Why Hollywood is Obsessed with These Three Island Resorts (And four other Queensland Retreats That Didn't Make the Director's Cut)

When Academy Award® winners George Clooney (David) and Julia Roberts (Georgia) reunite on the big screen as exes who find themselves on a mission to stop their daughter Lily from making the same mistake they once made, it is not Bali that beams back at audiences, but a handful of Queensland destinations including some top-shelf Whitsundays resorts.

Long a classic holiday destination for Aussies, the Whitsundays – a gem-toned slice of paradise located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef – is the backdrop for a large chunk of the new Rom Com, Ticket to Paradise. This light-hearted movie premiered in major markets around the world on September 15, 2022. 

Behind the antics of the headlining characters played by George and Julia (plus Kaitlyn Dever as Lily and Lucas Bravo from Emily in Paris as Georgia's boyfriend), eagle-eyed travelers will spot three of the Whitsunday's own superstars: the luxe qualia, the chic Hamilton Island Resort and the relatively low-key Palm Bay Resort. 

While each resort braved a Hollywood makeover to appear as an Indonesian hideaway, there is no mistaking the Tiffany-blue waters around them as anything but Queensland. The movie showcases qualia -  hailed for its 120 square metre pavilions with private plunge pools - as an elegant hotel where the sparring exes continue to bump into each other. Scenes filmed at qualia include the luxurious Beach

House, the bar at the Long Pavilion and the stunning Spa qualia. Meanwhile, a pre-wedding party scene and an impromptu soccer match was set at Hamilton Island's Catseye Beach, while One Tree Hill formed the backdrop for unexpected romance.

The biggest set redesign, however, is Palm Bay Resort. This bite-sized retreat which snuggles into the neck of Long Island has just 23 beachfront villas and pinch-me perfect views over the Whitsunday Passage. For Ticket to Paradise, Palm Bay transforms into a Balinese-style family compound complete with a floating seaweed farm.

Movies or not, Palm Bay Resort is one of those quintessential tropical island hideaways often spotted on postcards. Think swaying palms and individual chalets flanked by the Queensland jungle. Getting to this resort is the stuff of travel tales. Guests can chopper in by helicopter, jump on a seaplane and taxi over the water right up to reception or step aboard a high-speed water taxi from Shute Harbour or Hamilton Island.   

That type of legendary travel is also on offer only for guests at qualia and Hamilton Island Resort, where a maximum of six in-house guests at any one time can journey to a private underwater wonderland. Following a 30-minute scenic helicopter ride over the iconic Great Barrier Reef, Hamilton Island guests will land on a futuristic split-level pontoon known as Heart Island and then cruise out to Heart Reef to snorkel in the middle of the World-Heritage listed wonder, some 60km out at sea.

For low-key escapades, the little-known Haslewood Island opposite Whitehaven Beach is rated for its secret bays and brilliant white sandy beaches including Chalkies Beach and Katie's Cove. This cove is the set for a scene where the main characters reunite with their daughter, Lily, in Indonesia. (Fun Facts: Whitehaven Beach was winner of TripAdvisor's 'Travellers Choice Best Beach in the World 2021' while Haslewood Island was a location used in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.   Off limits for most bookable day tours, curious travellers can still get to Haslewood Island by chartering one of the many sailing boats from Airlie Beach or the one of the island resorts or by creating a bespoke tour with Ocean Rafting.

So, there you have it, three resorts and three Whitsundays Islands that star from behind-the-scenes in Ticket to Paradise. If you are curious to find what else is worthy of a Hollywood escapade, then check out these four other high-end Whitsundays getaways. Or see our other release on REEL Vs REAL to find out all the Queensland locations for Ticket to Paradise. 

 

1. Intercontinental Hayman Island: Since it first burst onto our holiday wish list back in the Ansett Airlines years of hedonism, Hayman Island on the northernmost point of the Whitsundays has been synonymous with glitz and the epitome of cool. Think hexagonal pool, shards of pure white sandy bays, 166 rooms, suites and villas and a spa to rival the concept of Eden. Off screen, the resort has welcomed the likes of Elton John, Leonardo DiCaprio and Australia's own Chris Hemsworth, not to mention the whole cast of Modern Family. This September, Intercontinental Hayman Island will deliver 12 ultra-luxury Beachfront Pavilion suites which start from $2750 per night.
2. Paradise Cove: This place is a secret. Located on the mainland - though you would hardly know thanks to the 14,000 hectares of privately owned land that surrounds its collection of upmarket suites and cabins - Paradise Cove Resort is breathtaking both in its beauty and the fact that it is still one of Australia's least known retreats. It is surrounded by lush rainforests and a sandy beach fringed with palm trees overlooking the Coral Sea. Paradise Cove Resort is available for exclusive use hire for up to 18 guests.
3. Mandalay House: No stone has been left unturned in the creation of this opulent, Mediterranean-inspired luxury home that looks more like a villa at St Tropez. Perched on the edge of the Coral Sea, this is the ultimate Hollywood type of home with a deep-water marina, a helicopter pad, a cinema room, and a resort pool that spoons one side of the residence. Inside, Mandalay House offers rich interiors filled with antiquities from abroad.
4. Elysian Retreat: The low-key Elysian Retreat is a 10-bungalow, adults-only escape located on three hectares of private cove at the southern end of Long Island. Catering to a maximum 20 guests the Whitsundays retreat is often booked out for exclusive use and it has been known get the party started thanks to pop queen, Pink. 

Website: https://www.queensland.com/