Martinique Whitsunday

It’s a quiet spot away from the noise of the main strip, with wonderful views and a very nice pool area. Martinique Whitsunday Resort could suit people looking for peace and a scenic place to relax. The apartments are set up well for longer stays, with a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, dryer, iron, and ironing board. The rooms were generally clean when we arrived. Bear in mind that it’s entirely self-service. Check-in is self check-in, with no reception desk greeting, and you’ll need to move your own luggage up and down some steps. That could be hard with heavy bags or mobility issues. The living spaces were clean, but the washing machine area was dusty and looked filthy, which was disappointing given the rest of the property. If you’re independent, able to handle your bags on stairs, and want quiet, a great view, and a good pool, it’s a lovely option. Check the laundry cupboard before settling in.

Apartment 13 was beautiful and very clean, with everything we needed except a bottle opener. The owners clearly take pride in it. It was nicely decorated and had lots of DVDs, plus board games, cards, and books. The balcony was wonderful, with ocean views, a table, chairs, and two sun lounges. The washing machine and dryer were good. The resort was very quiet over New Year, and we often had the pool to ourselves. The bedroom aircon didn’t work very well. I called reception to ask for batteries for the remote, but nobody came. In fact, there was no one at reception during our entire stay of six days and seven nights, and I never saw staff. A sign said to call a mobile number for help or go next door to the Pinnacles Report, but that place also wasn’t open much. We only saw one person the whole time, a cleaner we ran into in the car park. We asked her for extra towels, and she gave them to us hesitantly. You have to wash your own towels, and buying a full pack of detergent just to wash them during a six-day holiday stay wasn’t ideal. The hill up to the resort is very steep. Going down was fine, but I only walked back up once and wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re very fit. You could take a cab if you can find one on the main street, or use Uber. I was also concerned that there was no security. The front gate seemed to be open all day and night, so anyone could walk in and take the lift to the pool and apartments. I think it’s important to have someone on site at least some of the time, in case guests need anything or help booking tours. It wasn’t the cheapest place over New Year, though probably not the most expensive either. I’d probably not stay there again. More staff presence is essential.

The complex was very clean and well maintained, and the infinity pool was beautiful. It’s an easy walk to both the marina and town centre. My only complaint was a cleanliness issue in our apartment: there was food debris under the couch from the previous guests.

Our apartment was spacious and comfortable, with a great view and an infinity-style pool we really liked. The location was convenient, far enough from the noisy main streets but close enough to walk around, with a supermarket nearby. It’s on a hill, though, so the walk up and down can be difficult, especially carrying things. The view is the trade-off. For a longer stay, it was handy to have a washing machine, dryer, full-size fridge, and iron. The check-in process was not good. They required online check-in with photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license, and credit card details. After the Medibank, Optus, and Qantas data breaches, I was concerned about how securely that personal information was stored. There were lots of rules and big fees and charges for nearly everything if you weren’t careful or didn’t comply, though I can understand that to a point. We got one set of towels for the room and another for the pool, but extra beach towels cost more to hire. The room came with very few amenities for what we paid for a full week. There were only two tiny sachets each of dishwasher liquid and powder, not enough to clean the dishes properly. The dishwasher didn’t do its job, so we had to wash everything by hand, or buy our own washing liquid to get it clean. The kitchenette was limited too, with no basic cooking supplies like oil, and only tiny sachets of salt and pepper. If you eat out every meal, that may be fine. I’m not sure whether other rooms are better stocked.