The verdict on Hamilton Island's first new hotel in 18 years

The Age

17-06-2025

Designer Carrie Williams, an island resident herself, has reimagined the rooms with a swirl of organic materials, soft curves and coastal tones from nautical blue to sandy beige. The '80s block, freshened with a minor facelift and new coat of peach and white, leans into its retro roots with a Palm Springs aesthetic that plays well with vibrant contemporary artworks by First Nations and Hungarian artist Tiarna Herczeg.
Newly landscaped terraced gardens flank the path down to the pool and restaurant – it will flourish into a mini rainforest soon enough. Greenery also factors prominently in Catseye Pool Club, thanks to yawning bi-fold doors that open to a lush lawn, and a long indoor planter dissecting the dining room with a burst of tropical plants. Outside, there's no shortage of sage-hued tables, cabana lounges and umbrella-shaded daybeds for those keen to test the poolside table service.
The room
Its 59 rooms are split over three levels, and while rooms are more or less identical, there are two main categories: balcony or terrace. I'm staying in a ground-floor terrace room, which can double as a connecting family room and includes an additional single bed at the foot of my king. A private terrace features a lounge, dining table and views of the big blue beyond. Now the fun part – rooms are designed with women in mind (gasp!). Mirrors are enormous and backlit, with two additional Hollywood-style bulbs in the ensuite (I can see every pore!), the vanity bench is double-sized, and oh, the hooks! By my count, eight. Brilliant.
The pièce de résistance is a beautiful, giant egg-shaped bath (soaking salts included) with a sliding privacy screen (for optional TV-watching, we assume). The kitchenette is small but mighty, with a microwave, Nespresso machine, kettle and mini-fridge. A mini-bar has the kids (and big kids) covered, with no-sugar lollies and The Everleigh Bottling Co cocktails. You can order breakfast in bed via a TV menu QR-code (though my order doesn't go through on the first attempt). Over-packers are also well catered for with a wardrobe and long suitcase rack with built-in shoe storage drawers; twin yoga mats stashed in the closet are a nice touch.
Food + drink
Don't fight it – you'll be spending a lot of time by the pool, eating highly addictive souvas (souvlaki stuffed with grilled chicken or Berrima octopus, and stacked with salad, garlic yoghurt and crunchy fries), possibly while sipping a frosty Miami Vice slushy supercharged with rosella, condensed milk and fresh dragon fruit from the impressive native ingredient-driven cocktail list.
On the days chef Niland isn't island-side doing his monthly check-ins, you're in good hands with head chef Brad Johnston, who trained under him at Saint Peter. The menu is kid-proof in concept – items like wood-fired pizza bread and wild fish tacos are served deconstructed for fussy eaters, and mains come packaged with a generous assortment of sides to streamline the task of ordering. The seafood is excellent (not exactly a shocker), but non-seafood dishes like whole roast chook with crunchy chicken fat potatoes are among the surprise standouts.
In a trend that's catching on at many sustainably focused stays, breakfast is à la carte (meaning less waste). The kitchen's freshly baked croissants are already causing a stir on the island – it has management plotting moves to adopt the same exacting pastry-making approach at other venues.
Out + about
Watersports gear is free at neighbouring Beach Hut. And while restaurants, bars, retail outlets and scenic hikes abound, it's a great launchpad for some unique off-island experiences. The Journey to the Heart Tour, exclusive to island guests, whisks groups of up to six via helicopter to a private pontoon helipad near the iconic Heart Reef where you can explore the lagoon James Bond-style in glass-bottomed boat, snorkel with turtles and tropical fish, and sip champagne. A new cultural tour by local Ngaro man Robbie Congoo whisks you to Hook Island aboard a luxurious 55-foot motor yacht to view some of the oldest rock paintings and stone quarries in Eastern Australia.
The verdict
The Sundays might be for families, but with its star restaurant and stylishly luxe rooms, there's a case to be mounted that a stay here is a good idea regardless of parental status. While the Nilands won't be making a Whitsundays sea change anytime soon, their deep involvement in the venue has generated plenty of excitement among staff and visitors. Enough to coax kid-averse holidaymakers into its very stylish, family-friendly dining room? Absolutely.
Essentials
Our rating out of five
★★★★
Highlight
Guests can exchange 'Mer-money' gold coins, deposited in rooms daily, for a free Sundays sundae between 2.30pm-4pm each day from a poolside cart. Cute.
Lowlight
Our beach-facing glass doors are soundproofed with black-out blinds – unfortunately, the entrance door lets in hallway noise and light via a transom window, with no recourse.