One&Only Hayman Island review, Great Barrier Reef: Weekend away

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This was published 8 years ago

One&Only Hayman Island review, Great Barrier Reef: Weekend away

By Jane Reddy
One&Only Hayman Pool, Hayman Island.

One&Only Hayman Pool, Hayman Island.

THE PLACE

One&Only Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef

THE LOCATION

Not convinced about the virtues of protecting the world's largest ecosystem? A 15-minute helicopter transfer from Hamilton Island Airport is a joy ride like no other over islands and reef platforms before a flyover of the resort. While the reef is a big drawcard for overseas visitors, about three quarters of guests at the resort, on the most northerly in the Whitsunday Islands group, are Australian.

THE SPACE

Reopening on July 2014 as a One&Only, the first in the Asia Pacific region (Wolgan Valley has just been added to the collection), the $80 million refurbishment has, refreshingly, resulted in fewer rooms (210 to 160) with more suites on the property of gardens and two-kilometre stretch of white-sand beach. The Hayman Wing is now ideal for those with children and overlooks the new family-friendly space, Aquazure, with a pool of graduating depths and casual restaurant including a gelato bar. There's also a dedicated scuba-dive-training pool. Over at the Pool Wing, with the recognisable and hexagonal equivalent of about seven Olympic-size pools, private cabanas cost $250 a day and include Perrier-Jouet champagne and oysters. Or settle in at one of myriad loungers. Children are welcome here, too.

THE ROOM

In the Pool Wing my ground floor one-bedroom suite has swim-up access. A dip at dawn off the private deck surrounded by greenery, birdsong and a view of the Coral Sea is restorative. Thankfully, there's no need to make polite conversation with the neighbours with adjoining walls at just the right height. At night the new neutral palette is uplit, softly, from the bath to the canopy bed. Colour me calm. For total seclusion try Kerry Hill-designed beach villas with private pools in the Beach Wing.

THE FOOD

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While guests can dine indoors at Fire alongside one of the largest collections of back-vintages of Penfolds Grange in the country, outdoor dining includes Amici with wood-fired pizza oven and Bamboo for Asian-fusion. Pacific, on the beachfront for breakfast has a full and fresh buffet, all on ice, decent coffee and detox juices aplenty.

STEPPING OUT

Take your pick. My visit is lightning quick so it's a jog on the treadmill in the large air-conditioned gym with separate areas for cardio, weight training and stretching and personal trainers on hand. Time permitting I'd be discovering the reef. The outer reef and the resort's private mooring is one-hour by boat where you can dive among the the Stepping Stones named for the flat-topped coral pinnacles. For the landlubbers there's hikes for sunset views along the Whitsunday Passage. Pack your walking shoes.

THE VERDICT

A place for a special celebration. There's a price to pay, in Australian dollars, for holidaying on home turf. But for a look at one of the most stunning places on Earth that attracts 2 million people annually, this resort holds prime position.

HIGHLIGHT

An escape to the tropics without the customs queue.

LOWLIGHT

There is a privacy screen, but the bath-in-bedroom phenomenon is still a tad "theatre-in-the-round" for this prude.

THE DETAILS

Hayman Lagoon Room from $799 a night, Direct Access pool suite from $1800 a night.

Phone 1800 075 175, see hayman.oneandonlyresorts.com/Virgin fly direct

Virgin Australia flies once daily from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Hamilton Island before transfer to Hayman Island by boat or helicopter.

The writer travelled courtesy of Virgin Australia and One & Only Hayman Island.

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