Heron Island Resort

It's an outdoor resort on a secluded island with abundant wildlife. I would (and have) still absolutely recommend, but i think it's good to know going into it. It is not a brand new resort but it is not in bad repair and doesn't feel run down. Everything about the experience more than makes up for minor aesthetic drawbacks. I would also highly recommend looking into trip insurance!! Water was rough getting there, and several other tours with other places were canceled. Thankfully the ferry still ran - but because the ferry is separate i don't think there are any refunds for your room if you're not able to get to the island!! I got lucky, but DEFINITELY something I'm looking into for next time.

Aloha, Not many SCUBA opportunities,,

Room very basic, expensive. Resort toilets need a good clean, brick paths are in disrepair & dangerous, especially at night with dim lighting. Pool nice. Restaurant needed more choices. Barramundi delicious, lamb tough. Staff excellent, friendly & efficient & asked how your day had been. Food in the resort shop exorbitant, especially when you couldn’t bring any food or alcohol to the island. Bailies bar should have more choices too, at cheaper cost.

Great!

Heron island smells awful of bird poop. Everywhere! At $350 a night, no a/c or window screens. Snorkeling was amazing! Staff were present. Breakfast was good. Pizza not so much. Salad I had was served with mustard as a dressing. Gross.

Staff

Heron Island is a very special place. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful.

I was under the impression the booking made on Wotif includes breakfast and boat transfer. It turned out it has only included accommodation. We ended up paying extra $90 for ferry and about $60 for breakfast. It was a rip off. Heron Island Resort is getting old and rundown. The staff cancelled our ferry and subsequently the first night stay at 1.46pm on 26th December without any. phone call but just a message on wotif. I drove 8 hours to get to Gladstone to catch the ferry next morning but it was cancelled. We had to book for last minute accommodation and activities for the next day around Gladstone. There was a very poor communication that has caused us to spend extra $340 unexpected. There was no response from Heron Island until I made a few phone calls and left messages. I have been coming to this island to watch turtle hatching and nesting for the last 10 years. I dont think I would consider coming any more.

Natures paradise is awaiting everyone - birds, turtles (laying eggs or hatching!!) Rays, sharks and all kind of sea and reef creatures! Just walk into the water and experience the paradise! Since our last stay 2 years ago the new management improved a lot. Service is off course still to be provided by evey staff member - also better but always improvements possible. Food is a challenge as the Canadian company decided to have to pay for breakfast extra, this makes the stay with lunch and dinner to pay extra too an expensive holiday especially for families, take away is a cheaper option but needs more variations as with the buffet options and breakfast variations to extend too. Still no fly screens at the windows is a downside. All over - perfect to enjoying nature at the Great Barrier Reef.

Amazing place to visit

Paradise on the outer reef surrounded by nesting turtles, nesting birds and all marine creatures

When I arrived, I was told I was upgraded. That was such an amazing surprise!

The complete RnR experience in a tropical location

Wow, what a stunning island! Unfortunately the resort is complacent as a result. Rooms are tired. The whole resort buildings need upgrading. Staff were lovely but most were kids who looked like they needed supervision! Areas weren’t tidied up (some empty wine bottles left on the sunset terrace for 48 hours). Heron Island’s unique location deserves better.

The island is stunning, beautiful attention to nature, you felt privileged to be there. Staff were amazing and rooms were roomy and clean. My only gripe relates to catering. In particular, dinner service which was buffet style and frankly, awful. There are limited other options and I appreciate the logistics associated with being so remote but please improve the quality of food available.

The room was very close to the beach , surrounded by nature , spacious, relaxing, restaurant was amazing ! Staff all incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Amazing stay

A paradise island. The friendliness and willingness of the staff to make our trip the best it could be our weighed any small downsides to this accommodation. One being the food, I’m sure they are doing the best with what they have but for the price of food that seemed more like heated up from frozen, it was a shock to pay an extra $2000 for 5 nights in food, wetsuit hire, a boat trip out to the reef where it was poor visibility and a depressing state of dead coral. Wilson island on the other hand was incredible!!

Highly recommend for a quiet getaway

Reef snorkeling off the beach & easy to be off-grid at this eco-friendly resort with wonderfully helpful staff…what more could one want? Very highly recommended!

Heton Island Resort was actually better than we expected. Most things were expensive an not a big choice. The highlight was the snorkelling and diving which was the best anywhere.