We stayed at The Elysium Noosa in a top-floor suite and booked well in advance when it was still the Sofitel, but when the renovation was announced we were expecting a true five-star, resort-style experience, particularly as Accor Plus Gold and Explorer members. While the renovations are fantastic and the room was fantastic, and some aspects were lovely, overall the stay felt surprisingly “fend for yourself” and lacked the service, polish and personal touches that define a premium hotel.
On arrival, any extra activities were already booked out at the point they told us about them, despite our early reservation, which was confusing and disappointing. We had to ask where to park and for help with our bags, which felt unusual. On checkout it was the opposite so it seems more an inconsistency than anything. There was no orientation of the resort or our room. We weren’t shown any facilities, informed about dining options, spa services or activities, and received no welcome letter or acknowledgment of our Accor status. The front desk staff were polite and friendly, but very passive. When we asked about Accor inclusions, we were initially told they were unaware of our accor status (we showed the card) then told, “Oh, if you want a drink, I can get you a welcome drink,” and they were lovely but it felt strange – surely a welcome drink for all clients should be offered proactively not after I ask about an accor welcome drink. There is a drinks and water area at reception, but you have to ask to use it, even for water. And in fact even on checkout they had not updated anything about my accor…minor things but again not really consistent with the 5* price and the brand
The concierge was rarely present, so we ended up booking absolutely everything ourselves, including the hotel restaurants, spa, and any dining in Noosa. There was no priority booking as hotel guests, which is unusual at this level. We had to rely on the website to find out what was even available, rather than being guided by staff. It felt more like staying in a nice 4 star room with a pool than a luxury resort.
The room itself was beautifully refurbished. The bed was fantastic and housekeeping cleaned the room very well each day. However, amenities were not consistently restocked. If we ran low on body wash or needed a second shower cap, we had to request it, which felt odd for a week-long stay and twice daily servicing. One night we had a lovely turndown with chamomile tea chocolates and a handwritten note, but the rest of the week it was less of a turndown and more a second service. The minibar was fairly underwhelming, and we had no room service menu in room but this was likely just an oversight. Even simple things like umbrellas or resort hats were missing – when it rained, we noticed other guests were given umbrellas but we were not, and none were in our room. Again it all felt like an inconsistency.
The pool was unfortunately the biggest disappointment. Every morning, even when we arrived as soon as it opened, there was visible sunscreen scum sitting in the corners of the pool. They cleaned it about 2 hours later. On multiple occasions we found debris that had clearly been left from the day before in and out of the pool such as a key card, a straw, bandaids, zooper dooper wrappers and a tie from a hat floating in the scum. My husband stopped using the pool altogether in the am because it consistently felt dirty. We understand pools are hard to maintain in summer, but sunscreen film and debris should not be left stagnant overnight, especially in a five-star resort where hygiene is critical. And surely cleaning should be before it opens.
The website advertises the pool as “warmed to 37 degrees,” which was very misleading and I think related to the spa pool but (see screenshot) it was advertised for the main pool. It felt closer to 25–27 degrees at best. Fine for summer, but it would be far too cold in winter. Guests were also allowed to reserve pool chairs from 8am by leaving belongings all day, even if they didn’t return for hours, which made the pool area frustrating to use.
We found the restaurant food excellent, but each time we visited we were offered the least desirable tables, even when better tables were empty. We wondered if this was because we had a child, but after a few experiences we stopped dining there. Again, nothing rude, just no sense of being welcomed or valued as guests.
The breakfast we opted to do one day but again there was the same issue with no one taking you to a table, just a free for all but then it meant staff werent always aware who had/hadnt ordered coffee or eggs and they assumed we had the buffet explained to us. We saw others with the same puzzled looks. It was a solid range but not worth the price of >$60pp esp when fancier larger brunch places nearby would set you back $30pp at most
Reading other reviews, many rave about the staff. We found everyone polite and pleasant, but no one went out of their way, and there was a complete lack of proactivity. That wasnt a problem but it therefore again felt more like a 4 star cheaper branded hotel. There were no activities offered, no sense of engagement, no manager welcome, no personal note, and no acknowledgment of loyalty status. As Accor Gold members we usually receive some form of recognition, even a simple letter. This was the first Accor property where we had none. There were so many inconsistencies.
There was also a blackout on our final night for a few hours, which added to the feeling of disorganisation.
To summarise:
The room refurbishment is beautiful and so much nicer than the sofitel, the beds are wonderful, the location is unbeatable, and housekeeping did a great job with daily cleaning. But beyond the room itself, the experience did not feel five-star. There were no inclusions, no proactive service, no concierge support, no priority bookings, no resort orientation, and very limited personal touches. It felt like paying a premium price for a lovely room and access to a pool that was not being cleaned adequately.
For the price, you could stay elsewhere nearby for significantly less and receive the same level of service. You could stay in a luxury airbnb for the same price with your own pool and fend for yourself but in peace and tranquility. We booked for a relaxing experience expecting an experience comparable to places like Capella Sydney or The Sundays at Hamilton Island, but this felt more like a large chain cheaper hotel without the operational polish.
None of these issues alone would ruin a stay (except the pool hygiene) but taken together, it simply didn’t feel like a true luxury resort.
We would likely look elsewhere next time unless these are teething issues that improve, because the property itself has enormous potential. But currently there are sadly so may better options. The first holiday we were ready to leave in a long time.
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