Lizard Island Resort

First, I want to clarify that this review comes in the context of disappointment related to the weather. Because of a low front off shore the entire time we were there, it was impossible to go out on boats to the reef or even to snorkel from the beach. That being said our experience at Lizard Island was mixed. My first advice is not to book during the rainy season. You can get lucky and have good weather or you can have our experience and be stuck on shore. We booked for the first week that they were open after a three week break during low season. There is a reason it is the low season. The pros: from the moment you arrive the lovely, attentive staff do a wonderful job of making you feel well taken care of. The resort is beautiful, tastefully appointed with lots of nice touches. The food is for the most part excellent ( a couple of dishes were a little too salty) but mostly it is remarkable that they can prepare such excellent, varied meals when they have to import everything to the island. They also make a huge effort to have a "bad weather" list of programs. We also appreciated their giving us an upgrade to a water view room. Cons: Given that they were closed for three weeks to attend to maintenance, we had a lot of maintenance issues with our room. First, we had a strange odor that smelled like burning plastic. To their credit the front staff person (Shannon who is terrific) came out right away when we called. It turned out to be related to the dehumidifier and went away when it was turned off. However no one ever replaced or fixed the dehumidifier during our three night stay even though they said it was important to use. In addition, the door mechanism required a battery activated lock which was also malfunctioning so we were either locked into our room or out unless we left another door open. This also was not repaired after being reported. Lastly, even though the resort was closed for maintenance for three weeks before we came, they chose to treat our plunge pool while we were there so we couldn't use it. Not good when the ocean was too rough for swimming. There was a resort pool but still... I imagine that had we been able to be actively involved in the water based activities these maintenance issues would have been less bothersome but given it is a high end resort and the level of attention to other things, we expected better. All in all, I would advise booking Lizard island in a season with more predictable weather and leaving enough days in case one turns out to be bad. I also hope that they put the attention into keeping up the rooms that they do into everything else.

It delivers on every level. No false advertising. This is not an ultra chi-chi hotel. This is an hotel for people who know what they want. For the very active nature lovers, looking for natural beauty and the best cuisine I’ve had since I’ve been in Australia. Crispy duck confit over a velvety red curry sauce, just to name one of the MANY inspired dishes. Staff very attentive, perfect. Don’t change a thing.

We had the good fortune of spending four blissful nights and five active days on the island in late January. This trip had been planned for two years to be the final piece of a 3-week New Zealand and Australia adventure, and while we expected it would be great, we were still blown away. The approach- flying from Cairns itself was spectacular- the views of the reef are epic. Time of year- we had no idea it was their low season (aka rainy season-which, by the way, never impacted us during the day). The result: we happily had much of the resort to ourselves and only eight to ten other guests, tops. The island was also the most verdant green- truly stunning alongside the ever changing blues of the Coral Sea. The rooms- we found our oceanfront situation to be spacious, impeccably clean, quiet and so very comfortable. The bed was heavenly, the A/C worked especially well, the blackout curtains were welcomed, the seating and decor were perfect, the bathroom was just the right size with awesome products, and the complimentary mini bar had everything we (didn’t know we) needed (their red wine was super)! Loved the beach tote that is provided! The food and adult beverages- this is why Lizard is now part of Relais & Chateaux. We had just spent 16 nights on a Silversea cruise and didn’t think it could get any better, and yet it did, sadly for our waistlines! Every meal was delicious and we found the kitchen tried very hard to say yes to most any request. Best meals and drinks of our trip. The standouts: kangaroo tartare and the barramundi. Special shout-outs to our servers, Steph and Ivo (the funniest people you’ll ever meet from Buenos Aires- they had us laughing every time) and Gonzalo. Uri the bartender was our favorite mixologist. Pro tip- visit the Marlin bar and order pizza. The activities- we were lucky to enjoy a full day snorkeling tour, a sunset cruise and a full day dinghy adventure. Captain Trent got us to the outer and inner reefs, and Jordan was our most excellent and joyful snorkeling guide. Her passion and expertise were palpable and she has the very best laugh. The snorkeling was next level- of all the places around the world we’ve visited, none of them came close to the wonders of color and quantity we witnessed. The brightest corals, electric blue sea stars, every fish you could imagine, reef sharks, stingrays, turtles and our most unexpected surprise: the beauty of the giant clams. Obsessed! The sunset cruise was a terrific treat- gorgeous evening, yummy drinks and charcuterie and great conversation with our guide Abby. A wonderful way to end the day. The dinghy day was our favorite- the four of us (friends we traveled with) in our own boat motoring to the beaches we chose (and had to ourselves!) along with our gear and provisions (drinks of our choice and an extensive and fabulous lunch)- what could be better?! When we checked out we were asked, “what was your favorite part?” My husband answered, “getting to know the wonderful staff.” This is high praise from the man I know to have very high (and often unrealistic) expectations. There is some “special sauce” in how Lizard recruits and trains the staff (who represented many different countries). Everyone we encountered exhibited the consistency of excellent, professional service coupled with profound warmth, humor, engagement and a natural desire to connect. In all our travels, we’d never experienced something quite like that. Magical. If time and resources weren’t finite, we’d return and stay thirty days or more…but then, we wouldn’t ever want to leave. Thank you Lizard Island for the experience of a lifetime! T

There is a lot to like about lizard island but they really have a lot to improve. The real reason to come is to experience the reef in a more remote, leas crowded and easier way than going from The Cairns area. If you are simply looking for a luxury Australian lodge experience in this price range I would consider the other options, most notably the Great Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island where the view, food, service, excursions and property were very significantly better. In my case, The weather limited diving which made coming to this remote island disappointing. The food at LI is very good. Our Dive master, Jordan was excellent. She has a positive and competent demeanor and a passion for her Role. Well beyond her 25 years in many ways. The property is tired and not well cared for in many ways. The ceiling fan in our room was filthy for our entire stay and there was noticeable dirt on the ceiling in the restaurant. The generally beautiful beach was full of garbage at both ends but very bad near the marlin bar where we found toothbrushes and lots of other garbage. The boardwalk to tree room is a few years beyond its lifespan. While the service was generally good there were times it wasn't. For example, we went to Blue lagoon and were given bag with a cabana to set up on our own while 2 staff, otherwise not busy, offered no help until we asked.

An absolutely incredible experience. Gorgeous island and resort, great food and the best customer service I have ever known in my 63 years. The staff are not only accommodating, they are warm and friendly and welcoming. I was fearful of swimming and snorkeling but felt completely safe with the staff ‘s reassuring words and attitude. I truly trusted them when they told me all about the “friendly” sharks; and explained they hadn’t seen a croc for at least 3 years. I could see that the staff also happily made sure to make every guest feel included, like skilled hosts and hostesses at a neighborhood dinner party. The coral and fish at the Great Barrier Reef were stunning; I felt as if I was swimming in a most beautiful (and huge) aquarium. I also had a wonderful aromatherapy massage and exfoliation at the spa. If I had to come up with one “growth area” I would say to improve and update the architecture and interior design/decor. The overall aesthetic could be a little more sophisticated, to match the incredible staff and surrounding nature.