Coconut Grove, Port Douglas

Location

A scenic hour’s coastal drive north of Cairns will bring you to pretty Port Douglas. With palm trees taller than its buildings, the town is able to maintain its intimate feel while still providing excellent bars, restaurants and beach-life. With the outer Great Barrier Reef an hour to its front and the Daintree Rainforest bringing up its rear, Port Douglas is popular with nature lovers. The hotel’s accommodation itself is located just 140m from the fabled Four Mile beach.

Accommodation

Accommodation comes in the form of luxurious served apartments. A collection of one, two and three bedroom apartments – Balcony, Terrace and Penthouse – feature fully equipped kitchens, separate lounge and dining areas, covered barbecues, Bose stereos, free WiFi, iPod docks and plasma TVs. The Terrace and Penthouse apartments also come with a large outdoor area and a private pool and Jacuzzi with the latter’s rooftop terrace a particular highlight.

Dining

With large open plan kitchens featuring Miele appliances – including a dishwasher and gas hob with electric oven – most guests dine in. There’s also a coffee machine, a microwave and a double fridge freezer with an icemaker. Alternatively, to get in an Australian frame of mind, make full use of the high quality barbecue facilities deck-side. For a special occasion, book in advance for a private chef to tailor a menu cooked from fresh, local ingredients to your exacting requirements. For those wanting to get out, Macrossan Street and its collection of shops, bars and fine restaurants is just a short stroll away.

Facilities

Guests tend to spend their time on the beach or in their spacious apartments – complete with plasma televisions. However, in terms of shared enjoyment, there’s the 20m lap pool and Coconut Grove’s landscaped gardens. The complex’s tour desk also puts on a range of activities including snorkelling and diving in the Great Barrier Reef, four wheel drive adventures through rainforests and, closer to base, bike hire and water sports on Four-Mile Beach.