Night at the Great Barrier Reef: Australia's only underwater hotel
At Hotel Reefworld, which floats in the sea on a pontoon off the Whitsundays, guests of the Reefsuites stay 4.5 meters below sea level. Instead of counting sheep, here you count fish to fall asleep.
11 August 2021
Some experiences are so unique that you carry them in your heart for a lifetime. An overnight stay in Australia's first underwater hotel falls into this category. When you open your eyes here in the morning, it takes a few seconds to realize that you are actually no longer dreaming. Because, at the foot of the bed, shoals of fish are already passing by the floor-to-ceiling glass panes. Some of them as fast and busy as if they were on their way to the office. However, others don't let themselves be disturbed by anything. Unperturbed, they approach, realise that there is nothing to see from their point of view, and a few flaps of their fins later they have already disappeared again. The uniquely beautiful spectacle that takes place in front of the Whitsunday Islands in Australia continuously repeats itself throughout the day. As a guest, one does not get tired of watching the shoals of shining fish swimming by again and again in wonderful colours. It is almost impossible to get enough of them.
Reefworld enables reef nights
Guests owe the unique accommodation concept to the luxury tourism provider Cruise Whitsundays. The company opened its Reefworld off the Whitsunday Islands, in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. On the platform floating in the sea, so-called "Reef Sleeps" are available on deck. These are a kind of sleeping berths under the stars. However, you can get even closer to the unique ecosystem in one of the two "Reefsuites". They are located 4.5 meters below sea level. Equipped with a double bed, a bathroom and all the amenities you would expect from a suite, they are the real attraction. Without even setting foot in the water, guests can experience what others need a wetsuit and scuba gear for. Food is also included, by the way - provided you don't forget to eat while looking out through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
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Arrival and stay
The breathtaking experience is exclusive - the waiting lists for the two suites are correspondingly long. But not only the waiting time is worth it. The journey definitely also makes a night in a reef suite worth it. This usually starts in Brisbane. About one and a half hours later you find yourself in Airlie Beach. From there, one is still separated by a boat trip of approximately three hours. The tip to pack only one overnight bag in any case is a good one, as space is limited both in the small plane as well as on the boat and pontoon. As soon as one finally reaches the Reefworld, the long journey is immediately forgotten. This is thanks to 1,500 different fish species, which form kaleidoscope-like formations again and again in front of the glass pane.
Cruise Whitsundays
24 The Cove Road, Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia, 4802
Tel: +617 4846 7000
cruisewhitsundays.com
