Heron Island Resort♡

Heron Island Resort

8.0

Loved location and wildlife, turtle experiences and snorkelling amazing. Pity the resort is so poorly maintained and run down. Hotel and restaurant staff less than helpful and a lot were incompetent, meals continually stuffed up and wastage was extreme due to the size of some meals (especially the entrees). Obviously the management is very poor or non existent.

Great place but accommodation falling into a state of disrepair

8.0

Amazing place for nature watching. Accommodation is in a poor way and clearly hasn’t been maintained for a long long time - large plants growing from blocked gutters, repairs needed inside (broken curtain pole, toilet roll holder, door handle etc), damaged externals. I can’t fathom why they aren’t getting a company in to fix these up given the cost of the accommodation. I do wonder where all of the money is going. Restaurant was surprisingly ok given the reviews I had read. Plenty of choice at breakfast too. Yes there is bird poo everywhere but that’s what happens when it’s a haven for birds! The staff are amazing and those that have completed science/conservation degrees are so interesting. Overall would recommend. Would go back if the accommodation was seen to, but not if it continued to fall into disrepair.

If you want your kids to love and care for our beautiful planet 🌎 go to Heron

8.0

The staff were amazing, our ferry was cancelled due to bad weather. Celine in the office, went the extra mile to make sure we got to our connecting flights. I so appreciate her help, she was amazing. The coral, the fish, the sea birds and the laying and hatchling turtles were also awesome, if you want to teach your kids to love and care for our beautiful planet 🌎 go to Heron. This place holds a special place in my heart ❤️

Highly recommend going to this wonderful place, if you can set realistic expectations about being amongst nature

10.0

I read reviews beforehand that made me skeptical about going but it’s a fantastic island and wonderful wild life experience. I highly recommend going, and going with some realistic expectations around staying on a remote island with HEAPS of wildlife. Some highlights from a January trip: - seeing turtles laying eggs and hatchlings running into the ocean - seeing heaps of wildlife when snorkelling off the island and on tours - the activities run by the island (most are free) - live music at the bar Some tips: - bring a few more tops/tshirts and hats than you might normally as you will get pooed on by birds - bring hand sanitizer and wash your hands hands before meals given the widespread bird poo - book the rooms with AC if available, it’s worth the money. We only got a room with a fan and it was hard to get comfortable one of the days due to such bad heat - don’t expect a luxurious resort with fantastic food, you’re paying a premium for the wildlife which is absolutely worth it. In saying that the food is pretty good, but not fantastic! - book travel insurance that includes the island as the ferry can be cancelled and helicopter is expensive

Heron Island - summer holiday

8.0

We stayed on Heron Island for 5 nights in the first week of January 2026. Having read the reviews prior to booking, I actively managed the family's expectations on what the experience would be and we ended up having a great time. Firstly, consistent with the reviews, the island is NOT a luxury resort. It is more akin to an "eco resort" and is indeed in need of an upgrade. The food options are also limited, but you are on an island. For ~$40 (adult) all you can eat buffet each night - it is reasonable. The bird droppings are also a hazard. The best thing about the island is the bird and marine life. Just a few meters into the water, we swam with turtles (over 100 come to the beach each night to nest), sting rays (about 20 of them just 5 meters from the shore), 3 sharks (approx. 1 meter in size, so harmless) just off the pontoon, abundance of reef fish and coral. Our days were spent swimming, snorkelling, reading and watching Ashes cricket in the bar in between. It was a wonderful summer holiday. If you want to come and disconnect from the world and reconnect with your teenage kids ... you will have a great experience.

Unhygienic, unsafe, and completely misrepresented.

2.0

This is by far one of the worst places I have ever stayed, and I genuinely cannot understand how it is marketed as a “resort.” From the moment you arrive on the island, you are confronted with an overwhelming number of birds - and with that comes bird droppings everywhere. Paths, buildings, outdoor areas, and even people are constantly being covered. You cannot walk anywhere without an umbrella unless you want to be hit. The smell is unbearable and constant; the entire place smells like a farm or pigsty, and the air feels thick and unpleasant to breathe. Being constantly surrounded by animal waste made me anxious about catching some kind of disease, as it felt incredibly unhygienic and unsafe to be breathing in all the time. To make matters worse, we were initially placed in a room that was very unpleasant. It had no air conditioning, no lock on the door, and was dirty. The room was unbearably hot, sweaty, and felt damp, adding to the already unpleasant smell. It was completely unfit for guests. We were eventually moved to another room (which we had to pay to upgrade to) but aside from having air conditioning, it was no improvement. This room also had no lock, and instead had a sliding glass door that did not fully shut, making it feel even more unsafe. Both rooms were in a terrible condition, poorly maintained, and clearly not held to any acceptable standard. Hygiene is a serious issue. The rooms are outdated, poorly maintained, and visibly unclean. Cushions and throws are stained, floors have marks and dirt, and the overall feeling is that the room has not been properly cleaned or cared for in a very long time. The beds feel cheap and uncomfortable, adding to the sense that no effort has been made to provide even basic comfort. There is also no sense of safety. The doors to the rooms do not lock at all - and my bedroom door didn't even shut correctly. It wasn’t until I questioned the receptionist about why my door had no lock that I was told this was the case for every single room in the resort. This is completely unacceptable and genuinely concerning, especially considering that each room is a separate, standalone unit located outdoors rather than within a secure main building, none of which have a safe. If you are a woman travelling alone, do not stay here! There is no Wi-Fi unless purchased and the packages are a complete rip-off, no air conditioning in some rooms, and none of this was communicated before arrival. These are not minor inconveniences — they significantly affect comfort, especially in a hot, remote location. Food options are also poor. The only option is a buffet, and if you don’t want that, you are forced to take food away in a box. There is not a single sit-down restaurant on the entire island, which reflects incredibly poorly on the level of service. For a place that charges resort prices, this is astonishing. Overall, the place feels neglected, unhygienic, and misrepresented. It looks cheap, smells awful, and feels unsafe. I would strongly advise anyone considering booking here to look elsewhere. This is not a relaxing or enjoyable experience — it is something to endure rather than enjoy.