Australia Private Tour

Though we have been big fans of the Four Seasons Sydney in the past, we freely admit the contemporarily designed 155-room, 5-Star Park Hyatt is our new favorite luxury property in Sydney. Set on the edge of Sydney Harbor, the hotel offers striking views facing the Sydney Opera House. Although most of the property’s rooms include private balconies with Opera views, please note that “standard” rooms do not offer this perk. Among the amenities here are 24-hour butler service, a very nice full-service spa, and a fitness center. We particularly like the hotel’s picturesque rooftop heated pool/sundeck – among the most amazing views in Sydney!

Though we have been big fans of the Four Seasons Sydney in the past, we freely admit the contemporarily designed 155-room, 5-Star Park Hyatt is our new favorite luxury property in Sydney. Set on the edge of Sydney Harbor, the hotel offers striking views facing the Sydney Opera House. Although most of the property’s rooms include private balconies with Opera views, please note that “standard” rooms do not offer this perk. Among the amenities here are 24-hour butler service, a very nice full-service spa, and a fitness center. We particularly like the hotel’s picturesque rooftop heated pool/sundeck – among the most amazing views in Sydney!

Set on its own 2500 acre island (accessible only by private plane), there are several nice accommodations to choose from here.  Lizard Island has 24 private beaches! The many high-touch amenities and activities here include a freshwater pool, tennis courts, gym, spa, a saltwater restaurant (mixed Asian and Mediterranean), snorkeling, and scuba on the island!

Set on its own 2500 acre island (accessible only by private plane), there are several nice accommodations to choose from here. Lizard Island has 24 private beaches! The many high-touch amenities and activities here include a freshwater pool, tennis courts, gym, spa, a saltwater restaurant (mixed Asian and Mediterranean), snorkeling, and scuba on the island!

The architecturally striking and eco-friendly lodge is Kangaroo Island’s version of Chief’s Camp in Botswana and Explora in  Patagonia and Chile — an essential stop in Australia! The cliffside 25-suite Southern Ocean Lodge property is located on Kangaroo Island, “Australia’s Galapagos.” Over 1,500 square miles of land is home to an array of wildlife like penguins, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, and whales.

We were saddened to hear that Southern Ocean Lodge was destroyed in the bushfires that spread with speed and ferocity across the western end of Kangaroo Island in January 2020. Luckily, this property re-opened on December 6, 2023! James and Hayley Baillie, proprietors of Southern Ocean Lodge took a leading role in both restoring the lodge and helping to rebuild the tourism industry on Kangaroo Island. Situated on the clifftops of Kangaroo Island, the completely rebuilt hotel boasts unfettered views of the Southern Ocean coastline with ample opportunities for viewing wildlife. The property is now surrounded by native Yakka trees, which (unbelievably) sprouted as a result of the bushfires.

With a focus on sustainability, the lodge was built with new hybrid solar and battery power, along with the ability to capture and store 1.5 million gallons of rain (which is then converted into potable water). In addition to re-building the property, Southern Ocean Lodge developed new walking trails to connect the property to outdoor experiences, including an eight-mile-long trail around the 500 million-year-old rock formations of Remarkable Rocks, and a 23-mile-long planned trail along the Dudley Peninsula. Abundant wildlife multiplying as a result of the bushfires include kangaroos, possum-like dunnarts, black cockatoos, and the only disease-free colonies of koalas and Ligurian bees.

The cliffside 25-suite Southern Ocean Lodge property is located on Kangaroo Island, “Australia’s Galapagos.” Over 1,500 square miles of land is home to an array of wildlife like penguins, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, and whales.

We were saddened to hear that Southern Ocean Lodge was destroyed in the bushfires that spread with speed and ferocity across the western end of Kangaroo Island in January 2020. Luckily, this property re-opened on December 6, 2023! James and Hayley Baillie, proprietors of Southern Ocean Lodge, rebuilt a near replica of its former self, aiding in the regeneration of this island’s flora and fauna. The property is now surrounded by native Yakka trees, which (unbelievably) sprouted as a result of the bushfires. With a focus on eco-friendliness and sustainability, the lodge was built with new hybrid solar and battery power, along with the ability to capture and store 1.5 million gallons of rain (which is then converted into potable water).

In addition to re-building the property, the Southern Ocean Lodge developed new walking trails to connect the property to outdoor experiences, including an eight-mile-long trail around the 500 million-year-old rock formations of Remarkable Rocks, and a 23-mile-long planned trail along the Dudley Peninsula. The island comprises abundant wildlife, including kangaroos, possum-like dunnarts, black cockatoos, and the only disease-free colonies of koalas and Ligurian bees.