Heron Island Resort
Heron Island, Australia
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About the Hotel
Off the east coast of Australia between Cairns and Brisbane, Heron Island is a coral cay right on the Great Barrier Reef. Itâ€(TM)s also home to Heron Island Resort, whose reef experience is reserved exclusively for guests, a claim few other resorts in the world can offer. Though youâ€(TM)ll be removed from civilization, the resortâ€(TM)s creature comforts are many. Enjoy live entertainment, superb meals, and laid-back island lodgings that include Point Suites with their uninterrupted reef views and Wistari Suites that promise maximum privacy.
Location
Heron Island Resort
Via Gladstone
Queensland
Heron Island, Australia
4000
Nearest Airport: GLT
Features and Amenities
- On-Site Amenities
- Beach Access
- Interests
- Active & Adventure
Reviews for Heron Island Resort
Nice Resort
We spent two days recently on Heron Island. The accommodation that we'd booked was a Superior Point Suite which was large and comfortable. The resort has a large indoor/outdoor bar area that very pleasant to sit and have a drink, and a large restaurant which is well laid out and offers a nice food and beverage selection. All the staff we came in contact with on the island were friendly and helpful, which is always nice to see. The fiery ride across was very choppy, but not quite as bad on the way back. The ferry crew were great though, and the ferry left and arrived on time which we were very happy about.
Michael_MandM - Penrith, Australia
Heron Island is more than a destination
Heron Island is more than a destination — it’s a soul-stirring experience. The natural beauty is breathtaking, but it’s the people who make it unforgettable. The staff are warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely care, making you feel completely at home. The cuisine is world-class, with beautifully crafted dishes that surprise you with their quality and flavour in such a remote setting. Heron Island is real, raw, and deeply moving. It belongs on every bucket list, not just for what you see, but how it makes you feel.I don’t usually write reviews, but Heron Island genuinely moved me. It’s one of those rare places that touches your soul and leaves you feeling deeply connected to nature, to people, and to yourself.What made it so special wasn’t just the jaw-dropping beauty of the reef or the incredible marine life (though swimming alongside turtles is something I’ll never forget). It was the people. The staff on Heron Island are something else, friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable, and so proud of the place they work. Every encounter felt real and heartfelt. It didn’t matter whether we were chatting with the marine guides, the housekeeping team, or the waitstaff, everyone had a story, a smile, and a sense of care that made us feel completely at home, and then there’s the food. Wow. I honestly wasn’t expecting meals of that standard on such a remote island. Every dish felt thoughtfully crafted, beautifully presented, and bursting with flavour. Hats off to both the chefs and the front-of-house team, they’re delivering restaurant-quality experiences in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, which is no small feat. Dining here became something we genuinely looked forward to each day.Heron Island isn’t flashy or over-the-top. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s remarkable. You come for the nature, but you leave remembering the kindness, the connection, and that quiet sense of wonder that stays with you.If you’re looking for somewhere that nourishes your soul and reminds you what matters, Heron Island should be on your bucket list. I feel incredibly grateful to have experienced it, and I already know I’ll be back. Thank you for the life-changing experience. Yvens Ferraz de Camargo
Luvfoodndrinks - Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Heron Island is magical and the food was outstanding!
Heron Island is renowned for its beautiful clear, turquoise water and the amount and density of marine and bird life. This was my fourth visit over a 25-year period. Before this visit, I read reviews that were highly critical of the food and staff so I wasn't sure what to expect. To my delight, the food was outstanding. They have a new chef and kudos to that chef. All the meals were beautifully prepared and presented. My favourites were the fruit platter and avocado toast with poached eggs for breakfast, the chef's beef burger for lunch (by FAR the best hamburger I've had in Australia where I've lived for the past 7 years) and all the chef specials for dinner. All staff were friendly and helpful. My room was clean - quite a feat considering the amount of sand I tracked in (even though I rinsed my feet off before entering). My only criticisms are that (1) the accomodations are in need of more upkeep in terms of painting and periodic refreshing and (2) the restaurant should provide basic real (non-instant) coffee for free. The only coffee available is the barista style and you do get charged for it. But these are minor criticisms compared to the sheer magic of this very special place.
Betsy C - Haymarket, Virginia USA
a great experience but don't bother taking kids - there is Nothing for them to do if the weathers bad
expensive but worth it . The rooms haven't changed in over 10 years, our 5th visit and a bit disappointing to pay the exy tag for zero luxury . Comfy bed in the wistaria room , the staff over the resort were friendly and mainly helpful except a disappointing reception girl on one occasion . Ange stood out for her help, friendly banter and outgoing customer service . The resort old dated and relatively focused on overseas guests with minimal offerings on off season would be worth a reconsideration if your after variety or options for meals as we were pretty much faced with one restaurant and the prices and offerings are slim and extremely overpriced . Often little on offer if your after any fresh produce like fruit and vegetables... an example a side dish of carrots was $12 , potatoes $15 for fries , a side of roast spuds wth rosemary $12 . add that to a overcooked steak at $47 thats getting up there . Cocktails $25 .00 flat rate . the beaches still pristine , occupancy at our visit was very low whether it's due to the pricing or off season who knows . Pool desperately needs painting , rooms remodelling and towelling thin and ageing .
kevin h
Don’t stay here.
Don’t go here! The ‘resort’ is no more than a somewhat luxurious backpackers, where rooms don’t get cleaned, doors can’t be locked and most mattresses need to be replaced. The foreign seasonal workers in the restaurant and bar are nice and competent, but the food is very average, especially at lunch and definitely overpriced. The people in reception are not friendly and incapable. They brought our luggage to a completely different room and it took hours to get back. The tours on the islands are always full cause there are too little staff members. And even though I’d checked many times about ferry times and flights that needed to be made. The ferry left 1,5 hours late - due to the completely inefficient boarding process from the heron island staff - where they made you wait for hours in extreme heat without a place to sit (even for the elderly). Taxis on the other side that were supposed to be waiting to bring people to the airport weren’t there and again it took forever to get luggage. In the end this meant we (and in total 21 people) didn’t make our flight - which heron island staff guaranteed we would have. And it would have been easy to make if they’d just organized things better so the ferry didn’t leave late. This also meant we would have missed our international connection if there wouldn’t have been an other flight with another airline. It caused a lot of stress and extra money, but luckily they took us and we just made our international connection. The numerous emails I’ve sent to ask how this issue can be solved was never answered. Which again shows how unprofessional the management is. The only good thing is the snorkeling; it’s truly amazing, however I’ve heard there are other areas which are equally good. To be clear: Ferry and helicopter staff were great; friendly, organized and professional. I definitely don’t recommend staying here cause the only place to stay is the ‘resort’ - which is also a bird invested place (which is not too bad if you don’t mind getting poo on you every now and again and not being able to hear each other speak cause of the noise - that’s nature and something that was kind of fun, but not for everyone and maybe something they should communicate a bit more). Anyway, most unprofessional bunch when it comes to organization I’ve seen in a very long time.
chrisI2540XN - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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