Sanctuary Retreat

We left less than an hour after checking in and found somewhere else to stay. We had booked a 'deluxe canopy room with a balcony and sea view', but the shower and bathroom window looked straight into the main dining area. Staff already knew about the privacy issue and quickly moved us to another room. When we returned the old key, we told the owner too. He joked that we were too 'shy' to deal with the lack of privacy, which made us even more uncomfortable. We were refused a refund, but I'm glad we left despite losing the money. The accommodation and the owner's response left us feeling very uncomfortable. I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy.

The rooms were fantastic, with mesh on three sides so you could see the forest, plus sliding wooden doors to close everything off for privacy. The hosts were relaxed and friendly, and we got to choose between two rooms. A courtesy lift to reception was handy, as was the quick introduction to how the Retreat was made. The marked forest walk to the car or beach was easy enough. We had a couple of drinks in the bar and restaurant, where there was a nice range of beers and wines at reasonable prices for the location. We didn't eat there, but saw and heard lots of happy customers. We stayed just one night, which was to our detriment. We've already recommended Sanctuary to people nearby and those considering a trip to North Queensland. A real treat.

I loved my stay, though it's probably not for everyone. The mesh-walled tents let you hear the forest close up, which was lovely to lie and listen to in the morning. It's near the beach, with a nice little restaurant and common areas where it's easy to meet people.

The photos don't show this accommodation accurately. After a six-hour drive from Airlie beach, we arrived at a 'room' with mesh walls, holes in the floor, a huge spider, and lots of other bugs. Another mesh room was right beside it, so anyone staying there would basically be sleeping with us and could see straight into the bathroom, which was a toilet and shower on a deck in full view. I tried twice to reach the owner and got no response. We got back in the car and drove on to cairns. I feel completely ripped off, $90 for nothing. This feels like false advertising. The website is full of photos showing rooms with four solid walls, and unless you go looking for pictures of these overpriced mesh tents, you'll feel just as I do.