Charli Robinson from Nine's Getaway shared some memories of her first visit to the reinvigorated Daydream Island, which reopened in April 2019 following extensive renovations after Cyclone Debbie in 2017.
Reopening in April 2019, Daydream Island lies in the heart of the Whitsundays, spanning 1km long with coral and sand beaches, a rainforest and its own unique Living Reef within the resort bursting with marine life.
Getaway's Charli Robinson spent three days on the island with her 6 month old baby and was excited to be seeing it for the first time after its extensive facelift. Many people have a childhood memory of Daydream Island but it was Charli's first visit to the iconic resort.
Her impression of the island was that it felt like leaving Australia - it had a real sense of escape.
"When you get on the boat in Hamilton Island and head off to Daydream, it has that same beautiful tropical feeling as Hamilton but I felt like I was overseas. I didn’t feel like I was in Australia any more - it was like arriving in Fiji. It has a really relaxed atmosphere and the boat ride makes it that bit more special, said Charli.
"Everyone is very relaxed. You are taken to the re-done lobby with massive ceiling fans and are instantly relaxed. Everything is so organised and flows so well."
Charli explained that the resort caters for everyone from families to honeymooners, with plenty of space for everyone.
"Even though there were a lot of romantic getaways holidaying, there were still plenty of people with babies like myself. The thing I noticed was that the place was so massive, it doesn’t matter if you have a baby with you, you’re not encroaching on people’s space."
But what makes Daydream Island so special is the free form coral lagoon or Living Reef, spanning 200 metres, holding over 1.5million litres of fresh water and home to hundreds of marine fish, coral, stingrays and sharks. Led by a team of marine biologists, the Living Reef creates a genuine connection to the Great Barrier Reef.
Charli said this was really the best part of the resort and what makes it different from similar resorts.
"The lagoon looks like the Great Barrier Reef and it's right there are at the buffet. You are literally sitting there eating your pancakes or bacon and eggs, watching a manta ray or a shark go past. It's incredible, it doesn’t matter what age you are – you can sit there with a coffee or a cocktail later and watch all the species of fish. That was a wow moment," said Charli .
They also have an observatory within the hotel, with the option of viewing below the water's surface and learning about conservation. Charli popped on a wetsuit and snorkel for a guided snorkel tour with Daydream's marine biologists.
"It’s incredible that this is all within the hotel. It’s all about conservation and education as well. Definitely a highlight and this makes it different from other resorts."
Charli loved the selection of pools and the native wildlife on Daydream Island.
"There are at least three pools from a kids pool to adult pools with swim up bars and cabanas at the end. There are also kangaroos sitting there eating the grass. They enjoy just hanging out," said Charli.
The resort provides a selection of eating options with three restaurants, two overlooking the ocean. And it's welcoming for both families and couples - the common theme is relaxation on Daydream Island.
"I spoke to a lot of guests and the recurring theme was that they were there to escape. So it’s somewhere people think they can escape the stresses of the world and what’s going on in their own lives. Go to Daydream and relax. Although there are activities like sailing, you can just relax, take in the restaurants, do cocktail happy hours, walk around and check out the sunset up the mountain."
"That’s the really nice part of it. At Daydream, all the work is done for you – everything is right outside your hotel room. Lovely restaurants, lovely bars and lovely places to relax," said Charli.
You can do as little or as much as you like on Daydream Island, with sailing, jet skiing, manta ray feeding and day trips to Airlie Beach on offer.
One of Charli's favourite activities was the climb up Sunset Mountain with refreshments at the end.
"It’s about a 10-15 minute trek up the mountain. It’s a bit of a climb and you can have a champagne at the end of the trek. My kind of activity!," said Charli.
Daydream Island is a resort for everyone, whether you have a young family or are seeking an adult holiday for total relaxation.
"You are just as comfortable taking your baby there as you are planning your next romantic escape." said Charli.
Charli Robinson visited Daydream Island on Getaway, which aired Saturday 17th August at 5.00pm on Nine and 9Now.
Related reading:
First images of Daydream Island Resort ahead of April 2019 opening
Investors and tourists return to islands on the Great Barrier Reef