For somewhere so tranquil, Qualia is merely hours away from big city Sydney. You arrive straight onto the tarmac in a very open, tropical terminal where the Qualia desk greets you and whisks you away while your luggage is taken ahead. Qualia is only a few minutes away and the whole transfer is seamless. On arrival with the backpackers, driving through the rest of the island you may feel a twinge that this is not going to be the true experience, but as you arrive at the northernmost tip of the island, the gates open…

As you arrive you are instantly overcome by the soothing calm of the location and feel a release: aaaaaaah. It’s a sanctuary, where the Australian bushland and turquoise water are the real stars - which is a testament to the architect’s ability to blend the 60 pavillions scattered around the property with the environment. You still feel like you are somewhere unspoilt.

The hills are covered in eucalyptus trees; the Whitsunday waterways almost seem lit from below they are so beautiful (and we were seeing the water at its worst with grayish skies) and only the distinctive warbles of birdsong that instantly place you in Australia fill the air. You can thread your way along the paths and around the hills of the property on golf buggies. We felt like we were a world away - yet the journey from Sydney to our deck overlooking the Coral Sea only took us 3 hours...

SUITE DREAMS

The one-bedroom Pavillions are brilliantly spaced - once you are inside you feel incredibly private, because every room has beautiful, uninterrupted views of the island’s waterways and local boats, with privacy screens enclosing you to the left and right.

We stayed in Pavilion number 4 which we recommend, along with 5 and 6, because of the pathway directly to the pool. All the elements come together to create that oasis feel - pale hoop pine, glass, really beautiful stone along the outdoor deck, the gardens and tropical New Guinean twist to the architecture… But the brown and turquoise décor is chic and modern, not kitschy. The suite is along simple, clean lines; low-slung, minimal furniture is made from the same warm woods and sea blue accents that are featured around the room.

What really adds to the island feel is the free flowing design: the bedroom, lounge, bar area, bathroom and outdoor deck all face out to the water with floor to ceiling glass, letting the views flood the room; you are always aware of the sea. We love bathrooms that share the bedroom view: it’s so much better then being stuck behind the suite. The bathroom is enormous with double sinks opposite each other, a double shower and an elevated sink and cabinet (with no legs) that is sleek and unfussy. The giant egg-shaped bath (very much the trend in upmarket retreats) and cream marble carry on the pale cocoon theme. Lying in the bath at dusk, with dim lights and Aesop bath minerals, the trees and water below, is about as serene as a hotel suite gets.

Sheira is like the Princess and the Pea! She is a nester who can read a good or bad bed in seconds flat and noted that this one was particularly comfortable. She also gave her thumbs up to the crisp white sheets, accompanied by huge fluffy pillows and luxurious bath towels.

My only quibble: in that incredible setting you want the exterior to be as integrated with the inside as possible. I found that the pavillions could have been more ventilated. You have to open louvered windows and bi-fold doors onto the plunge pool area. I like the near-the-equator feel of really open-air design, with no walls, an extended roof, ceiling fans and all that. But it was still open enough to be all about Mother Nature and the water…

The Pavilions are all slightly up the slope. There are 27 ‘Windward’ pavilions that come with a private plunge pool and the 33 ‘Leeward’ pavilions that don’t. If you want to cut costs here, they will still provide you with the idyllic Qualia experience and you can always use the two larger pubic pools.

We suggest booking a Windward Pavilion, either 4, 5 or 6 - with Pavilion 6 being the standout.

Winward Pavillion $ AUD 1450

Leeward Pavilion $AUD 1700

MONEY TO BURN The upper echelon option is to rent the spectacular, stand alone two-bedroom “Beach House” with self-contained kitchenette. It’s right on the beach with its own private, full-sized swimming pool. I have fantasies about coming back with another family and renting this.

$ AUD 3100 a night

They Say:

A uniquely Australian expression of world-class luxury located in island seclusion with breathtaking views and one of the country’s best spa/playgrounds. “Qualia’ means a collection of sensory experiences, whether scenic, culinary or nurturing.

We say:

Qualia has delivered an essentially Australian experience, with its native timbers and local design philosophy - with Mother Nature laying on the rest. The public areas and cuisine live up to the location, which is a new phenomenon; in the last few years the bar has been seriously raised in Australia. Southern Ocean Lodge in Kangaroo Island opened recently with the same eco-luxe philosophy and eye to a global market looking for new, isolated places. Although the warmer region of the famous Barrier Reef will be an easier sell overseas then the wild and woolly coastline of South Australia.

Qualia is also a great place to gather with like-minded travelers, who are into intimacy and remoteness but are also out there on the circuit. I have a playful attitude towards the trendy ‘in’ places and Qualia is the resort of the moment to go to in Australia, after a lot of glossy media exposure and even glossier guests. I don’t need somewhere overwhelmingly quiet. I can find peace even in a buzzy, status conscious place like St Tropez. When we have had enough of Nikki Beach Club and Club 55, Sheira and I will hop in a car and find a calm beach to recharge away from the party. But you want the choice. It’s great to know it is there: it pushes me.

The upside of happening resorts or hotel spaces is the interesting encounters with people that await. While we were staying at Qualia, we came across the Executive Directors of “Sex in the City,” Carson Kressley from “Queer Eye for a Straight Guy” and a whole gaggle of pre-Mardi Gras people rejuvenating for Sydney. Mixing it up with hip guests from far-flung places definitely gives Qualia an edge. There is an 18 years and over age policy here and in this case I get it - it works. The Café del Mar crowd aren’t going to enjoy dive bombs in the pool…

When you aim high you have to excel at service and the answer always has to be ‘yes,’ as we have seen at the high-end spectrum around the world, in places like The One and Only in Cabo, Mexico. You experience perfection; these places will not let you down.

Qualia does aspire towards excellence and there is a lot we loved about it, like the locale and food. But that’s all the more reason that you notice the lack of attention to the small but important details: it still has a way to go.

The Pebble Beach area was not tidied frequently enough, so you would arrive for early morning swim to find other people’s wet towels and empty glasses: a bit of a buzzkill. The stainless steel bar was covered in dirty finger marks… I just don’t think, within reason, that guests should ever see the man pedalling behind the curtain; things should happen by magic. This stopped an overall superb experience from being perfection.

Equally surprising: when I pointed out these things to the General Manager, a worldly New Yorker, nothing was done to fix them. If a client had said something similar to Mark who runs New Zealand’s Huka Lodge I promise you that within 10 minutes of being alerted a team of elves would have made any problems vanish. If you want to attract the $800 million people who are going to book out the Beach House for two weeks, you need to cross your t’s and dot your i’s - they are used to the best.

Although Sheira points out that even people with plenty of money can be oblivious and wouldn’t even notice things that scream out at us, like fingerprints. She’s right. Tweaking the little things is really about creating an overall impression for the discerning traveller, not just the cashed-up one.

The GM was also patently more interested in the high profile guests, spending way more time with the celebs and one gentleman who came in his own, admittedly fabulous, plane. The mark of a good GM is that he makes everyone feel like a VIP.

The staff were good, but missing that extra level of refinement. Aussies have a laconic charm that people love but they are not as comfortable with giving amazing service as say, the Americans. Maybe it’s our rebellious convict past!

Even though Qualia came up just a little short of these expectations, that won’t stop us from going back with pleasure. This place gets raves and plenty of return guests (I just promised you that I would always be nit-pickingly honest; it’s just my way).

The tranquillity, peace and indulgence on offer is a wonderful escape from the every day rat race, and you will come away from your stay rested and revived. 

POOL POSITION

All paths eventually lead down to the beautiful pool by Pebble Beach, which has these oversized, smooth pebbles that are cool underfoot.

Most people take their buggy and park there; it’s worth leaving the privacy of your room and plunge pool to hang out by the ocean.

The big, rectangular beachfront pool, backed by clipped lawn and lush trees, feels very pure and modern. The black umbrellas and padded, striped deckchairs and red towels are a dramatic touch on an expanse of simple stone. The oversized hut has a spindly wooden balcony that looks over the beach, which is just in front, so you can alternate between the ocean and the pool.

The people sitting around the pool varied from a few casual Italian couples, Americans with their teenage daughter and Carson Kressley and co. He is one of the original cast members of the hit US show, ‘Queer eye for the straight guy’ and there’s no doubt that he and his entourage added a pulse to the pool area! It was the kind of mix you expect to see at a hotspot on the resort radar. Carson was fun and approachable; striking up a conversation was only natural as we were all chilling out together. It’s not like elbowing into someone’s meal at a public restaurant… We got talking about New York and our upcoming trip. He lives in the same neighbourhood as the Gramercy Park Hotel that we were gearing up for. There was a real buzz at the pool, with plenty of high fliers, including New Yorkers.

Having said that it is very laid back and casual. In many glamorous resorts all over the world one of the great pastimes is to people watch - but it’s not a non-stop party at Qualia. People come to let go by flopping and dropping, not swinging on a chandelier. There are two pools so loafing is down to a fine art here.