InterContinental Hayman Island Resort

This was a stay with incredible highs and some genuinely baffling lows. Hayman Island has the bones of a great resort — the natural beauty, the room product, and a standout restaurant — but the service execution is inconsistent enough that I can only give it three stars. Arrival & Check-In The trip starts well with a pickup from The Sweet Spot in Airlie Beach (grab one of their cinnamon rolls!) and a pleasant transfer to the island. But once the buggy drops you at reception, you’re left to fend for yourself. Check-in took 30 minutes, with only one staff member on the desk for most of it. No welcome drink, no check-ins on guests waiting, nothing. Confusion around a breakfast “voucher” (both staff quoting the same mysterious $35 amount) didn’t help. Despite submitting my details ahead of time, the hotel did not have my IHG Platinum Elite / Ambassador information, and I had to add it at check-in. No one proactively explained our Amex F&B credit — I had to ask. Pool Experience This was the moment I realised the service issues weren’t isolated. Arriving at the pool: • No greeting • No water offered • No towels at all at 11:40am Multiple calls later, I received one towel, not two. Still no restock 30 minutes later. When I rang again, a staff member actually said: “Are you going to do it yourself?” (Even if she thought I was staff, that’s… not reassuring.) Eventually the pool attendant appeared with towels and apologised. The Room At 2pm our upgraded Pool Suite was ready — and it’s excellent. Perfect for my teenage son, spacious, shaded cabana, and a great layout. This is where the resort shines: the hard product is genuinely 5-star. However, small things chipped away at the experience: No USA adaptor available despite being listed online No turndown service unless you specifically request it. And no one tells you that during check-in It all adds up to a pattern of guests having to chase information rather than being taken care of. Food & Beverage Room service pizza at 3pm took over an hour. Staff were apologetic and comped it, but again — avoidable. Amici was average: decent pizza, but the lasagna was tiny, service slow, and staff lacked urgency. Bam Bam, however, is phenomenal. Easily the standout of the entire resort. They cooked my son’s freshly caught fish three different ways — sashimi, Korean rice with noodles, and traditional fish & chips — all perfectly executed. The chef even came out to explain each dish. If I returned, I’d eat here every night. Fishing & Activities This was supposed to be a highlight — but the booking process was chaotic. The $350 half-day trip was fully booked, and the next available wasn’t until after our checkout. Only after pushing did they schedule an overflow trip, which also sold out. It proves there’s far more demand than supply, yet the resort runs only one tiny boat. The trip itself was enjoyable (my son caught a shark), but: • The cheaper Airlie Beach trip we did beforehand was better • No shade on the boat • Seating very limited Hayman should be owning fishing as a signature experience, not treating it like an afterthought. General Service & Maintenance There’s an unmistakable sense that no one is truly running the show. Staff are largely pleasant but untrained, reactive rather than proactive, and missing those 5-star fundamentals. Examples: • Wake-up call never arrived • Website amenities don’t match reality • Duty manager apologised for staff behaviour but blamed a misunderstanding • Maintenance issues around property (broken toilets, bathrooms with long lines) • Infinity pool closed the one day I wanted to use it On the positive side, after my initial review, management did reach out, found the USA adaptor (so it does exist), and offered a generous $250 credit. I appreciate the effort — but inconsistent service shouldn’t rely on guests escalating problems. The Verdict — Why Three Stars? Because there truly is potential here. - Bam Bam is exceptional. - The fishing trip, while imperfect, gave my son a highlight memory. - The rooms and setting are undeniably beautiful. But a luxury resort at this price point needs coherent, consistent service — not a series of guest-led problem-solving exercises. If management invests in training, staffing, and basic operational discipline, Hayman could be an easy 5-star experience. For now, it’s a 3-star stay wrapped in a 5-star location.

We have wanted to stay here for over 30 years and finally made it. Was it everything we expected? Absolutely Not. This resort is run down, uses poorly trained staff and is extremely expensive for what is provided. We had a swim out pool access suite which was very nice but is missing lots of items that would lift its enjoyment. The towel rack is a trip hazard, there are no rugs on the floors, the lounge chairs have no support and are worn out. There is extremely poor lighting over vanity areas. The deck of our suite is falling to pieces and is a disgrace. Paint around the pool areas is peeling and bubbling off. The decks need fixing and painting everywhere. The restaurants are nice but it is very expensive for what you get. A very basic burger at the pool is $35. Breakfast is included, but is extremely hot in the room, the staff failed to deliver my wife’s omelette 2 mornings in a row so she gave up after that, only to find on our last day that the chap beside us had the same problem each day. The staff are poorly trained ( except for Caleb) they are lazy and pay no attention to what is going on, there are lots of them but they don’t work. The staff are allowed to use all the facilities so be prepared to see staff at the pool, restaurants etc. the small shop shuts at 5pm, I’ve never seen that before. This resort could be so good but the owners ( Mulpha) continue to live up to the same standards you will find in any other of their intercontinental hotels, run down and penny pinchers. They do not invest in maintenance at all and you can see it everywhere. They also shut areas down, restaurants included for private events so be prepared. This holiday was a real letdown, so disappointing given the costs. Save your money go somewhere else. Please who ever reads this please do not respond with a condescending “we hope you come back statement “ we will never be back. Service around the pool was very slow and you had to chase them for service every time.

We had the most incredible experience with Oscar at the Beach Activities Department at Intercontinental Beach Sundays, Australia. It was our very first time trying sailing and paddle boarding, and Oscar made it truly unforgettable. From the start, he went above and beyond—patiently giving us a detailed safety briefing, teaching us the basics, asking us questions to make sure we understood the techniques, and even quizzing us before sending us out on the water. He made us feel confident, safe, and genuinely excited to try something completely new. Once we were out sailing, we were having a fantastic time—until it was time to return to shore and the strong winds made it extremely difficult. We got stuck without knowing how to navigate back. Oscar noticed us immediately (we didn’t even get a chance to wave for help!) and came out to us on his rescue boat. Instead of simply towing us back, he asked, “Do you want to learn how to do it?” That one question changed everything. He patiently stayed with us, teaching us how to turn against the wind and guiding us step-by-step while we actually did it ourselves. That experience was so empowering. The next day, because of his guidance, we tried sailing again—this time completely confident—and it was amazing! On another day, we went paddle boarding for the first time, and without realizing it, the strong winds carried us much farther away from the shore than allowed. Oscar was monitoring the beach responsibly and came to us right away. He explained that we were well outside the safe zone, and when he saw how difficult it was for us to paddle back (especially against the wind), he helped us onto his boat along with our equipment and brought us safely back. What makes Oscar exceptional is not just his skill, but his passion for teaching, his patience, and his genuine care for guests. He didn’t just rescue us—he taught us, encouraged us, made us feel safe, and helped us build confidence to try again. He clearly loves what he does, and his dedication made our experience unforgettable. Thank you, Oscar, for turning our first-ever sailing and paddle boarding adventure into a meaningful, memorable, and truly joyful experience!

First visit to Hayman was 31 years ago and we were spellbound by its beauty and feeling of exclusivity and luxury. No longer the same unfortunately. The views are spectacular and our room is lovely but the hotel is tired, dated and the pool and shared areas need a thorough clean and maintaince. What a great pity. One of the most beautiful places to visit but let down by poor standards. Breakfast was majestic in our memory , back in the 1990s, but was very much average today.

I’ll be honest — I read all the reviews before coming and went in very skeptical. But from the moment we arrived, Hayman Island completely exceeded our expectations. The arrival and boat transfer were fantastically seamless, and every staff member we met was warm and welcoming. Yes, some team members were foreign and English wasn’t their first language, but they were genuinely trying hard, and any small mistakes (like bill errors) were quickly fixed without any fuss. The food is definitely on the expensive side, but it is a 5-star resort on a remote island, so it’s expected — and honestly, the meals were incredible. The cocktails were too good… in the best way! One thing that could be improved is the pre-dinner experience. Because every restaurant requires a booking, you can’t just wander in for a drink or decide on the spot where to eat. There was nowhere to relax with a drink before our late dinner reservation, which took away a little bit of the “do whatever, whenever” holiday freedom. Just something to keep in mind if you like a more flexible dining style. The self-guided snorkelling was also very hands-off — you’re dropped at a spot with gear and they pick you up two hours later. A tiny bit more direction would have helped, but it was still a fun experience once we got our bearings. Overall, I left feeling so relaxed, well-fed, and genuinely looked after. It was our honeymoon, and we couldn’t have asked for a better trip. After staying there, I honestly think many of the 1-star reviews are from people determined to find faults — our experience was fantastic. We’re already talking about coming back for our babymoon. Hayman Island is truly a special place. 🌴✨