government and a World Heritage Area by UNESCO, the reef is home to an extraordinary abundance of species and habitats. Snorkeling, diving and fishing are rightly popular along the reef, nowhere more so than on the Whitsunday Islands, where the silica sands and aqua waters of the Coral Sea create the perfect beach escape.
Things to do in Great Barrier Reef

1. Sandcastles 1770 Motel & Resort

40 Captain Cook Drive, Agnes Water, Queensland 4677 Australia
Excellent
42%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
16%
Poor
5%
Terrible
6%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 239 reviews

Sandcastles 1770 Motel & Resort

Located at the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Sandcastles 1770 Motel and Resort offer a range of accommodation options to suit every traveler, including: - Beach Home Apartments with optional plunge pool, - Self-contained Garden Villas, - Deluxe, air conditioned Motel Suites and budget Studios. Privately tucked amongst palm trees and lush tropical gardens, our primary resort is located alongside coastal creeks and cabbage palm forests. It enjoys direct beach access, 60 seconds from bed to beach), a lagoon-style pool & heated spa, tour booking desk as well as the on-site Drift & Wood Bistro & Bar. The resort also features a function room - an ideal venue for wedding receptions, corporate events and other group functions. Walking distance to the town shopping centres. Under cover parking for Beach Homes, Motel and Studios, all others have designated carparks. Ideal for couples want a luxury getaway, our Beach Homes are available as a one bedroom apartment.

Absolutely Beautiful

Reviewed By 77suej

We booked a 4 night stay last year. After a couple of changes due to Covid lockdowns we finally made it..And a lovely surprise a week prior was a call to ask would we accept an upgrade to a beach house as our room was needed for a wedding…Reception staff were welcoming and friendly on arrival and on the phone…Our apartment was beautiful. Spotlessly clean.. And very secure..Yes we did have to walk up some stairs but that was ok..Very short walk to beach and the pool was beautiful.. After being in the outback for a week this all so beautiful and relaxing..We wished we could have stayed longer..

2. 1770 Getaway

Springs Rd & Bicentennial Drive, Agnes Water, Queensland Australia
Excellent
88%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 180 reviews

1770 Getaway

Fantastic, will stay again!

Reviewed By LisaofAus1985

Everything we hoped it would be and more. All the extra details such as being walked to our villa, provided a map & talked through the highlights, fresh milk in the fridge, quality soaps & eco friendly items throughout. The villas are secluded and the cafe on site is wonderful with lovely staff and amazing homemade cakes & meals. The villa is immaculate, the gardens make you feel like you are in another country. We can’t wait to come back in summer to enjoy the pool. Thanks for a perfect few days.

3. Airlie Beach Eco Cabins

442 Paluma Road, Woodwark, Airlie Beach, Queensland 4802 Australia
Excellent
83%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 29 reviews

Airlie Beach Eco Cabins

A stay at the Airlie Beach Eco-Cabins offers you peace and tranquillity, located in an Australian sub-tropical bush setting. Wake up to the chirping of the local bird life and view local marsupials including the Agile Wallaby, Brush Tail Possum and Bandicoot from the comfort of your own balcony at night. A quiet retreat away from the hustle of the tourist centre, being fully air-conditioned, self-contained, with WIFI, bonfire and just a short drive from the world renowned Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach Eco Cabins are the perfect Whitsunday getaway.

Relaxing bush retreat

Reviewed By lgvicki

Cosy, comfortable, spotlessly clean cabins. 10 min drive from Cannonvale in a rural setting. Plenty of local birdlife to observe and some shy wallabies if you are patient. Complimentary bottle of sparkling wine was a welcome surprise. Was a little surprised at how close the cabins are together although their outside decks and windows are positioned to enhance each cabins privacy. Kitchenette had full sized fridge, cooktop and microwave. Basic tea, coffee long life milk and some kitchen supplies included. You drive right past the supermarket to get to the cabins so shopping for supplies is easy. Also only a few minutes from Northerlies bar and grill if you want to go out.

4. Villa Mar Colina Yeppon

34-36 Adelaide St, Yeppoon, Queensland 4703 Australia
Excellent
58%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
5%
Terrible
6%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 160 reviews

Villa Mar Colina Yeppon

Villa Mar Colina, located 35 minutes drive North East of Rockhampton is set high on Bluff Point in Yeppoon, boasting stunning views across Keppel Bay, long sandy beaches and the Keppel Isles. Whether visiting our region for business or pleasure, from a quick overnight stay to a lazy getaway, you will simply not find better value or superior quality accommodation in our region. Villa Mar Colina is just short energetic walk to Yeppoon’s CBD where you will find great restaurants, plenty of shopping and access to Yeppoon’s main beach. Accommodation is offered in one, two and three bedroom villas. Two bedroom villas sleep up to six people. Three bedroom villas sleep up to eight people. All villas have a family bathroom plus ensuite off the master bedroom. All villas feature modern full size kitchens, very spacious open plan living area, private balconies or patios, DVD, Television with Foxtel. They also feature own laundry with washer and dryer, private garages with remote access.

Noisy weekend

Reviewed By 1201marilyn

Great spot, lovely hosts, but holiday spoilt by loud party both Friday / Saturday afternoons and into the night. Young folk enjoying themselves I accept, but to have other family’s holiday disrupted by one group isn’t great for enticing return visitors.. The unit although dated is comfortable, but parts needed a good scrub .

5. Escape on Lake

135 Lake Street, Cairns, Queensland 4870 Australia
Excellent
38%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
25%
Terrible
25%
Overall Ratings

3 based on 8 reviews

Escape on Lake

Great room

Reviewed By temmac

I booked this room because I wanted my own space, bathroom and kitchenette close to the city. This was exactly what I wanted, about 10-15 min walk from most places in Cairns, aircon, quiet and enough space to chill in. It's definitely on the higher end of price - I paid ~$155 / night, but it was worth it in my opinion.

6. Niramaya Villas and Spa

1 Bale Dr, Port Douglas, Queensland 4877 Australia
Excellent
69%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 477 reviews

Niramaya Villas and Spa

Luxury Self Contained Accommodation nestled in lush tropical surrounds. Architecturally designed for all your senses, you will feel Niramaya's subtle energy and swim in its natural beauty. The fragrance of frangipani floats on the light breeze - through soaring pavilions, into private courtyards and over the lillipad dotted lakes. Niramaya, literally, rejuvenation of the body through returning oneself to nature, is a boutique sanctuary of exclusive villas set amongst 15 hectares of gardens in Australia's tropical north. Have a workout in the gym, or unwind with a few laps in the 30m infinity edge pool. For something more relaxing, disappear in the pages of a book or indulge in a soothing massage or facial in the privacy of your own villa, Niramaya is luxurious and intensely private. A short stroll takes you to the coconut fringed sands of Four Mile Beach - and leads all the way to the chic village of Port Douglas where the regions famous cuisine, culture and character awaits.

Highly recommend

Reviewed By simonnem675

Beautiful villas, in a great location. Plenty of room to fit a large family in. Having your own pool makes it that much better. Staff were all lovely and helpful. Would definitely recommend to visit, we can’t wait to return.

7. Mission Beach Shores

137-139 Reid Rd, Wongaling Beach, Mission Beach, Queensland 4852 Australia
Excellent
83%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 71 reviews

Mission Beach Shores

Mission Beach Shores is luxury beachfront chalet style accommodation at its very finest. Set amongst lush tropical gardens, the fully self contained Balinese theme chalets offer total comfort in casual tropical surrounds at Mission Beach.

What a gorgeous place to stay

Reviewed By aussiesharon12

Mission Beach Shores is absolutely beautiful. Set in an amazing tropical garden setting, with a beautiful resort style pool. Our chalet is airy, relaxing and perfectly clean. The king bed is huge, and the chalet also has a single bed with pull-out bed underneath. The kitchen has most of what you’d need, including a small BBQ plate outside. The verandah is a lovely place to sit and relax. The pool is lovely, clean and a great heat. Mission Beach Shores is directly across the road from a spectacular beach. There is a fish and chip shop at the caravan park only a few minutes walk away, and more shops about 5 mins drive away. Kerrie greeted us with friendly enthusiasm and lots of information, which was a great start to our first visit to Mission Beach. If I’m ever back in the area, I won’t stay anywhere else.

8. Pure Magnetic

The Esplanade Nelly Bay, Magnetic Island, Queensland 4819 Australia
Excellent
59%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
6%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 79 reviews

Pure Magnetic

Relax in your own two-bedroom, two-bathroom luxury villa, with private courtyard and bbq area, just metres from the beach. Enjoy the rich island architecture, beautiful decor, temperature controlled swimming pool, walk to local restaurants and cafes, or enjoy quiet evenings on your own private balcony.

Beautiful spot

Reviewed By Kazza11

We loved our stay at Pure Magnetic Villa 5. The room was fantastic and had everything we needed. Everything was clean and the bed was comfortable. WE only used one room but the other room looked good too. I probably wouldn't stay with friends here as it can be a bit noisy (I could hear hubby banging around in the morning when I was trying to sleep) but this is not an issue if it is just a couple or a family. I would be a bit nervous about noise though if I was staying in either of the 2 storey villas if you had a family above or below (Villas 7, 8, 9, 10) Our villa was right next to the pool - literally our deck was the pool wall - and i was a bit worried about noise from the pool but it was fine. Noone was in there too early in the morning and during the day when families were using it, we were either out and about or sitting on our deck but the noise was not really annoying. No-one used it really after dark either so not a problem. We would definitely stay here again. Great spot, bus drives straight past the door. Grocery shop just around the corner. Beach across the road. Perfect.

9. Palm Waters Holiday Villas

Corner of Landsborough Street and Cook Street U 13 36 Landsborough St, Townsville, Queensland 4810 Australia
Excellent
40%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
15%
Poor
2%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 65 reviews

Palm Waters Holiday Villas

Palm Waters Holiday Villas is a family owned and family run business in Townsville, Queensland. Located in close proximity to Townsville's best only a 5 minute walk from the Strand. There are 21 fully self-contained 3 1/2 Star, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments sleeping from 1 to 6 people. Facilities on site include: - Free Wifi Zone - Undercover Parking - Disabled Access - Outdoor Swimming Pool - Airconditioning - Fully equipped Kitchen including: Fridge/Freezer, Oven/stove and microwave - two bedroom apartments include a washing machine - communal washer and dryer - Free BBQ use - Austar/Foxtel - Family Rooms - Great for long term stays

Great family friendly place to stay!

Reviewed By jaczc2022

The rooms were clean and all necessary items provided to facilitate self-contained living for our family during our stay. Kids loved the pool with generous hours if access. Great location in walking distance to the Strand where we watched fireworks on New Years Eve. One observation is that the tiled floors and internal polished timber stairs are a potential slip hazard if even a little wet so encouraged our kids to take wet clothes off in laundry or kitchen area. Otherwise a great place to stay and recommend for families. Owners friendly and helpful. We would stay here again ?

10. Mountain View Villas

49-51 Reynolds Rd, Oak Beach, Port Douglas, Queensland 4877 Australia
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 3 reviews

Mountain View Villas

Hidden gem!

Reviewed By Roseanna1992

If you're a wildlife lover, seeking a bit of paradise away from the hustle and bustle of city life then look no further! We were greeted by Greg after our long journey to Australia and he was such a breath of fresh air! extremely friendly and welcoming, he was always on hand to show us around the grounds, help us spot wildlife and give advice on the local area and amenities. Genuinely one of the nicest people we have ever met which made our stay even better. The quiet location of the villa's was so pleasant, it felt so private and peaceful. We had the pool to ourselves most of the time and really felt like we could un-wind and enjoy ourselves without being interuptted. Views were spectacular and the wildlife (especially birds) were thriving which was lovely to see! It's certainly a bird watchers paradise at this place but we also saw plenty of reptiles, amphibians, bats and thousands of beautiful plants which were maintained perfectly. Being wildlife lovers, we were certainly in our element. The villa itself was decorated wonderfully (I could certainly take some inspiration from this place for my house) and it was absolutley spotless, i've stayed in some 5* hotels which don't even come close to how clean and perfect everything was in this villa. The air con was refreshing & the bed was very cosy but we spent most of our time out on the patio cooking food on our private BBQ (Two Barbeque's at this Villa & plenty of outdoor seating area's) Laundry facilities are available at no extra cost, television in the room (why you would want to watch tv in such beautiful wildnerness is beyond me but it's there if you insist) and plenty of books to keep you busy whilst lounging by the pool. The small kitchen had a stove, toastie machine, kettle, fridge - Everything you could possibly need. Mountain view villa's was around 45 minutes drive away from Cairns Town centre and 10 minute drive from Port Douglas, very handy location surrounded by various beaches and just a 50 minute drive away from the Daintree Rainforest. After our stay at Mountain view, we moved on to a high rated, very well known retreat which was nice but honestly no where near as beautiful, relaxing and enjoyable as Mountain View Villa's- This place is all you need in Port Douglas. An absolute must stay when visiting tropical north Queensland, we were very sad to leave but have taken so many wonderful memories with us.

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