The customer service at Qualia is absolutely abysmal. Terrible, slow, and rude. The staff could not be bothered. Qualia insisted on separating our family of three because of an ill-contrived rule of 2 per room.
The rooms are amazing and the service is great, you feel like you are being treated like a king, with a golf buggy provided, fine dining and views from your room that are simply beautiful this is how holidays should be.
We thoroughly enjoyed our 6 night stay at Qualia. The pavilions are comfortable, the turn down service with beautiful tea, chocolates, and lovely smelling diffuser add to the luxury feeling. The resort is all about the stunning location and seeing beautiful bird life, kangaroos and possums looking out to the beautiful Whitsundays location. The pool area is awesome with lovely beds around the pool and excellent pool service from the willing and helpful staff. The downside which lost the excellent rating was that every morning one had to repeat one’s name and room number rather than feeling of being a valued guest who is known and recognized by staff. The dinner menu never changed and was quite limited especially for those who may not eat certain items. The pastry and bread chef is outstanding. The staff is mostly international who are traveling through australia and are trying their best but it’s apparent they have only been in their specific job a short time The stand out staff were actually staff both from QLD being Kasey and Zac. Their hospitality skills are fantastic! Any trips booked by the hotel are very expensive compared to prices at the marina. We had a great time but did feel in terms of service and food choices it did fall short of other resorts of similar quality and style in Asia. Check in is faultless - being the pick up from the airport and having a buggy at one’s disposal was great fun.…
Shambolic The pictures are great and the location is amazing but the customer service is so incredibly poor. Prior to our stay we made a number of request and called a number of times. No one answers the phone and any emails get an immediate- we are busy - bear with us - response. It takes at least a day to get response. It got worse. My father passed away the morning we were due to arrive. They took full costs which to an extent I understand but their handling of the situation is the cause of my disappointment not the money. Nearly three weeks later they have not despite numerous chasers been able to supply a confirmation of the charges they took. This is simply unacceptable.
We stayed in a Leeward pavillion. Spacious and well equipped with a decent view of the sea. Despite not having pre-booked anything apart from dinner slots, we were able to get cancellations in the spa and on the sunset cruise. The food was excellent and the steak and bread particularly good. The bathroom, whilst spacious, was a bit on the functional side (eg handheld show only) and not what I’d expected on the price point charged. The golf buggies were useful and the water activities folk were very helpful. We had a guided go on a catamaran which was very good and included in the stay. We’d booked through a travel agent for our whole trip and it was done on the half board package which costs around A$490 (per couple) per night extra. Having seen the menu prices on arrival I would definitely NOT bother with that package as you would be very hard pressed to order that much food unless you have the appetite of Jabba the Hutt. Despite having three courses (and multiple sides) every night for 3 nights we were still a good $600 short of what we’d pre-paid for the gastro package and the allowance cannot be used towards alcohol. The other issue is make sure you book into the pebble beach restaurant as it will likely be fully booked in advance unlike the pavilion restaurant. Overall a pleasant stay but it was clear that there is a staff shortage at Qualia and a good number of the staff they do have are still in training. The overall impression was of high staff turnover as a consequence of targeting students or European staff who never intend to stay that long. For example it was quite slow to get people to pick up the phone and communications on the booking via email were slow or, in one instance, ignored. Certainly the level of service comes a poor second to other lodges such as Saffire Freycinet which was head and shoulders better on the service front.…
The hotel pick up from the airport was chaotic and confusing, so things started out on a bad note. The weather for the first couple of days was downright nasty. The service led by Front Office manager Jennifer was just outstanding. Her team was always willing to help and rearrange all the things I needed to make most of my stay, specially when the weather improved and everyone was eager to explore the sights. Most of the staff were really engaging and the service was generally very profissional and heartfelt. The amenities were top notch and the room stroke a great balance between rustic and luxurious - exactly what you would expect from such property. Overall a very good stay and I would definitely both recommend it and come back if I have the opportunity.
Background: We started planning our dream honeymoon a little shy of a year ago after waiting for the borders to reopen. Having read so much about Qualia in my research I was so excited having made the decision that this was where we would celebrate our marriage. My research, included reading some of the reviews, good and bad. My husband and I are seasoned, experienced travellers and we are now lucky that we are in a position in life where we can opt to stay at some of the best hotels and resorts in the world. In regard to the reviews, I took the bad ones with a pinch of salt which was a mistake. In our experience, they are pretty spot on. At the time of booking ten months ago, I requested a specific pavilion to stay in for the seven night booking. This was based on researching which one had the best view, most privacy and views of the ocean. This was all confirmed once again a month prior to arrival when also confirming that we were travelling all the way from the UK to celebrate our honeymoon at the resort. In relation to my request, I was not told at any time I couldn’t have the specific pavilion, nor was I told that there would be a supplement payable to request a specific pavilion. Stay: During the check in process, nothing was mentioned by the member of staff and having had no communication to the contrary, I considered such a simple request was being honoured. Imagine my surprise therefore to be taken to a completely different pavilion. As soon as we arrived there I said that we had requested another pavilion to which she quite sternly told me it wasn’t available. I asked why and why had this not been communicated to me. I explained we had travelled a considerable distance and were on our honeymoon to which she replied with what I can only describe as disdain, ‘we have done our best for you’ . On entering the pavilion, I could immediately see we were overlooked by the pavilion next door which added to the already obstructed view. I told the staff member that this was the main reason I had requested the other one. She was at great pains to tell me I wouldn’t be seen by other guests as the full length windows are tinted. I explained that at night with lights on I would be seen and also our deck and pool were right next to the other building and clearly overlooked. She said there was nothing she could do and left very quickly. Unlike the requested pavilion this one gets no sun throughout the day which makes paying extra to have a pool and deck pointless. I was disappointed to say the least but thought speaking to the manager may solve the problem somehow. Even if they couldn’t put us in the requested pavilion, with people checking in and out all the time, surely they could move us somewhere with a bit more privacy? However, it was on communicating within the manager that I realised we are simply second class guests and despite paying a huge sum of money to stay in a ‘luxury’ resort, we are neither wealthy enough nor ‘repeat guests’ who are clearly given priority. During a number of communications the manager took the stance that despite knowing how upset and disappointed we are that he needs to do nothing to try and rectify the situation. It is not the fact that we didn’t get the pavilion we requested that has ruined our honeymoon and trip in general, it is the attitude of the staff, including the manager who has done nothing despite being made fully aware that we, as guests, are incredibly unhappy with how we have been treated and the lack of consideration shown to us. It maybe that a guest cannot have what they want but there is always something that can be done to rectify the situation. The whole situation and how it has been handled has ruined our stay and we have only had two nights out of seven so far. All I want to do is go home which is a dreadful feeling when we are here to supposedly celebrate and enjoy our time together. Hamilton Island is without doubt one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Qualia needs to consider all their guests equally and not just those who spend more money or stay more often. In addition to the above: - we had clumps of hair coming out of the drain in the shower the first time we used it - the blind was left stuck half down by housekeeping rather than get it fixed whilst we were at dinner thus leaving it for us to sort out - the outside deck is dirty and isn’t cleaned - our pool has green algae around the edges - there is limited menu choice in the restaurant and it is not changed on a daily basis which proves difficult if staying for longer than a couple of days - food and drink are very expensive - in pavilion dining menu is exactly the same as restaurant menu so no alternative options there - breakfast service increasingly slow - waited over an hour for our order yesterday morning with others who came in after us being served long before we were - mattress and seating in pavilion are incredibly hard. - in room robes old, of poor quality and one size, not very good for my rugby player husband In addition to the attitude of some of the staff, the issues above just shouldn’t be happening in a resort that markets itself as a luxury resort because it isn’t. Many places have issues and mistakes can happen but a good resort will not only rectify the problem but go out of their way ensure that their guests are happy. Qualia doesn’t appear to care whether you are happy or not. With limited places to stay on the island, they know they will always be able to reply on their return guests whom they clearly look after. With the right people running the resort and guests at the forefront of everything they do, Qualia could be one of the best places to stay. At the moment, it simply isn’t worth the money.…
We absolutely loved our time here from start to finish! From the moment we landed it truly felt like a five star experience. One stand out for us was the staff - they were all so helpful and friendly and ensured we had the most seamless and stress free stay (they even collect your bags from the airport for you and take you to the hotel first). We loved all of the facilities (pool, gym etc) and had an amazing meal at Pebbles one evening (the food and wine was incredible quality). We also really appreciated all of the little touches such as the fact that soft drinks are all complimentary as is the yoga, and they give you tea and chocolate during the turn down service. We also did a sea plane tour which was organised by the hotel which we’d really recommend. Don’t hesitate to book!
Amazing place. Tranquil and beautiful surroundings. The attention to detail and the extra care from staff was fantastic. Sit by the amazing infinity pool view and sip can cocktails on your sun lounge, pool Pavillion or even in the pool. A wonderful relaxing holiday. Stunning views too. Can’t wait to go back!
We had been wanting to go to Qualia for a few years and finally made it. Wow! it was a wonderful experience. The resort is in excellent condition, beautiful decor, gardens, pools and views. The individual villas are spacious and very comfortable with excellent beds, bedding, AESOP amenities...and views of the Coral Sea plus lots of birdlife and bats and more! The food was exceptional. Fresh and delicious options, and nothing was too much trouble in terms of dietary requirements. Huge compliments to the world class chefs. The breakfast menu could use some more creativity and superfood options - it was lovely to have breakfast on our balcony:) The spa is an excellent facility and the treatments we had were very good. There are also steam rooms and there is yoga each morning. We would have loved to do these classes but 8am when trying to rest is very early – could there be a later option too? The Pebble Beach is wonderful. There is a shelly coral beach which is good for swimming, though I do recommend wearing reef shoes to protect from coral cuts. And there are plenty of activities available including catamarans and kayaks and more... The pool areas are both wonderful. The most popular one is down by the beach and is a divine spot to relax in provided you can find a spot under an umbrella or in one of the cabanas. Having a buggy to get around the Island was terrific and it was fun to explore. The staff were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. It was an excellent break away from the 'noise' and suffering in our troubled world.…
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