Intercontinental Hotel, Sanctuary Cove

[Rick93]

I sent them a direct email, asking 'how to book'. We'll see what they say ...

 

[marks]

I'm down here for the weekend. About my first trip here in almost 10yrs.
I think the Homestead suite is being renovated as well speak. You can see from the pool, there are some drop sheets in the windows.
Looks like some of the blocks have been painted and even new colourbond roof sheeting.

This place is fantastic. The great service is the first thing you notice. I always rated gold coast service levels as very average in Qld, but not this place. (Cairns as the best. Lots of competition and heaps of backpackers looking for working holidays).

+1 on the comments about the club room, breakfast and the fireplace restaurant. There is also a kids club available this weekend (at extra cost).
Baristas need a bit of training on the coffee machine, which is extra for an espresso. But have breakfast downstairs and use the pod machine in the club for a quick coffee on the way.

The bad points so far. (not many). Had a swim on Thurs in the lagoon pool and they must have just added the salt. The kids were complaining about sore eyes after 20 mins. Moved to the other pool.
Ask for the aeroguard. The mozzies are the size and number of the golf carts here!

Restaurant tip is also IOESCO in the marine village. Fantastic food & wine. Max is the host there and nothing is too hard, especially with fussy kids.

I spoke to a few residents. They are quite excited about IHG coming in. The Hyatt has not spent any money or promotions on the resort for quite some time and numbers were way down. Now IHG has spent money on refurbishing and promotions, the local businesses and restaurants are improving in the village as well. (which the residents think is great for them and there services.)
Hmmm, being a resident here with a PP dining card would be a dangerous combination for me.

Cheers.

 

[markis10]

I'm down here for the weekend. About my first trip here in almost 10yrs.
I think the Homestead suite is being renovated as well speak. You can see from the pool, there are some drop sheets in the windows.
Looks like some of the blocks have been painted and even new colourbond roof sheeting..

That would be the Manor and Federation Suites, not the homestead suites, one of which overlooks the Golf Course (I am in it as I type this).

Some pics of the homestead:

 

[Rick93]

My response back from IC SC, regarding booking / upgrades for / to The Homestead Suite was this:

As Markis has pointed out, there are Homestead, Federation & Manor suites in the top rung. ( I'm not sure, as to which is THE top suite ... )

However, the main points are - there are no Homestead ( and other top suites ? ) available until 17th. July. If you want a Homestead Suite, you must book and pay for one. If an RA, your cost will be reduced down to a Club Queenslander Suite.

The reason no Homestead Suites can be booked online, is that the management wish to totally avoid issues with 'over-booking'. It sounded like, they also want to 'ask a few questions' to potential 'applicants'.

 

[QF WP]

I am expecting to be told next time the telemarketers ring me for PP renewal that one of the benefits of being a foundation member is that I get to be king of England, its about as likely as the other promises they make and a good reason to change phone numbers on the profile .

Pretty close. My renewal is Feb and I have had 8 emails with offers for renewal since December. Then the PP telephone calls began last week.

I only had 1 stay at IHG last year and it was a reward stay (did use the $50 dining certificate), so not sure about renewal.

Last call he did wax lyrical about Foundation membership, the Sanctuary Cove property and free additional membership (that I gave to another AFF'er last year).

Interested to stay at the SC property, but not sure I'll extract $299 value.

 

[Rick93]

Also, apparently they will permit 2 x adults + 2 x kids under 18 ( 17 yo ? hardly a 'kid' by today's standard ) to share a twin bed room with existing bedding ( that's no additional charge )

It seems, that you just need to confirm with them, what your family situation is.

 

[Pinktommy]

Markis,

you were in the homestead suite my Aunty was allocated! i recognise the lounge chair; assume it overlooked golf/park? we were on the other side of that block overlooking the river. Must say there was a huge difference between the quality of both suites, ours was more newly renovated with new carpet, paint etc. My Aunty and her family were disappointed we got the pick! But must say they are very good for families. She had 2 kids aged 17 and 15 in rollaways.

 

[markis10]

Markis,

you were in the homestead suite my Aunty was allocated! i recognise the lounge chair; assume it overlooked golf/park? we were on the other side of that block overlooking the river. Must say there was a huge difference between the quality of both suites, ours was more newly renovated with new carpet, paint etc. My Aunty and her family were disappointed we got the pick! But must say they are very good for families. She had 2 kids aged 17 and 15 in rollaways.

Yep, 556 overlooking the golf course, sans golfers during the big wet. I liked the room, plenty of room as such and the twin balconies were handy, at $125 a night I was happy.

 

[Julesmac]

Homestead suite is the biggest room category then Queenslander suites. Rollaways are at no additional cost.

We ate down at the marina at night enjoying the different restaurants down there. Ate at The Fireplace one night at the Intercontinental and used our 50% off PP card, food and service were exceptional.

We saved $1182 on room cost by using newsletter special, stayed 6 paid 3. Also saved 50% dining at The Fireplace one night. Club access guaranteed buffet breakfast, ate afternoon tea every day, and open bar and hot canapés every evening, making friends with other guests. Kids played outside club lounge in evening so we could go in as under 18 not allowed, luckily my Aunty and Uncle joined us so their teenage kids played with my younger ones whilst we kept an eye out the window!

so the $299 PP membership has surely paid off, still have all vouchers too use!!!

Warning - spray yourself silly with tropical strength aeroguard in the evenings.......mossies will eat you alive!

We also took our bikes, conceige locked them in storeroom and got them out when needed. The kids loved riding the golf buggy tracks every morning, whilst I jogged!

On departure I completed the guest review......Monique the GM personally responded that day by email!!!

AM laughing at your comment about the mozzies. We first stayed at Sanctuary Cove in the first three months when the Hyatt first opened (and on many subsequent occasions)Loved the thought of going to the free drinks & canapes in the club lounges. Only thing was, bar opened at 5, just as we were getting mellow, enjoying the fiurst or second glass of bubbles, along came the mini-moke with its howitzer tubes out either side, blasting out anti-mozzie smoke (probably kero mix of some sort) which smelt and tasted vile. Result? Everyone abandoned the joint and left. A very ingenious way of reducing your 'happy hour costs' since to my recollection they did it every night of our first week's stay and at some of our later stays. Guess all the mozzies are long gone, but it's one of our favourite travel stories!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

AM laughing at your comment about the mozzies.

I'm still laughing!

The late Mike Gore first bought the farm land which is now called Sanctuary Cove, with a view of moving his boat building company there. He owned Southern Cross Yachts which had at that point, outgrown it's rather confined land-locked premises and the thought to move to Hope Island was mainly to provide space and waterfront launching..........but HOPE ISLAND??? Who'd want to go to that mozzie ridden swamp? His ideas soon caught the white shoe shuffle and to cut a long story short, Southern Cross Yachts never ended up moving there........in reality Southern Cross Yachts ended up a casualty of that folly.

Anyway, I guess it proves the concept that if you tell enough people, enough times, that you can make strawberry jam from cow dung, at least some will believe you! IMHO, it's now an up-market mozzie ridden swamp that continues to lure the well heeled (and their faithful cans of Bushmans repellant).

 

[jetlagger]

I'm still laughing!


Anyway, I guess it proves the concept that if you tell enough people, enough times, that you can make strawberry jam from cow dung, at least some will believe you! IMHO, it's now an up-market mozzie ridden swamp that continues to lure the well heeled (and their faithful cans of Bushmans repellant).

& it is still a desirable residential enclave attracting notable & distinguished members of society, for residency or part there of.
The Frank Sinatra & Whitney Houston Duo did wonders for attracting the well heeled since 1988.
On a personal note, considering it's age, I still find it one of the best & well maintained hotel & residential developments in Australia, mozzie issue or not.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I still find it one of the best & well maintained hotel & residential developments in Australia, mozzie issue or not.

Yes of course. Without doubt the grand-daddy of Aussie gated resort communities.

It also goes further than that. Sanctuary Cove was the father of freehold seabed ownership in Qld (and possibly Australia) and even had it's own act of parliment (the Sanctuary Cove Act) defining that. Anyone who owns a marina berth outright has to thank Sanctuary Cove for that one because they were all leasehold up until then. The white shoe brigade was at it's peak in those days and Mike Gores shoes were the whitest of the lot! I was a very, very little fish back then, but my company has had many years association with Hope Island and still now my head swims with the goings on that occurred but it really got entertaining when Cheoy Lee sold their share in Sanctuary Cove to Ariadne (sp?) and them and Gore certainly knew how fight.

If anyone has a year or two of spare time, it makes fascinating reading.

 

[Rick93]

Was it THIS property site, that the late ( good ! ) Christopher Skase sunk other people's money into ?? ( wasn't it originally called 'Mirage' - or am I really way off track ? )

 

[serfty]

Was it THIS property site, that the late ( good ! ) Christopher Scase sunk other people's money into ?? ( wasn't it originally called 'Mirage' - or am I really way off track ? )

Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas.

 

[Rick93]

"sorry about that chief" ... ( Maxwell Smart, c. 1965 )

Just a few thousand kms off mark.

 

[markis10]

Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas.

And Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas.

And Sheraton Mirage Main Beach (Gold Coast).

EDIT: Markis10 beat me by "that much" (keeping in the Get Smart vein)

 

[Rick93]

Arhhh! So there was one on the GC.

Ok, thanks for that ...

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Arhhh! So there was one on the GC.

Ok, thanks for that ...

Yes, see this thread

 

[Julesmac]

I have to agree, Jetlagger, and say that back in the day, that Sanctuary Cove was just stunning. Super hotel, great facilities, buzzy little village, divine lagoon pool and the accommodation was also great. Pals had a bit to do with the management so we were frequent visitors for 15 years or so and have always had a marvellous time. Ditto Hyatt Coolum.......in the beginning it was super. I guess SCove will benefit from having a multinational chain managing it and investing heavily in some much needed updates. My heart bleeds for poor old Coolum now that Clive Palmer has his trashy fat fingers on it.:evil: Watch it slide, and weep. We've also stayed at Mirage POrt Douglas a few times too, (again in the earlier days) and that was superb. Whatever the nasty downsides, and I am sure there were many, of Gore & Skase's activities, you have to acknowledge their vision and drive to create a few pieces of superb real estate out of scrub and mangroves. I noted when we were at Mirage for ten days we did not ONCE meet anyone who was paying rack rate! Deals, smeals, and freebies