Thala Beach Nature Reserve

I booked Thala without hesitation as we had stayed here in 2000 and 2013. It was nice, but no longer amazing. Staff very friendly and helpful - everyone we met - but the rooms are getting a bit tired and “no WiFi” in the rooms is no longer acceptable. Elon Musk sorted that one out - people in the outback have super fast WiFi these days! Food was ‘okay’, my wife had the lamb cutlets - virtually zero lean meat, all fat, inedible. Mine were okay, I did mention it, but my wife doesn’t like making a fuss. Bar service was very good. Location is still as awesome as ever. Think it needs a serious refresher and the chef needs to be more careful what’s served up, same menu every day, no specials - not very creative, it lets the place down. Also 👀 check the corners of the rooms occasionally. On arrival milk was only half full - clearly the last guests used half and it wasn’t replaced - not acceptable - ever! I do love Thala and when I hear all about the new quality WiFi and the room quality control and the refurbished rooms and the restaurants changing menu… then I’ll be back. Special mention for Larney (?) the massage therapist - my wife and I both thought she did an amazing treatment - right up there with the best. Good luck, staying at the top is never easy and you guys have done a very good job for many years - get back there!!

Incredible experience! Made my best friends birthday so special! ALL of the staff were so wonderful, accomodating, and kind! I want to say a special thank you to Mariah she was so lovely dealing with my multitude of questions and had some amazing recommendations for us! Anna thank you for getting us back to our room from Port Douglas when we hadn’t arranged a shuttle in time! The beaches and pool were beautiful and the food was amazing. We are definitely coming back and even discussed doing an annual trip to Thala 🫶 We appreciated everything so much and again cannot recommend enough and another thank you to the amazing staff. We will miss room 82 🩷

This is one of my favorite places on earth. I stayed at Thala while travelling solo around Australia. They helped me coordinate a dive trip and transport to and from a bird-watching trip on the daintree. The team is so kind, the food is wonderful and the property is INCREDIBLE. I loved exploring the trails on property and saw so many incredible birds. The grounds team was so kind in pointing me towards some different spots to see birds, mammals and reptiles. I truly couldn't recommend Thala Beach Nature Reserve more highly.

Just checked out of this great place. Embedded in the rain forest, overlooking the ocean, this hotel has wonderful views and the service provided by Brett is simply outstanding. He offered us a nature tour that was both interesting, informative and beautiful. Sam was also extremely helpful and kind. Kudos to Thala for having such great staff.

Great location right in the middle of both Pt Douglas and Palm Cove, we had a rental car and it was perfect for travelling to each destination. The service was second-to-none, the staff were always happy to assist with any queries and the meals at the restaurant were delicious. Our only constructive feedback is that the rooms were a little closer in proximity than we had imagined and so there didn't seem to be much privacy available - not sure if this is the case with the higher-priced villas. All up, a wonderful relaxing experience and would be happy to return

Great potential but unfortunately not holding up. There is NO WiFi in the rooms , nothing so if you need to be in touch with kids, work or what ever find a different place. The rooms are not cleaned and to start with its not spotless . The crew are great friendly and helpful to the limitless of what they can do . Beds and pillows are great . Unfortunately it was hard to chill and enjoy. A waste of my vacation time

Thala Beach is a very pleasant resort. The cabins are situated sensitively in the rain forest and are clean and comfortable. The people who work here are lovely, friendly and knowledgeable about the environment. I really cannot think of anywhere that I have been where such a nice group are runing it.||It is though isolated and there is nothing else within safe walking distance. Port Douglas is the nearest town and that is a 15-20 minute journey by road. There is a shuttle minibus operated by Thala but that is only at limited times and, apparently, taxis are unreliable. The shuttle costs AUD16 per person and in each direction.||The food menus are very limited in contrast to the drinks list which is impressive. Breakfast has been a particular irritation as, unless you are part of a tour where a buffet is offered, it is a la carte. Mostly based around eggs which not everybody wants there were only two items I could eat. The Muesli comes ready prepared with yoghurt, honey and some fruit added. The quantity is ludicrous and far more than any one person would sensibly eat. The fruit platter is similarly large and so my choice is really one or the other. The offering of toast (at a mere AUD12) is just bizarre. The kitchen toast it for you!!! The one time I had it I was allowed, after a short discussion, to toast my own using the toaster provided for a tour group buffet. No doubt my reputation as a difficult Brit has been strongly re-inforced. Do not even think of asking for your dinner - from a similarly limited menu - not to be infused with garlic. This causes significant delay, made worse by asking for steak to be cooked right through, and it seems that going into the kitchen to speak with the chef is not allowed. This was the one time that relations came close to failing.||Wifi is only reliably available in Reception, Bar and Restaurant. It can be obtained in the cabins but it is far from reliable. While some may say you come to Thala to relax we do not all have the luxury of being able to switch off completely.||On balance Thala is probably ok for a 2 to 3 day visit. If, however, you do not mind having someone else control what you have for breakfast and are happy with weird fusions of eurocuisine and local ingredients then you will be very happy.||I should add that I am not unhappy but why oh why can't chefs leave perfectly good food alone...

A wonderful place! The cabins are scattered throughout the forest in a way that ensures privacy. The cabin itself is spacious, comfortable, and designed with meticulous attention to detail. The views from the restaurant and bar are breathtaking, and there’s also the option to walk down to the beach. The location requires driving if you want to reach Port Douglas or anywhere else, but tour and diving operators can pick up from and return to the hotel. The staff is friendly and efficient.