A very reassuring sign at any hotel or resort is the appearance of staff preparing your room and ensuring all is in place. Finishing with a gentle pat on the pillow and a final mirror wipe, we thanked Sue for her room preparation and settled into our room. As we made tea, we noticed a card left and some treats to enjoy. It was our 35th wedding anniversary, and we greatly anticipated our short visit to this superb resort between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Maxine at reception welcomed us and cheerfully told us we could go straight to our room early, as it was ready. That’s when we met and were warmly greeted by Sue. After settling in and surveying the relaxed kangaroos on the manicured grounds below us, we set off on our pleasant walk to the Great House.
Some of the grounds are InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.
High Tea Immersion
We received a fantastic reception to high tea by Dayana. Everyone enjoyed the individualised service. The Chef came out to explain what was offered in the three-tiered tea delights, a nice gesture.
The variety and selection are substantial. We worked slowly, savouring the three tiers the Chefs had prepared. Special teas by Tea Forte accompanied the meal.
As the first Australian hotel to feature Tea Forté, Resort Executive Chef Hamish Watt and his team have expertly designed an elegant High Tea Immersion menu with new interpretations of their globally renowned tea flavours.
Another experience was The Fireplace restaurant.
InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort’s signature restaurant – The Fireplace – highlights wood-fire cuisine at its finest. Locally sourced cuisine is cooked in an onsite wood-fired oven and garnished with fresh produce from the restaurant’s herb garden. Each season, Executive Chef Hamish Watt & Fireplace Head Chef Randy Tablan debuts a la carte and degustation menus, inviting patrons to settle into rustic surroundings while watching chefs plate culinary art before their eyes.
InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, The Fireplace.
Cove Café
Recently reimagined with a tropic-inspired aesthetic reflecting the natural beauty of Sanctuary Cove, Cove Café is the perfect place to start your day. Wake up with an expansive selection of season-inspired breakfast classics on Cove Café’s buffet, a live omelette station with eggs cooked your way, fresh juices, seasonal fruit, international dishes, delicate pastries, and delicious Vittoria Coffee. Mix your choice of fruit or fruit for a supercharged day’s start!
Verandah Restaurant & Bar
Offering all-day light dining across lunch and dinner, Verandah Restaurant & Bar has share plates, pre-dinner drinks or signature whiskey nightcaps by the resort’s grand fireplace. Home to over 50 whiskies, covering the globe’s most coveted regions from Scotland to Ireland, America to Japan, and of course, our homeland Australia, in addition to its signature whiskey collection, the bar also offers a wide range of local craft beers and wines of the region.
Lagoon Beach Club
InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, High Tea.
Overlooking the resort’s stunning one-acre Lagoon Beach Pool and beside the Terrace Pool & Spa, The Lagoon Beach Club has been fully refurbished. It serves casual poolside cuisine and an array of local beers, destination-inspired cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages to our resort and local guests. Enjoy a fresh menu while watching the day go by.
Customer service reflections:
When the goodbye is as warm as the welcome, customers look for or hope for consistency. I talk about “awareness and consistency “in my customer service training. Employees in the service industry need to be aware that something needs to be done (for the customer) and consistent in providing it. I can say that throughout the three days, every staff member consistently showed a level of service or awareness of service. That’s saying something.
A story to finish. One night, my wife had a headache, but we had forgotten to take aspirin on this trip. Calling reception, I discovered that they could not dispense, which is normal. Two minutes later, the Concierge called our room and offered to take us by buggy to the Sanctuary Cove convenience store, but it closed in 10 minutes. Amazingly, within 4 minutes, he appeared with the buggy and said hop in. We made it to the store, and all was well. Service above and beyond.
For further information on the Sanctuary Cove Experience, click here.
Written by: Richard Coles
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