As we await the world to re-open, this is a brief review of qualia on Hamilton Island.
In 2014, I had an opportunity to travel to the Great Barrier Reef. As we touched down in Hamilton Island, I was in awe of the stunning beauty of the island. At that time, I could not afford to stay on the island and instead had to stay on the mainland - nearly a 2 hour boat ride away. Little did I know, we would be back on Hamilton Island in 2019.
We decided to splurge and stay at qualia. I had heard a lot about the resort via various trip-reports and was really looking forward to our trip.
After booking the hotel via American Express, we got a few follow-up emails leading up to the trip so that we could plan excursions and other activities. My wife and I decided to book two diving trips along with a helicopter tour of the region.
The resort had also coordinated a pickup from the airport - a mere 10 minute drive away - and had refreshing towels and drinks waiting for us in the vehicle.
After being escorted to the hotel, we were given a brief overview of the islands: no motorized vehicles, other than golf carts and hotel vans.
Qualia entrance
Once we reached the hotel lobby, we were offered champagne and were given an overview about our room, the resort’s features and how to make the most of out of our stay in paradise. Not only was the hotel lobby awe-inspiring, the employees were incredibly passionate as they explained some of the benefits of the property: free yoga classes, fresh breakfast every morning, free mini-fridge replacements, in-room plunge pool, and a golf-cart to go around the island in style.
qualia living room
qualia living room
qualia plunge pool
qualia plunge pool
bath with a view
For the most part, our daily itinerary was the same: early morning breakfast, a day excursion, sunset and dinner.
Every morning we’d head out for breakfast and genuinely looked forward to it - despite the early wake up calls. Everything was freshly prepared and the views were unbeatable - an endless view of the Great Barrier Reef.
For our excursions, we had booked two diving trips, one helicopter flight and a day on Whitehaven Beach. Each and every excursion was amazing - despite the long boat rides. Unfortunately, our dives were a bit underwhelming given that a huge portion of the Great Barrier Reef was bleached and we didn’t get to see much underwater.
Bleached coral - Great Barrier Reef
When we didn’t have a day-trip planned, we simply relaxed and enjoyed the pool in the afternoon. qualia offers its guests an absolutely beautiful pool with quite a few activities, including kayaks and paddle boards by the ocean. This is another thing that makes the resort just so stress free - you don’t have to worry about discussing money before each and every basic activity.
qulia pool
In the early evening it seemed as the entire island would gather at the same point to view the sunset with their cocktails and cheering on the vibrant sky. It was a fun experience that we had the privilege of experience nearly every single day that we spent on the island.
Sunsets on Hamilton Island
For dinner, we had most of our meals in town and surprisingly - every meal was able to be billed back to the resort - which continued to enhance our seamless experience on the island. From pizza to proper sit-down meals, we enjoyed our peaceful evenings. Every night when we would return back to the room, housekeeping would have the room setup for a tempting bath and different chocolates and scents every night.
We’ve been fortunate enough to travel to so many incredible destinations and resorts all over the world - but this is one of the very few times we really looked at extending our stay - it is just that good. We can’t wait to go back.
Whitehaven Beach