The Qualia Boutique, although small, offers a comprehensive selection of upmarket resort wear that you could imagine Elizabeth Hurley swanning around in while laughing over drinks with Elton John and David Furnish… It carries glam, off-duty labels such as Roberto Cavalli; Camilla’s couture caftans; Marc Cain and Nat-Sui shoes and sunglasses. My only criticism: it does not carry many Australian resort labels, being marketed to a more European clientele. As it is supposed to be the quintessentially Australian version of five-star I’d like to see more local fashion and a wider swimwear selection.
Dressing up is not high on the list of priorities at this retreat so you could definitely get away with just taking an overnight bag anyway. Outside on Hamilton Island the shops have a very local, small town feel. One General Store sells groceries, crocs and a few speedos for the young kids that come backpacking on the island. You know those places where you could find a boutique and go from naked to fully dressed if you lost your luggage? This ain’t it.