3 Resort Drive, Hamilton Island, Australia | (618) 248-8274
Great Hamilton Island location, a three-minute walk from Catseye Beach
Near marina with lots of shops and restaurants
Attractive, minimalist bungalows with well-equipped kitchenettes and terraces
Detached bungalows are set in their own private, secluded gardens
Resort has a mini-golf course and an arcade, as well as tennis courts
Sports club with ample equipment, sauna, and ice bath
Guests get free breakfasts at the neighboring Reef View Hotel
Free use of neighboring hotel’s pool
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Resort doesn't have a pool or restaurant of its own
Guests have to check in at Reef View Hotel down the road
Set on the tropical Hamilton Island, a three-minute walk from the golden sands of Catseye Beach in one direction and the buzzy marina in the other, the Palm Bungalows is a three-pearl resort with 49 attractive, minimalist bungalows. Each has its own private veranda with a hammock, while interiors are bright and airy, featuring small but decently equipped kitchenettes. The resort shares facilities with the neighboring Reef View Hotel, and guests can get a free breakfast here, as well as use the hotel’s pool, sports club, and mini-golf course. Travelers looking for a greater degree of seclusion might want to try the Palm Bay Resort, on Long Island.
Scene
Attractive bungalows separated by swathes of green space
The Palm Bungalows is a simple self-catering affair, consisting of a stretch of contemporary bungalows painted in shades of gray. They sit along a road that curves through verdant gardens shaded by palm trees and lush hedges, with jungle behind them. The resort doesn't have any amenities of its own, but rather, it shares those at the neighboring Reef View Hotel, which is a far cry from the Palm Bungalows’ simplicity. The resort attracts couples and families who want a degree of tropical seclusion without being too far removed from the shops, bars, and restaurants along Hamilton Marina.
Location
Three-minute walk from both Catseye Beach and Hamilton Marina
The Palm Bungalows is ideally located along the road that runs between Catseye Beach and Hamilton Marina. They might be on opposite sides of the island but they are both no more than a three-minute walk from the resort, or a shorter whizz on a golf cart -- cars are banned on the island, and electric golf carts are popular alternatives. Guests can hire boats to explore the Whitsundays archipelago at Hamilton Marina, and island-hop or sail about. The hotel is a three-minute drive from Hamilton Island Airport. Alternatively, travelers from Prosperpine Airport will need to charter a boat from Shute Harbor to get here.
Rooms
Pretty wooden bungalows with kitchenettes and verandas
The bungalows at the resort are pretty, contemporary constructions with high-pitched roofs and verandas with hammocks hanging down from their rafters. Inside, the bungalows are one-room affairs, which feel bright and breezy thanks to the high ceilings, which are painted bright white and supported by timber beams. They are minimalist in style, decorated in cool grays and natural woods, and furnished with king-size beds, pullout sofas, and armchairs. All have well-equipped kitchenettes with stovetops, microwaves, mini-fridges, kettles, and toasters, as well as the usual cookware. Bathrooms have white-tile walls and slate-gray floors, walk-in shower cubicles, and quality toiletries. Standard amenities include free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and safes.
Features
No on-site amenities, but access to pool, gym, and free breakfast at neighboring hotel
The Palm Bungalows does not have any amenities of its own, but it shares facilities -- including reception -- with the Reef View Hotel down the road. There, guests can help themselves to a free breakfast, as well as make use of the hotel’s swimming pool, mini-golf course, arcade, and tennis courts. Additionally, there is a well-equipped sports club with a weight room, spin classes, and cardio machines. Outside is a sauna with an ice bath. The bungalows do, however, all have free Wi-Fi.