IMMERSIVE LUXE
InterContinental Hayman Island Resort
There’s no denying first impressions count. Boarding a luxury catamaran for the 30-minute journey from Hamilton Island to the newly reopened InterContinental Hayman Island Resort in Queensland’s Whitsundays, we’re greeted by the captain and two smiling hostesses, Chelsea and Chelsea.
My husband Simon and I have our sons Ziggy, 5, and Sunny, 8, in tow, and the Chelseas are warm and welcoming, offering the boys a juice and us a glass of bubbles.
As we settle into our leather seats, drinks in hand, and admire the azure waters and deserted islands we pass, we both agree it’s a delightful first impression.
Check-in takes place aboard the launch for a seamless transition to island life and, as we catch our first glimpse of the 400-hectare island, the most northerly in the Whitsunday archipelago, the boys’ excitement levels rise.
After its $135 million refurbishment following the destruction caused by Cyclone Debbie in 2017 and a rebranding under the wing of the InterContinental Hotels Group, I have to admit, like my sons, I am looking forward to spending two nights at this reimagined private island.
Hayman, long considered the premier five-star destination in the Whitsunday group, warmly welcomes children at the new-look resort, which offers a slew of authentic family experiences in addition to its Planet Trekkers Club, where kids aged 4 to 12 can feed fish and take part in coral planting adventures.
Stepping off the launch, we are greeted by friendly staff and driven through the lush grounds by golf buggy to our suite, one of 166 refurbished rooms, suites and villas in the resort.
Our personal guest services specialist Andreas – each guest has their own personal host – gives us a brief tour of the resort before escorting us to our two-bedroom Hayman Suite in the tranquil Lagoon Wing.
Oversized timber doors open into a contemporary open-plan living room and dining area, which spills out onto a sundrenched balcony with a daybed and spectacular views over Hayman Beach, the Coral Sea, the resort’s tropical gardens and the family-friendly infinity pool.
As if on cue, two cockatoos fly down to greet us, much to the boys’ delight.
Ideal for families, the suite has a twin room with an ensuite for the boys at one end and a master bedroom with a four-poster bed at the other. Its enormous bathroom comes with a freestanding bathtub in the centre of the room, a separate shower and toilet, two basins and ample wardrobe space.
Refreshingly, the bathroom amenities, by Australian brand Sodashi, come in large pump bottles instead of single-use toiletries. I’m also impressed that we are each given a complimentary reusable water bottle to refill at water stations dotted around the resort as part of the island’s ban on single-use plastics, a sustainability initiative I feel should be adopted by resorts around the globe.
The pleasant 29-degree heat is ideal for swimming so we head to the infinity pool for a dip, then lunch at Bam Bam, the resort’s hip and casual Pan-Asian eatery.
The food is spicy and flavoursome – think Buddha’s tofu larb [$16], roast duck rice paper rolls [$18], Cha Ca style barramundi [$40] – and plenty of options for kids.
We enjoy a couple of hours in the pool – and a cheeky Pac Man cocktail – before heading off on a Sunset Escapade to nearby Langford Island.
A speedboat drops us on the island’s long sand spit to explore and enjoy some family time for a couple of hours.
We admire the shells and coral along
the shore before taking in the glorious sunset, which bathes the islands in a soft, golden light.
That night, we dine at the modern Italian Amici Trattoria. We take an outdoor table and, with the fairy lights, a feature wall of ceramic pots and a wood-fired pizza oven on display, it’s a lovely setting for a family dinner.
Simon and I share a hand-rolled Genovese pizza [$27] and a house-made pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter, sage and scamorza smoked mozzarella [$36], and the boys opt for the kids’ pasta and pizza.
The following day we enjoy breakfast at Pacific, Hayman’s signature restaurant.
This light and airy oceanfront brasseriestyle eatery offers a gourmet buffet breakfast with an enormous selection of hot and healthy options and a DIY fresh juice station.
Pacific’s pièce de résistance, however, is the sensational views of the turquoise Coral Sea and Whitsunday islands.
Later, the boys help staff feed the ravenous giant trevally at the marina, where we also spot coral trout and grass emperors.
Our snorkelling trip to Blue Pearl Bay on the north-western side of the island is cancelled due to strong winds but there are plenty of other options to keep us busy.
We happily swim in the lagoon-style Hayman pool the largest in the southern hemisphere, explore the island’s hidden coves, take part in some water sports and take turns getting pampered at the Hayman Spa.
Too relaxed to change out of our swimmers for lunch, we try the Californian-style AQUA, which has healthy options such as poke bowls, salads and seafood alongside more traditional poolside snacks like burgers and nachos.
Given our boys still have energy to burn by 4pm, the recreation centre, which has complimentary tennis courts, basketball, soccer, table tennis and arcade games, is a hit.
By night, Pacific restaurant transforms into a chic bar and restaurant and I highly recommend its Flavours of Pacific buffet, which is available on Tuesdays and Fridays.
While I’m not usually a fan of buffet-style dining, this is one decadent offering, with an abundance of fresh local prawns, bugs, sashimi, mussels and oysters, as well as grilled meats and desserts and artisan cheeses.
The boys are so content, they fall asleep on our laps, leaving my husband and I free to enjoy an adult conversation over a bottle of sparkling wine.
Needless to say, it is no mean feat getting Sunny and Ziggy out of the pool and back on the catamaran the next day after checking out of our suite at 11am.
As we glance wistfully back towards the island, our smiling hostess appears with two glasses of bubbles and some snacks for the boys, softening the blow and leaving a memorable last – and lasting – impression.
My son Sunny lets out an excited squeal as a large pink whipray takes some squid from the palm of his hand and lets him stroke her smooth greyish skin. “This is LouAnn,” says Daydream Island’s head marine biologist, Johnny Gaskell. “She’s very friendly.”
We’re getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the Living Reef, a coral lagoon that holds 1.5 million litres of raw water, turned over every five hours, and wraps 200m around the central building of the revamped Whitsunday Island resort.
The Living Reef tank is home to 80 species of coral and 100 species of fish including the sassy LouAnn, shovel-nose rays, and giant cod named Todd, Mod and Rod.
My boys Sunny and Ziggy are in their element feeding LouAnn and her pals as Gaskell, who heads the team of seven marine biologists on-site, gives us a hands-on marine education.
We head down to the new underwater observatory to gaze at the marine life four metres below the surface, and spy a mesmerising array of tropical fish. Rod, Todd and Mod are huddled together peering into the observatory’s bathroom, which is apparently their regular hangout.
While popular with children and adults, the Living Reef is also very much an educational facility aimed at raising awareness of the fragility of oceanic coral reef eco systems, and the importance of lowering our footprint to protect them.
“The ocean is a complex eco system that needs our protection,” says Gaskell. “We want kids to go away with the understanding of what is at stake – the animals, the corals and everything they experience here. If we continue to impact the environment and heat up the water as we are, what you see today won’t be here. We really need to make changes, and hope to inspire young generations to protect oceans in the future.”
Gaskell and his team are also working on an impressive coral restoration program for cyclone-damaged sites such as the island’s own Lover’s Cove, Manta Ray Bay at Hook Island and Blue Pearl Bay on Hayman.
While the Living Reef is the resort’s showpiece – and the highlight of our stay, particularly my guided snorkel experience [$100 a person] with marine biologist, Alex –
there’s a lot to love about Daydream’s new look.
The iconic Whitsunday resort was destroyed by Cyclone Debbie when it hit near Airlie Beach on March 28, 2017, and for the past two years, the private island hideaway has undergone an extensive $100 million refurbishment. It reopened in April with 277 renovated rooms and suites, three restaurants and bars and a reimagined pool landscape with chic cabanas and views across the Coral Sea.
The main atrium, which houses the reception, Graze restaurant and gin bar Tonic, pays homage to the classic Queenslander, with its white shutters and airy indoor/ outdoor feel.
Our superior room is spacious enough for a family of four and has two queen-sized beds, timber floorboards and soft furnishings in coastal hues. Sliding doors open onto a private balcony which has views of the pools and tropical gardens where we spy resident wallaroos grazing on the grass. There are eco-friendly Biology amenities but no robes or slippers for those expecting luxury.
After a day of swimming, unlimited non-motorised water activities and a casual lunch at Inkstone Kitchen & Bar, we go for sundowners at the scenic Lover’s Cove, a laidback beach bar with a DJ and Champagne and beer on offer. The boys play on the rocks while we chill on beanbags and enjoy the music and sunset. Host Omar is warm and friendly and provides some of the most attentive service we experience on the island.
That night, we arrive at the resort’s signature restaurant, Infinity, to discover they don’t have our booking. Although it is booked out, the staff manage to fit us in and we are impressed by the Asian fusion cuisine and live music.
For those travelling with kids, Infinity is the island’s premium dining option. While there’s no kids’ menu, our boys devour the sashimi and pork lollipops while we dine on duck and salmon.
On our final morning on the island, I wake early to meditate by the sea and watch the sun rise over the nearby islands. Later, as I take a minute to take in the breathtaking natural beauty of my surroundings, another guest strolls past and smiles at me.
“How good is this?” she whispers, beaming. Indeed.