87-109 Port Douglas Road, Port Douglas

P: 07 4099 8900

W: www.qtportdouglas.com.au

Cost: QT is a sprawling resort on the road into Port Douglas. It has 170 guest rooms and villas with either garden or pool views. The best flexible rate ranges from $229 to $369 per night without breakfast.

A mix of crisp white and splashes of colour inspired by the colours of the far north, the unit is comfortable and caters for all the basic needs.

It has a private balcony, mini bar, lounge area with flat screen television, kitchen, ensuite bathroom and bedroom.

A tip for the vertically challenged traveller, the bed is very high so it takes a jump rather than a crawl to make it under the covers.

The onsite restaurant, Bazaar, is promoted as a hip eatery that “recreates a traditional marketplace with a 21st century twist’’.

The description is a bit of a stretch because it is, in essence, just a buffet made popular by cruise ships and all-you-can-eat restaurants.

It’s a bounty consisting of fresh seafood, wood-fired pizzas and stir fry, paella and pot roasts, a selection of salads and desserts. It’s culinary overload.

The morning buffet - with pastries, tropical fruits and other essentials that make-up a continental breakfast – is less intimidating.

The resort has a lagoon-style pool with a bar so popular in the tropics, an on-dry-land bar with a pool table, a fitness centre, tennis courts, a lap pool, day spa and the Moonlight Cinema – an outdoor cinema to see flicks during the winter months.

The energetic could walk into Port Douglas but there is a regular shuttle bus service if you’re prepared to part with $10.

In Port Douglas, it is worth taking a drive to the look-out, exploring St Mary’s by the Sea – a church built in 1911, having a cool drink at the Central Hotel established in 1878, and visiting Mocka’s Pies to try the fare that locals rave about.

Like the QT resort, Port Douglas is eclectic. The scenic seaside village is a gateway to the one of the world’s natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef, and hosts an annual Carnivale.

It appeals to families but can equally accommodate retirees, honeymooners, and young people in search of a fun.

If visitors are keen for a unique rainforest experience about 10 minutes from Port Douglas, Flames of the Forest serves up dinner by candlelight in a lush setting as diners learn more about the indigenous culture.