My partner and I stayed for one night to celebrate his birthday and despite the wet weather had a wonderful time. The resort was well maintained, beautifully landscaped and easy to explore with the help of our golf buggy. We were in one of the palm bungalows that had not been renovated and loved the balcony, hammock, king bed and huge shower. The only downside for us was the cleanliness of our accommodation. It was very dusty, especially in the slats of the bathroom door, and there were a lot of ants in the kitchenette. Having said that, special mention must be given to the staff who made our time at Hamilton Island so wonderful. I was staying with my partner who was celebrating his birthday and we could not have been more impressed with the special treatment we were shown. On arrival we were greeted by Tom, the Island Concierge, who drove us directly from the Marina to the Reef View Hotel Reception area in an Audi that my partner was very impressed with, and given the wet weather this was much appreciated. We were welcomed by Brooke and received an early check-in at 11am and a bottle of wine and birthday card was awaiting us in our bungalow; a thoughtful and personal touch. A dinner reservation was made for us at Romano's and we were seated at a private table on the balcony with water views. We enjoyed the chicken risotto so much that, despite being full, we both finished everything on our plates. My partner thought it was great when the waiters sang him happy birthday and presented him with dessert complete with candles and a message written on the chocolate tasting plate. Yes the island is a beautiful and romantic place to celebrate such a special occasion, but it was the amazing staff that really made it so unforgettable for us, in particular Julie Halliwell (Island Concierge) who arranged the chauffer, early check-in, bottle of wine and dinner reservation prior to our arrival. It's a birthday my partner won't soon forget and a holiday we both thoroughly enjoyed.

We enjoyed our bungalow (#33) for 4 nights. It was either new or refurbished, spacious, comfy bed; a daybed allows a third person; ceiling fan & AC; contemporary bathroom; efficiency kitchenette with fridge, sink, 2 ring hotplate, toaster, kettle, microwave, complimentary tea and condiments, all the dishes and kitchen tools you need to prepare simple meals. General store in town allows for some self-catering. Very private, yet with opportunity to chat with neighbours. Our package included breakfast (3 restaurants to choose from, we recommend Sails as the best for omelets/eggs to order in addition to buffet), and a Fantasea Great Barrier Reef tour. Fantasea staff were wonderful; catered to my husband recovering from illness and snorkeling for the first time since being ill. Swimming pool and swim up bar was relaxing; we were disappointed that jellyfish warnings limited ocean swimming. Fantastic thunderstorm watching, sunsets, and interesting bird watching. Complimentary bus is all you need to get around; if you have several days maybe rent a golf buggy for one day only - they're ridiculously expensive ($85/day), as is most of the shopping, drinks and food. Island seems to cater very well to families. Island is a bit pricey to say it is a good value, but we had limited time and with the airport on island, it was an easy 4-day getaway from Sydney.

We were really aprehensive about staying here after reading some reviews, and even though we booked months ago, but we needn't have worried. We were in a refurbished bungalow close to the Wildlife park and on the doorstep of the main resort and beach. We cannot fault the bungalows at all, or their location, they are beautiful. We did hire a golf cart for the first evening but soon realised we didn't need it, the Marina was just a short walk albeit a little steep in one place, and the island also had frequent shuttle buses for those not wanting to walk. We had no problems with staff although a lot of them are young adults. Recommendations? - Reef Ryder to Chalkies (snorkelling) & Whitehaven Beach, Seaplane over the Barrier Reef, forget the expense go for the experience, you can really appreciate its beauty and size from the air, what an experience and something we will never forget. Food wise, Koala breakfast - just because you have to, Sails had a great choice, Fish & Chips - great. Cocktails at One Tree Hill - loved it what a social place, met loads of intresting people. Expense - wasn't too bad, and as this was our first time and first stop in Australia we had nothing to compare to, having travelled a bit more since still think it wasn't extortionate. Absolute paradise........

1st time I was pregnant and also had a 2 year old. Bungalow was just what we needed.
This time ..18 years later it was just my husband and I. The bungalows are lovely and private. Being able to walk out in a bikini and sarong is what I like. It's just so relaxing and casual.
Yet being able to dress up to go out is also really nice. We walked everywhere..really needed to walk after that fantastic breakfast every morning. Hired a boat and had a beautiful turtle pop it's head up and have a look at us before diving under. Found our own private island. Absolutely a great place for anyone especially if you want a little romance back in your life.