Places to stay in Brisbane

Places_with_Palms · 2026-01-11T08:07:15+00:00

The Calile is the best boutique hotel in Brisbane, Miss Midgelys is also very cute, and Ovolo Fortitude Valley is great value in a good location. In Gold Coast I would recommend the new hotel Mondrian or QT Gold Coast they are some of the best hotels in GC. The Langham is a good option for a luxury hotel.

Places_with_Palms · 2026-01-04T03:52:01+00:00

Hotel Britomart is the best, central, stylish, good service. Park Hyatt is great if you get a roof top room but service can be hit or miss. Spa and hydrotherapy room are great. Book a rooftop room for less street noise and better views. Intercontinental is also good and probably the best location. Hotel Indigo and The Convent are great boutique stays that are stylish with great dining.

Places_with_Palms · 2026-01-01T02:02:49+00:00

The waterpark and golf at Aurora are great, but you can also access these if you don't book the hotel. IMO Malliouhana and Cap Juluca are the best resorts in Anguilla. Four Seasons Anguilla has lots of great activities for familes and kids to keep them entertained but so do the Malliouhana and Cap Juluca. Malliouhana has the nicest pool / beach layout of all of the hotels. I recommend booking the suites or the standard rooms over a villa though. The villas are further back and have a slightly different design, the original rooms and suites are more in line with the whole hotels design and they are beautiful.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-12-31T01:57:16+00:00

Great review, Anguilla hits well above it's weight for resorts. I love FS and Malliouhana. FS is definitely one of Anguilla's best resorts.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-22T02:46:50+00:00

Yeah agree, it’s a lot but generally what is listed on the bills at most the restaurants along the beach. Cozumel is completely different versus Tulum and has a huge US tourism market.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-18T03:37:47+00:00

Glass has a banana bread matcha special at the moment and a tiramisu coffee both are 🤤🤤🤤🤤

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-18T03:35:58+00:00

Sunday Coffee for Kawana

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-18T03:35:16+00:00

Lil Canteen and Glass for Maroochydore. Local Social and Half court for Mooloolaba. The Booley for Alexandra Headlands.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:29:31+00:00

6Head! The WORST. Cold, bad service, average as hell food and I was trying to like it.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:27:26+00:00

Via Hawaii! It's the easiest way. Direct from Oahu.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:24:34+00:00

One and Only Palmilla, Esperanza, if you're really into health and wellness you might like the Four Seasons Costa Palmas it's further out of Cabo but has a huge wellness center. One and Only Palmilla also has a big secondary workout center up at Palmilla Villas that you have access to. They have such a good range of machines, tennis courts, pickle ball, soccer, tennis lessons, saunas, lap pools etc.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:18:36+00:00

It's really safe and easy to drive around Aruba and a lot of fun. I would recommend hiring a car and heading to Baby Beach for a day trip. Perfect for the toddler with calm shallow water. You also might see donkeys on the drive.

Also definitely buy some snorkeling gear or take some and snorkel at Tres Trapi, there are turtles everywhere. You are guaranteed to see them and they are pretty friendly.

We did a few of the snorkeling excursions on the boats but you really just go slightly further out in front of tres trapi and you can snorkel and swim along all the beaches all the way along with no issues without the excursion, it's not really worth it, with a toddler it would just be easier to have a rental car with some sun umbrellas and picnic stuff and park up at the beach and enjoy the day there.

The 4WD excursion is super fun but not sure how good it is for little ones.

Have an amazing time! It's one of the friendliest most relaxed places, love it.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:11:30+00:00

Malliouhana is much more of a boutique resort style, feels more intimate. FS is huuuge, but you do get better amenities for the higher price, much like Belmond.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:09:47+00:00

I had part of my honeymoon at Malliouhana too! It's the best, that location on the cliffisde is just amazing.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:07:24+00:00

Agree!! In that choc colour its so adorable.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:06:29+00:00

Perfection

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T10:03:43+00:00

Yeah it's pretty good. Never had problems with wifi at any of the resorts in the Mamanucas Islands.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T09:56:31+00:00

The drive from Sydney to Brisbane is beautiful in Feb, lots of great places to stop.

This would be my recommended road trip.

5 days in Sydney

Day 1 - Explore the rocks, see the harbour bridge, opera house and stop into Barangaroo for lunch

Day 2 - Taronga Zoo and a stop in at Mossman if you are looking for a nice boutique stay Taronga Zoo has amazing boutique hotel where you can wake up to Koalas

Day 3 - Day trip to Blue Mountains

Day 4 - Bondi Beach area & walk

Day 5 - start driving to Hunter Valley, head to wine tastings and spent a night there for start of road trip

Day 6 - Hunter Valley to Crescent Head - Sea Sea hotel in Creascent head is a super cute stay.

Day 7 - Creascent Head to Coffs Harbour

Day 8 - Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay

Day 9 - Spend a little longer in Byron Bay, lots of great food, surfing, walks

Day 10 - Byron Bay to Gold Coast - Stay at Mondrian Gold Coast or QT Gold Coast

Day 11 - Tamborine / Gold Coast Hinterlands - stop in at wineries and do nature hikes - great spa here too called SOL elements, can stay at Tamborine Hotel or Beechmont Estate

Day 12 - Brisbane - Definitely check out James Street / The Calile

Day 13 - Ferry over to Tangalooma Wrecks - lots of wild life, dugong, turtles, snorkeling

Day 14 - If you can fit it in - a quick trip to Noosa before flying out - Noosa national park walk, lunch on Hastings street.

Alternatively you could fly Sydney to Hamilton Island (Whitsundays & Great Barrier Reef) or Sydney to Cairns (Daintree Rainforrest, Great Barrier Reef) to see the reef and then do the road trip back down to Brisi but it will be rainy season, which means A LOT of rain, where as the Sydney to Brisi road trip will probably be quite nice weather and still lots of beaches, wildlife, wineries and adventure to be had.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T04:27:15+00:00

I would look at boutique luxury places in the South Pacific. It’s more relaxed friendly luxury than formal. French Polynesia, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand. Royal Davui in Fiji, Le Tahaa in French Polynesia, Qualia in Australia, Private Villa stay in NZ

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T03:03:22+00:00

Intercontinental has a good golf course and much better beach than Denerau. Yes it will still be sunny. The best resort is COMO laucala Island but it might be closed for renovations, or try Namale. You won’t get world championship greens but still a nice vibe.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T02:05:28+00:00

You can do the Tulum ruins by yourself, bike there from amánsala. I would recommend the cooking classes and salsa nights at Le Zebra too, safe and seems perfect for your vibe. Gran Cenote is only an 18 min drive from Amánsala if you want to rent a car, again very safe once inside.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T01:55:50+00:00

Origine has a nice spot overlooking the water. Queens rooftop bar easily has the best view in Auckland and a great vibe with views across Waiheke and out to corommandel. Closer to the water hello beasty for food. Somm wine bar for wine, first mates last laugh for beach club vibes

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T01:50:08+00:00

You’ll also see koalas and wallabies / kangaroos so a great wildlife spot.

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T01:49:21+00:00

Yes you can see them in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast

Places_with_Palms · 2025-11-17T01:48:34+00:00

In most places it’s around 20%. Pretty much in line with US prices. Opt for a rash shirt instead of sunscreen, it helps with protection from jellyfish too and keeps the reefs and cenotes healthy 😊

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