FNQ Advice?

[Cruiser Elite]

Seeking advice / suggestions for Accom for 8 nts Jun 4 - 12, 2024. My prelim search has thrown up Vue Apartments at Trinity Beach - it seems to tick all the boxes for us.

Thoughts on a Trinity Beach v Palm Cove, Clifton Beach or even Port Douglas? Close proximity to decent restaurants / eating establishments high on our list. TIA

 

[jase05]

Seeking advice / suggestions for Accom for 8 nts Jun 4 - 12, 2024. My prelim search has thrown up Vue Apartments at Trinity Beach - it seems to tick all the boxes for us.

Thoughts on a Trinity Beach v Palm Cove, Clifton Beach or even Port Douglas? Close proximity to decent restaurants / eating establishments high on our list. TIA

I have Palm Cove slightly ahead of Port Douglas but both are fantastic. Have driven through the others in recent years but been a fair while since we stayed in either so I can help you there

 

[luxury-lizard]

We've visited FNQ many times in the past (pre-Covid) - generally of the beaches north of Cairns (Trinity, Clifton etc) only Palm Cove would tick your decent restaurants requirement - IMO I would pick Port Douglas particularly if you are planning a day trip to the outer reef - they depart from Port Douglas - you can also make an easy day trip to Mossman Gorge then onto Silky Oaks Resort (now a Bailey Lodge) for a very nice lunch (or even stay there a couple of nights). You can also make a LONG day trip to Cape Tribulation - well worth the effort.

 

[Lynda2475]

Port Douglas for sure the degustation menu at Nautilus is great.

Palm Cove has fewer restaurants and you end up needing to transfer to Port Douglas or Cairns to do reef trips.

 

[kookaburra75]

We've stayed at Trinity Beach, Palm Cove and Port Douglas recently. I'd rate Palm Cove and Port Douglas a bit higher. Palm Cove is quieter and a bit more laid back as it's off the main road. Port Douglas, more people around, but we stayed across the road from the beach and it was only a short walk into town.

Pottering around Palm Cove and Port Douglas

I was prompted after reading @bpeteb most recent trip report - The last supper? New years in Cairns and Palm Cove (again) , to get around to putting together a Trip Report of our most recent soiree. MrsK and my birthdays are only 9 days apart, in October. We try and plan something that spans...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Gremlin]

I prefer Palm Cove. We've previously stayed at both Island Views and Sea Temple. I think the restaurants are better than Trinity.

I'd hire a car myself unless you were at Port Douglas and you had transfers. But part of the joys of FNQ is getting up to Kuranda, having a look round Cairns, or out into the rainforest.

 

[marks]

Another for Palm Cove. So much quieter, village like but with everything you need.
If you don't have a car, perhaps Port Douglas with a transfer.

 

[jastel]

You will probably want a car, Cairns is long and skinny not a blob shape.
It is doable without one but of course waiting will be involved.

Port Douglas would have the most services and facilities but it is 1 hour North of Cairns. Once you get there you could do without a car as things are walkable within a few kms. Taxi to Cairns about $200.

Trinity Beach is 15 mins North of Cairns, there are several restaurants along the foreshore and in resorts but once you've done them nothing much else. There is a local bus to the CBD but. Taxi would be $55 or so.

Palm Cove is similar but MORE touristy so a few more choices, local bus goes from here as well but can take a while to get to city (45 minutes) as they are not express. Taxi $70 or so.

At peak hour or if there is an accident on the ONE road north...times are much longer.

Most tours for attractions, reef trips, day tips to Kuranda/Cape Trib etc will pick you up, it might cost an extra $10-$20 (plus tour) over driving yourself but you get a guided tour and can have a beer or sleep instead of driving.

Palm Cove is the nicest beach, Port Douglas has 4 Miles of beach, Trinity would be last in the beach stakes if that is all you want...steeper slope and little sand at high tide.

You could try a couple of nights each at ALL of them.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Views on Pullman Port Douglas from FNQ experts?

Quality of hotel? Proximity to restaurants? Any views / advice greatly appreciated

 

[jase05]

Views on Pullman Port Douglas from FNQ experts?

Quality of hotel? Proximity to restaurants? Any views / advice greatly appreciated

Been a little while since our last visit there and whilst I don’t mind the hotel and the hotel’s restaurant is decent enough we found it just a bit too far out for our liking. It’s a good 5-6km’s into town and whilst we had a hire car it got a bit annoying by the third day. So many good restaurants and bars in town that our preference is to get a hotel in town

 

[kookaburra75]

We've stayed at the Port Douglas Peninsula Boutique Hotel twice now and enjoyed it. It's on Four Mile Beach and a short walk into town. We've stayed up on the top floor, with a good view of the beach. It's only a 15 minute easy walk ($9 Uber ride) to get across to the marina for the tour boats.

 

[blackcat20]

Nice hotel, we stayed last year. But a long way out of town, so you need to drive for every meal.

 

[dairyfloss]

Coconut Grove serviced apartments in Port Douglas are very nice, and we have stayed there a couple of times, in their Penthouse 1-2BR apartments with plunge pool on the roof terrace.

Great location at the 4 mile beach end of Macrossan St, close enough to all the F&B on that street and surrounds, but also far enough from it that you won’t feel like you’re in the middle of it all, when you don’t want to be.

Pricey, though, even back then. I haven’t been up there in about 5 years now, so definitely check current reviews.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Still searching - any intel on this please? 2 Bedroom LUXE Ocean View Apartment - Beaches Port Douglas

 

[Lynda2475]

We've stayed at the Port Douglas Peninsula Boutique Hotel twice now and enjoyed it. It's on Four Mile Beach and a short walk into town. We've stayed up on the top floor, with a good view of the beach. It's only a 15 minute easy walk ($9 Uber ride) to get across to the marina for the tour boats.

I've stayed here twice in last 2 years as well, both times over new years. In 21/22 the included breakfast was a la carte in the restaurant and delicious with great options, included freshly squeezed juice coughtails and coffee. This past visit 22/23 was a much more ordinary breakfast by the pool with fewer hot options, bottled juice and extra charge for barista coffee (on the days a barista was there).

Location is great, but Id say absolutely no need to Uber to the Marina, its less than a 10 minutes walk (and all the reef trips offer free transfers), 5 minutes walk to any of the Macrossan St restaurants of the markets.

 

[kookaburra75]

I've stayed here twice in last 2 years as well, both times over new years. In 21/22 the included breakfast was a la carte in the restaurant and delicious with great options, included freshly squeezed juice coughtails and coffee. This past visit 22/23 was a much more ordinary breakfast by the pool with fewer hot options, bottled juice and extra charge for barista coffee (on the days a barista was there).

Location is great, but Id say absolutely no need to Uber to the Marina, its less than a 10 minutes walk (and all the reef trips offer free transfers), 5 minutes walk to any of the Macrossan St restaurants of the markets.

We stayed there a few weeks ago, and breakfast is back in the HiTide Cafe, which is much better than by the pool.

 

[Lynda2475]

We stayed there a few weeks ago, and breakfast is back in the HiTide Cafe, which is much better than by the pool.

That is good to hear, I bet they had lots of complaints about the downgrade

 

[docjames]

100% in the stay in Port Douglas camp, and agree - hire a car so you can easily visit Daintree, Mossman gorge, Kuranda etc.

Nautilus, Melalueca and Salsa the picks for dinner (in town).

Accommodation wise, depends on what you want - there’s options at all ends from simple but convenient apartments in the main street (eg. Mantra on the Inlet) that mean you can walk almost everywhere in PD once you are there; all the way to Thala Beach resort which has its own grounds in a private resort (well) outside of town. Thala also has an excellent restaurant (Osprey) which is great a sunset but is heavily restricted to give priority to in-house guests for dinner time (but is more available and is a good option for a more upmarket lunch.

Depends exactly on what you want.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Depends exactly on what you want.

• Higher end properties quality wise
• Self Contained
• Sea Views
• Close proximity to quality restaurants a + but transport to / fro not a deal breaker
• Must have on site pool

 

[dairyfloss]

• Higher end properties quality wise
• Self Contained
• Sea Views
• Close proximity to quality restaurants a + but transport to / fro not a deal breaker
• Must have on site pool

Did you check out Coconut Grove? It’s ticks all of those. Coconut Grove Port Douglas - Luxury Appartments