The Sundays on Hamilton Island has been named Gourmet Traveller’s Resort of the Year 2026, just over a year after the 59-room resort opened above Catseye Beach. It’s the latest in a strong run of recognition for the destination this year, following a Travel + Leisure It List placement.
Hamilton Island’s qualia has also enjoyed a strong year of recognition, adding a Michelin Key, a place on Condé Nast Traveler’s inaugural Triple Crown and a listing in 50 Best Discovery, the global guide to exceptional restaurants, bars, hotels and vineyards. InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef was also named to the Triple Crown list, placing two Whitsundays properties in the same global cohort this year.
Cruise Whitsundays has reopened the newly refurbished Reefworld at Hardy Reef, following a $30 million investment from parent company Journey Beyond. The pontoon now welcomes guests as an exclusive overnight experience for Reefsleep and Reefsuites guests, offering enhanced facilities, elevated dining and a deeper connection to the Great Barrier Reef.
Elsewhere in the Whitsundays, La Vie Hotels & Resorts will manage Le Méridien Lindeman Island Resort & Spa, bringing the globally recognised Le Méridien brand to the destination for the first time. The resort is set to reopen in late 2027 following an AU$60 million redevelopment by Singapore-based real estate company Well Smart Group. On neighbouring Hook Island, closed for more than a decade, work is underway on an eco-lodge that will feature 39 biophilic cabins, an arrival pavilion, two dining experiences, forest eco pools, wellness spaces and a range of adventure activities inspired by the island’s landscapes and waters, with completion due in 2027.
Recognition for the destination hasn’t been limited to its resorts this year. 74 Islands Distillery, an Airlie Beach boutique distillery open less than two years, took home a Silver medal in the London Dry Gin category at the World Gin Awards 2026 in London. ABC Distillery also had a strong showing at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, picking up Gold for its Redgum Smoked Single Malt and its Aged Rum, and Silver for its Hibiscus Pink Gin. Nearby, SOLLOS Estate is preparing to open a cellar door for Australia’s first single-estate agave spirit, grown on a 374-hectare Whitsundays farm around 45 kilometres from Airlie Beach.
Tourism Whitsundays CEO Tim Booth said the results reflected the momentum building across the destination.
“The recognition Hamilton Island and the wider Whitsundays have received this year, from a Michelin Key and a Condé Nast Traveler Triple Crown listing to The Sundays being named Australia’s Resort of the Year, reflects the calibre of experience now on offer across the destination.
“When you add a $30 million upgrade at Hardy Reef and Le Méridien’s first Whitsundays property into the mix, it’s clear the trajectory we’re on, and it’s pleasing to see operators of every size, from major international hotel groups to a boutique gin distillery, helping build that reputation on the world stage.”
