Heron Island Resort

Don’t go here! The ‘resort’ is no more than a somewhat luxurious backpackers, where rooms don’t get cleaned, doors can’t be locked and most mattresses need to be replaced. The foreign seasonal workers in the restaurant and bar are nice and competent, but the food is very average, especially at lunch and definitely overpriced. The people in reception are not friendly and incapable. They brought our luggage to a completely different room and it took hours to get back. The tours on the islands are always full cause there are too little staff members. And even though I’d checked many times about ferry times and flights that needed to be made. The ferry left 1,5 hours late - due to the completely inefficient boarding process from the heron island staff - where they made you wait for hours in extreme heat without a place to sit (even for the elderly). Taxis on the other side that were supposed to be waiting to bring people to the airport weren’t there and again it took forever to get luggage. In the end this meant we (and in total 21 people) didn’t make our flight - which heron island staff guaranteed we would have. And it would have been easy to make if they’d just organized things better so the ferry didn’t leave late. This also meant we would have missed our international connection if there wouldn’t have been an other flight with another airline. It caused a lot of stress and extra money, but luckily they took us and we just made our international connection. The numerous emails I’ve sent to ask how this issue can be solved was never answered. Which again shows how unprofessional the management is. The only good thing is the snorkeling; it’s truly amazing, however I’ve heard there are other areas which are equally good. To be clear: Ferry and helicopter staff were great; friendly, organized and professional. I definitely don’t recommend staying here cause the only place to stay is the ‘resort’ - which is also a bird invested place (which is not too bad if you don’t mind getting poo on you every now and again and not being able to hear each other speak cause of the noise - that’s nature and something that was kind of fun, but not for everyone and maybe something they should communicate a bit more). Anyway, most unprofessional bunch when it comes to organization I’ve seen in a very long time.

How many reviews will it take for them to do something about the resort? This is our second visit to heron island (last was 6 years ago)- the experience of the reef and the wildlife (snorkelling, diving etc) is second to none. Such a magical place in that respect. The whole experience however is tainted by the shocking lack of attention to the resort and most of all the food. The accommodation is very outdated and tired- think orange/ brown stained showers, terrible water pressure, feeling the springs in the mattress. It does the job however and I guess you are paying for the location rather than the accommodation- but who knows how long it's been since some money was spent upkeeping the actual resort. The food was probably the biggest letdown. We were there over the Easter weekend and every night the only option was a ridiculously overpriced buffet or takeaway pizza (if an italian saw them they might have a heart attack). We didn't even get the option of the a la carte which i'm not sure is much better. Our first night we expressed our disappointment at $69 for a "seafood" buffet of which there was a paella (rice cooked in stock with a couple frozen prawns in), grey frozen prawns and yellow oysters which did not look edible. Each and every meal the restaurant "manager" was nowhere to be seen despite us asking to speak with him. The staff were doing their best but flailing about with no direction and our first lunch we waited over an hour for our food (a couple of burgers..). The breakfast is fine and probably the only thing worth the money (however you have to pay extra for a coffee from the machine). We're super disappointed that the prices at heron are only going up yet the quality is getting worse and worse. Unfortunately you will get repeat and new customers again and again due to the location and experience, however it is such a shame to let a beautiful gem go to waste!

The place is amazing, but: There is only one restaurant and they serve an overpriced "buffet" more suitable to a mining site than a holiday destination. The rooms are comfortable but outdated and simple (most like a beach house setting), so don't expect a 5 star experience, just a simple beach accommodation without any luxury. There is absolutely no management in place and the staff, which is 99.9% from overseas (Argentina, Chile, Spain, Italy and others of that sort) are without exaggerating, incredible. They go above and beyond what any Australians would, and this can be seen while compared to the only Australia employee we dealt with over there. They will help and find a way to make your stay comfortable and welcoming. That was with the beauty that surrounds you, what made the holiday special. Sport activities lack again of management. There were kayaks available and only 1 time per day, so a large family would book them all, and nobody else could book anymore, at least during the 3 days we stayed there. Also, no entertainment activities other than very basic ones, so it gets boring after a few days. I'd recommend to have at least 1 manager to oversee the whole operation as regardless or how much the staff works, they are also under staffed, in every way. Loved the place, and I'd go back, hoping to find a more organised operation altogether.

Absolute beautiful, great service, defo worth the price

Enjoy walk and snorkelling.

Unique setting featuring NATURE everywhere! This sole lodging and restaurant is very good.

The staff was very friendly and helpful. The bar was nice, the pool area, and the sunset times with live music were amazing. They should have more activities to explore the place, not just once a day, such as a kayak tour with only 5-6 spots available. Breakfast was expensive, lunch was delicious, but dinner was buffet only, and the food was 6 out of 10. I found a cockroach in my bedroom as well. I booked the submersible boat, which was broken when we arrived for embarkation.

What an amazing place to visit. We stayed in the Turtle room which had a queen bed and 2 singles. The bathroom and kitchenet were both clean and tidy. It had an outdoor area with table and chairs. No Air Conditioning which was a little off putting but being April it wasn’t to hot. The pool isnt huge and had little shade. The restaurant is huge and little to no wait time to be served and have your food on the table in as little as 5 minutes depending on orders, the food was good and for a resort not to pricey, You can order takeaway pizza, but it wasn’t very good. Drink prices are also reasonable. The bar area is large and has a variety of seating options. The outdoor area also has tables and chairs overlooking the water. With a 1 man band playing music at night. 2 pool tables in the bar which are free to use. You can walk the Island in about 30 minutes. The snorkeling at Heron is awesome. You can also do dive trips and reef snorkeling for a fee. You get complimentary snorkeling gear or you can bring your own. Towels are also provided. There are a variety of tours which are also free. We took the ferry there which took 2 hours it can take longer and we flew back in the helicopter which was amazing and only took 45 minutes I loved my 2 nights at Heron. Its a lovely natural eco friendly Island. The only bad side is if your scared of birds Heron is not for you. The birds cannot keep you awake at night as they are loud. You can pay for internet on the Island if needed. If your a beginner snorkeler then Heron is a great place to start as its not very deep unless you go out far.

This is an ECO resort. Don’t come here if you want a luxury resort experience. Come here if you want a truly unique wildlife experience. The island is teeming with birds and surrounded by marine animals. You don’t even have to get in the water to see turtles, sharks, rays and fish. You can stand on the jetty or watch from the beach and you will see something amazing. You can snorkel or dive to see more. This is Australia’s version of a mini Galapagos. The resort balances guest comfort and aesthetics with budget and ecological sustainability. If you want 4 or 5 star aesthetics, this is not your place.

I've been meaning to get back to Heron for a long time now (it's been about 20 years since my last visit), and while it's almost impossible not to feel you've had a break from life on Heron, the resort is not what it once was. One of the charms of Heron has always been its laid back style. You don't feel out of place schlepping around barefoot There are no locks on doors; no TV's in your room ( who needs tv with what's going on outside??); no phone reception. It really is a perfect place to step out of life for a while. Wifi is available for $25/day and best reception is in the bar. I was pleased to see none of this has changed. We stayed in a Point suite - which is well worth the extra for the stunning views ( if you can request a room, I would go for 2 or 3) The rooms are large with lounge area and outside sitting area with pretty much uninterrupted views of the reef - can stare at it all day without getting bored. Unlike some of the other rooms, the Point Suites are air-conditioned - you don't so much want the a/c for keeping cool, but more for escaping the humidity. Unfortunately, the resort has not been kept as well as it once was. Don't get me wrong, it's a big job maintaining a small town in the middle of the ocean - but there is a generally feel of someone pinching the maintenance and upkeep budget. Everything is ok, but a lot of things are in need of TLC. Buildings need general upkeep, the main bar area has a lot of chairs missing cushions - and the cushions that are there look like they are in desperate need of a wash. We were staying in premium accommodation, yet the grounds around our rooms were pretty much ignored. Food was another disappointment on this trip. Gone are the glory days of amazing food on Heron. I remember when people would arrive on the seafood buffet nights - just for the food. The buffet breakfast would be at home in a Holiday Express, the lunch menu doesn't change, and is the standard basic pub grub. We were there for 3 nights and I can't say anything thrilled me on the dinner menu - it was all 'OK' but that was it. Is it worth the money? A subjective question. We really enjoyed our time there and while it is expensive - you have to factor in where it is. It's just disappointing that for a bit of more effort, this absolute gem of a place could be brought back to its former glory. You are really going for the experience of the reef, and if you didn't have the good fortune to know how glorious the reef was 30 years ago, you would still be entranced by its beauty. I am glad we went, but I probably won't rush back.