Cockatoo Hill Retreat

This place is a real hidden gem. You stay in paradise, wake up by a bird concert and enjoy the incredible beautiful view over the jungle to the coral sea at sunrise. We have even been visited by two cassowaries on our first morning. Carmen is a charming host and assisted us by booking a bush walk tour and pointing out the sights to us. She served us a delicious breakfast every morning. I do highly recommend this place.

Cockatoo Hill Retreat is an exceptional escape, nestled atop a hill in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest. The property features a beautifully maintained garden and a stunning pool, offering a tranquil setting surrounded by nature. Carmen, the gracious host, prepared a delicious breakfast and provided recommendations for exploring the area. Her hospitality and local knowledge made the experience even more special.

We had a wonderful stay at Cockatoo Hill Retreat. It's a stunning location with views out to the ocean. It's great to hear the sounds of the different birds and the nights were so quiet. Being above the tree line was fantastic as you could feel the breeze and see the the stars at night, which were unbelievable. |Carmen is a delight and so helpful. The rooms are lovely and quite romantic. The pool is fabulous too!|An excellent place to stay!

We spent two nights here at this beautiful retreat. We had limited internet and phone reception, which honestly made us enjoy the peaceful surroundings even more. The rooms were private, thoughtfully designed and with an absolutely beautiful view. Carmen was incredible, and shared recommendations and made dinner reservations at local spots for us. We learnt so much about the area, the wildlife and just how special this area of Australia is. Our morning breakfast that Carmen prepared was delicious and made for a perfect start to the day. Thankyou Carmen for making us feel at home at Cockatoo Hill Retreat, and for taking the time to share your knowledge and stories of the local area. :)

If you want to feel special, this is the place for you. Carmen, our hostess is a true gem. From the very private, romantic rooms with local flora placed artfully throughout the room and ensuite, to the stunning view of rainforest from each cabin. Carmen excelled herself with a delicious breakfast (wait till you see the fruit salad) and caters to all dietary needs. She is happy to suggest points of interest in the region and equally happy to share her stories. I would definitely go back.

We had been warned about the steep driveway but were impressed by our first sight of the tree top cabins and main house. Carmen was a charming, informative host, sharing books, maps and insider knowledge which helped make our visit memorable. We cruised & snorkelled with Ocean Safari, crocodile and bird cruised with Solar Whisperer, did a night time rainforest walk and covered many trails and tracks on Carmen's recommendations.||The quiet and tree level views from our room were wonderful. The personal touches with floral arrangements and creature comforts were special.||A would highly recommend this retreat to anyone who wishes to fully enjoy their Daintree experiences.

Absolutely stunning! Great to read that Carmen still runs the place. We spent a few days/nights there 11 years ago and it was simply perfect. The location, the view, the care that is put into the place, the pool, the host, breakfast with fresh fruit-salad from fruits on the property, in the evening a chat on the snake bar, going through the photo-albums on how the place was built. Back then we have been totally off-reception in the area of our cabin and it was great to spend time without Net, not sure if this still is. Carmen pointing us to a secure spot in a nearby Creek where we had the ability to swim with turtles, the great rainforest tour with Piggy, ..... This place is something very special and everyone who has the chance to go there should do it. It can't be highly enough recommended!

My partner and I stayed here for a few nights whilst doing a road trip up the east coast of QLD and I’m so glad we did! The accommodation is beautifully presented in Balinesian style and has breathtaking views over the Daintree rainforest right down to the ocean. We felt really connected to the bird life and wildlife and enjoyed the wonderful sunrises. Carmen, the host, is incredibly kind and attentive and helped us to find local spots to eat and explore, as well as teaching us about the wildlife in the surrounding area and where to find it. We have already booked our return stay as we loved it so much. I would highly recommend this wonderful eco retreat to others.