Put the passport (and your life savings) away! These Insta-worthy hotels call the Sunshine State home, and are guaranteed to wow your followers and swiftly take your Insta game to the next level.
InterContinental Hayman Island Resort | Hayman Island
Only recently re-opened, you’ve basically got Insta-fame guaranteed by just visiting the InterContinental Hayman Island. As if the backdrop of the stunning Great Barrier Reef is not enough to make your Insta notifications buzz like a bee, the property’s iconic, expansive lagoon-style swimming pool and beautifully appointed suites will surely do the trick!
From modern Australian, contemporary Italian, pan-Asian cuisine, the InterContinental Hayman Island provides five distinctive dining experiences, all sure to impress (you, and your followers!).
The Calile | Fortitude Valley
Dubbed an urban resort positioned within the beating heart of Fortitude Valley on James Street, The Calile is an oasis where even the most amateur photographer would struggle to find a bad composition. Oozing South Beach, Miami and Palm Spring vibes, Insta-worthy elements can be found everywhere, from the minimalist pink and blue marble bathrooms to the property’s curvaceous balconies to the 30-metre swimming pool lined with towering palms and chic cabanas.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite (after all that exhausting sun-backing and Instagramming), check out the property’s signature restaurant, Hellenika, where you can indulge in the most incredible modern Greek fare in one of the restaurants plush poolside cabanas. In the evening, enjoy a pre-dinner drink downstairs at the uber-sophisticated, contemporary Lobby Lounge, before dining out at one of the endless incredible eateries literally footsteps away.
Qualia | Hamilton Island
Life isn’t always picture perfect, but the ultra-luxe, highly exclusive, Qualia on Hamilton Island certainly is. #Nofilters necessary here, this place is the pure definition of paradise on Earth. This world-class luxury resort offers you the indulgent choice of 60 individual pavilions that have been perfectly nestled into the natural environment to complement the unique surroundings, all boasting stunning postcard views either of the Whitsundays or the spectacular tropical bushland.
You don’t have to leave this hotel to get a flawless photo, nor to cure your hunger or thirst. Inspired by the resorts stunning vistas, the produce and flavour-focused food served at Qualia’s two on-site restaurants is light, fresh and healthy and effectively celebrates Australia’s diversity of produce and culture. If you can pull yourself away from the resort, you’ll find plenty of options available dotted around the island.
The Pink Hotel | Coolangatta
If cotton candy pink is your favourite colour and you haven’t yet booked in for a stay at The Pink Hotel, then what are you waiting for? Your Insta feed (and followers) will thank you for it! All things pretty and pink, this recently refurbished boutique, mid-century style hotel, consists of a guests-only rooftop cocktail bar and seventeen rooms, each with their own unique identity and style.
With Eddie’s Grub House, conveniently positioned directly next door, offering room service, the eatery’s towering, gravity-defying cheese-laden beef burger, fries and honey-mustard chicken nuggies can now be enjoyed from the comfort of your king bed. If you can pull yourself away from the pink paradise, crowd favourites Café Dbar, Baskk, Tasca, Little Mali are all close by.
Nightfall Wilderness Camp | Lamington National Park
There is glamping, and then there’s Nightfall Wilderness Camp. If you’re like us and you’ll only go camping if it involves a bed, electricity and access to indoor plumping, then Nightfall Wilderness Camp, set in the ancient Gondwana Rainforests in the Gold Coast Hinterland, maybe the kind of camping you can get around. Each of the three enormous hand-built, luxury safari tents come with all the bare essentials, plus a fridge stocked with a bottle of bubbles and a platter of nibbles for your arrival, woollen throw blankets, a rotating fireplace and the piece de résistance, a vintage French tin bathtub.
If you’re thinking you’ll be eating instant cup noodles or lukewarm soup, think again. Much of the grub at Nightfall Wilderness Camp is fire-cooked, with produce sourced from the Nightfall kitchen garden, which you’ll enjoy under the stars or beside the campfire – hello, Insta fame. You can also self-cater, with each tent comprising a mini-kitchen and private barbecue – but why would you?
Charge that phone, baby. You’re gonna need it!
