The winners of the Boutique Hotel Awards 2018 were announced last night at the prestigious awards ceremony in London.  Boutique owners, travel and lifestyle press and travel industry influencers from around the globe attended the awards.

The Boutique Hotel Awards is an international awards organisation which is dedicated to recognising unique excellence among luxury boutique hotels.

Winners were selected from over 300 nominees in over 80 countries. Each entrant was nominated by a member of the Awards Nomination Committee, comprising of over 70 leading travel experts.

Each property is visited personally by an experienced hotel judge which specialises in each category and undertakes first-hand guest experience of the property.

Entrants were judged on six categories: dining and entertainment, design, facilities, location and, most importantly, staff service and overall emotional impact. These extensive hand-written evaluations are meticulously studied by our Awards Panel, which decides our regional and World's Best Award winners.

"We are delighted and excited to have won this award, it's great that we have been recognised for our hard work and commitment to the environment.  We have a wonderful team that help us strive for excellence and gives our guests the best possible experience" says, Wayne and Laureth Rumble, Pumpkin Island owners.

Mary Carroll, CEO Capricorn Enterprise, says, "This is well deserved and Wayne, Laureth and the team work extremely hard to manage and maintain the sustainability, beauty and uniqueness of their island environment.  It's no surprise that their dedication to environmental sustainability has been noticed. The Southern Great Barrier Reef is our region's biggest drawcard, so it is so important that we all do our part to look after it."
Awards like this showcase the amazing tourism products in the Capricorn Coast and the greater Southern Great Barrier Reef destination to both locals and visitors.

ENDS:

For more information or media comment contact:
Mary Carroll                                                                     
CEO Capricorn Enterprise                                             
0417 669 286                                                                  

GILI LANKANFUSHI, THE MALDIVES: Suspended over crystal clear waters, each of Gili Lankanfushi’s luxurious lagoon villa suites enjoys its own private hammock from where you can take in the A to Z of marine life for which the Maldives is so renowned.

Eagle rays, reef sharks, and shoals of snapper pass you by, as you snooze away the afternoon, dangling over lapping waves. Located in the North Male Atoll, the leading luxury eco-resort also features an overwater hammock in its central living area and high rollers can splurge on the private reserve, which is the largest overwater villa in the world. gili-lankanfushi.com

PUMPKIN ISLAND, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA: Swinging daybeds are the definition of summer laziness and there’s no better place to slumber in one than on your very own private island. Positioned in the Southern Great Barrier Reef’s group of Keppel Islands, Pumpkin Island’s seven eco cabins and bungalows can be rented out exclusively.

Each accommodation comes with its own hammock or swing chair in which would-be castaways can relax in between snorkelling the reef, fishing, or taking in the rich ocean life via glass bottomed kayaks and stand up paddle boards. You can even turn your hammock into an overnight swag, so you can rock-a-bye-baby under a star-speckled sky. pumpkinisland.com.au

S T REGIS LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA: Sitting in an idyllic cove on the southern tip of Puala Langkawi, the in-house Kayu Puti restaurant at the St. Regis Langkawi offers diners dinner and drinks from an overwater hammock. Accessed by a wooden walkway from the hotel entrance, the restaurant stands in the sea on stilts and off its terrace are spacious suspended hammocks over the Andaman Sea where guests can sip cocktails and eat pan-Asian fare while watching the sun dip below the horizon. stregislangkawi.com

RITZ CARLTON AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA, USA: In what may be a world first, Florida’s Ritz Carlton Amelia Island resort have fused the humble hammock with a high end spa treatment. Combining energy work, reflexology, and gentle rocking, the “heaven in hammock” massage is carried out in a specially designed private treatment room by a specially trained therapist, who uses both their hands and feet. Designed to loosen muscles, the hammock elongates the spine giving the spa goer a sense of weightlessness. ritzcarlton.com

SAL SALIS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA: A luxury eco-glamping experience in the dunes of the Cape Range National Park, each of the 16 tents that comprise Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef offer killer views of the surrounding bush and beach, but also a postcard-perfect front deck complete with hammock.

During the day visitors can explore the 500-plus species of colourful fish and 250 coral species that Ningaloo Reef plays home to, and beyond the reef, the heavy hitters of the ocean, including whale sharks, dolphins, humpback whales, and manta rays, before enjoying an afternoon siesta back on dry land as they rock in the Indian Ocean breeze to a soundtrack of bird song, kangaroo rustles and the sound of the surf. Get snap-happy as these beachside hammocks are social media gold mines too. salsalis.com.au

https://www.hayleybracewell.com/blog?fbclid=IwAR3037RsuN8con1heEMKnuxEQ9y2qkniobo72tzr4p8lsbWItl6vHG-orZY

By Alex Chapman For Daily Mail Australia

Nestled in Australia's iconic Southern Great Barrier Reef is Pumpkin Island, a secluded getaway resort which can be rented out for $85 a night.

The whole six-hectare island has a capacity of 26 people and can be hired out for $2200, which works out to $85 a head.
Guests can spread themselves out over five cottages and two bungalows along the shoreline.
The island's website lists activities that guests can enjoy, with the focus being on nature and relaxation.
Nestled in Australia's iconic Southern Great Barrier Reef is Pumpkin Island, a secluded getaway resort which can be rented out for $85 a night.
The whole six-hectare island has a capacity of 26 people and can be hired out for $2200, which works out to $85 a head.
Guests can spread themselves out over five cottages and two bungalows along the shoreline.

The six-hectare Pumpkin Island is nestled within the Southern Great Barrier Reef

Hidden within The Keppels group of Islands, guests can hire out the entire island for $85 a night when at capacity 
The island's website lists activities that guests can enjoy, with the focus being on nature and relaxation.
'It is important to note that doing nothing is considered an activity on Pumpkin Island,' the site says.
Guests who are a bit more adventurous can snorkel and scuba dive in the reef, fish off the coastline and tour the surrounding islands.

The hosts of the accommodation, Wayne and Laureth Rumble, place a huge emphasis on maintaining the eco-friendly character of the resort.
The pair have previously attained Australia’s highest ecotourism certification and long term operational permits granted by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Among many environmentally focused initiatives, biodegradable cleaning products are used and manufactured in Byron Bay, Australia.

The island is tucked away in the The Keppels group, only a few kilometres off the coast of Yeppoon. 
The Great Barrier Reef attracts more than 2.4 million tourists and contributes $3.1 billion to the economy.
Like the nearby Great Keppel Island, Pumpkin Island welcomes overseas visitors hailing from Sweden, Canada, America, Germany, England and France, so it could be that the paradise won't be secret for long.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5930021/Escape-winter-blues-tropical-Australian-island-rent-just-85-night.html

Christine Retschlag, Escape
July 3, 2018 2:00pm

https://www.escape.com.au/australia/the-queensland-island-you-can-hire-for-85-a-night/news-story/e9e73426009e358ce2628d55a0615516

https://eatdrinkandbekerry.net/index.php/2018/06/12/forget-the-prince-i-want-pumpkin-island/

If Cinderella’s carriage had turned into Pumpkin Island on the Southern Great Barrier Reef instead of the edible kind, she would have been laughing at her evil stepsisters.
The only footprints on the beach outside my eco-friendly hut at on the six hectares of paradise known as Pumpkin Island are mine.
There are others on the island, but it feels like I have it all to myself, and I am loving the seclusion. My afternoon has been filled with lazy beachcombing and picking small but sweet oysters off the rocks.
I’m not the only one who appreciates this island. It also is the 2018 winner of the Australasia’s Most Sustainable Hotel award presented by Boutique Hotel Awards in November.

PUMPKIN ISLAND IS PART OF THE KEPPEL GROUPI’ve got my favourite beach swing chair just a few metres from the water’s edge, a bed where I am lulled to sleep by gentle waves lapping the beach. There’s also a plunge pool if I don’t want to take the few steps down to the water for a swim.
The island, located 14 kilometres from Yeppoon in Queensland’s Southern Great Barrier Reef, is part of the Keppel Group.  It once was XXXX Island where people came to drink, drink and drink.  Now it’s a 34 person (maximum), seven self-catering unit holiday island.


SUSTAINABLE PUMPKIN ISLAND ACCOMMODATION You’ve probably already thought, “this sounds like the perfect place for a wedding/party/celebration” and you would be right.  That means hiring the whole island, and that is perfectly possible too.
The eco cabins are very beach chic and powered by sun and wind. The cottages only have sustainable 12 volt solar and wind power which keeps the water pump, fans, lights and fridge going. There is a USB port where you can charge your phone.
Rainwater keeps the tanks filled.  It’s the sort of play where you want to curl up with a book or play board games with the kids after a day of water and beach activities.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH PUMPKIN ISLAND?If there is one flaw here, it is that the phone reception is excellent, although you could pretend otherwise. All this bliss does come with the proviso that you bring your own food, although the managers will stock it up for you if requested.

Although small, the island is big enough and hilly enough to provide interesting walking.  There are a few secluded spots for swimming and some great diving available.
The Pumpkin Express leaves from Keppel Bay Marina and takes about 45 minutes to reach the island.

https://www.yourqueenslandwedding.com.au/blog/find-your-island-honeymoon-in-queensland-456

ROCKHAMPTON is the major centre of the Capricornia region which extends from the Capricorn Coast west to the Central Highlands at Emerald, north to Mackay and south to Gladstone taking in the Southern Great Barrier Reef and the spectacular Great Keppel Island and inland natural wonders like Carnarvon Gorge. And the one food experience not be missed aside from the seafood is of course – the beef.

Keppel Bay Marina. Picture: Nigel Hallett

BEST RESTAURANT/CAFE
Waterline Restaurant at Keppel Bay Marina, outside Yeppoon, takes the win. Family-owned and renowned for Banana Beef from their own cattle property, it’s the only place to sample their prize-winning steaks. It’s got great views, service and locally-sourced fresh produce.
The stunning Great Keppel Island.

BEST ATTRACTION
Great Keppel Island is the hero destination of the region. Stay in beachfront cabins or eco-tents and wake up to spectacular views. Two ferry operators run a 30-minute service between the island and Yeppoon. The calm waters surrounding Great Keppel Island make it perfect for all types of water sports such as snorkelling, stand-up paddleboarding and water-skiing. There are also day tours and sailing trips on the crystal clear waters of the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton holds live rodeo entertainment as well as claims of the best Steakhouse in Queensland. Picture: Lachie Millard

BEST PUB
The Great Western Hotel on the outskirts of Rockhampton is home to the largest indoor rodeo arena in the Southern Hemisphere. Every Wednesday and Friday, they put on a rodeo show. It’s a thrilling feeling to have a ringside beer and steak and watch bull riders battle colossal beasts.
Water meanders through the Carnarvon Gorge National Park. The spectacular sandstone feature was created by water erosion over millions of years. Picture: Bruce Long

BEST NATURAL ATTRACTION
Carnarvon Gorge National Park is like something out of a David Attenborough documentary. It is a natural wonderland, with more than 30km of dramatic sandstone cliffs, lush gorges, creeks and waterfalls. It is also the site of some of Australia’s finest aboriginal rock art.
Judging the Brahman cattle section at Beef Week, Rockhampton. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

BEST EVENT
No Bull. Australia’s national beef expo is one of the world’s great beef cattle events. It is a celebration of all facets of Australia’s beef industry. This year’s event, held at the start of May, featured more than 4500 cattle from over 30 breeds; international trade talks; 500 businesses at a trade fair, and celebrity chefs in a culinary extravaganza of meat. The Paradise Lagoons Campdraft (July 19-22) and Gemfest Festival (August 9-12) should also be on your to-do list.
Pumpkin Island.

BEST PLACE TO STAY
Pumpkin Island, famously known as XXXX island for three years, is an exclusive island eco-retreat with seven cabins. Owned and operated by Wayne and Laureth Rumble, it is your own private piece of paradise on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. You can snorkel fascinating coral reefs off the beach, cook fresh-caught fish, and pretend you’re the Swiss Family Robinson.

BEST TOURIST WALK/DRIVE

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––Dig the Tropic is a self-drive geo-trail that follows the Capricorn Highway from the coast into the Outback. Explore the limestone Capricorn Caves and dodge the micro-bats on a caving adventure. Fossick for thunder eggs at Mt Hay Gemstone Park or visit the historic gold mining town of Mount Morgan. Take Australia’s largest Underground Walk-In Sapphire Mine Tour at Miners Heritage or fossick for sapphires at the Sapphire Gemfields.
READ MORE ON GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/7-best-things-about-queenslands-capricornia-region/news-story/f3913d261cca248a8ed3f17a25b27126?fbclid=IwAR39Z_1pvfdydxz6Y1nQMKWRcqjh5Ag4FWgiSwLNDGsfWLla9thQMAPfcD0

Sojourn Retreats has acquired former resort Paradise Bay Eco Resort on South Long Island in the Whitsundays earlier this year and plans on re-opening the multiple award winning resort as Elysian Retreat in December 2018 following extensive renovations.

Elysian Retreat will become the latest addition to the boutique collection of  Sojourn Retreats that include Pumpkin Island, Eden and Sandcastles.

Elysian will be a blissful escape from the crowds in the Whitsundays.
The 3 hectare private cove, surrounded by rainforest and all the magnificence of the Great Barrier Reef will have a strong emphasis on giving people the opportunity to disconnect from their busy lives, and reconnect with nature. With a focus on minimising our environmental impact and also inspiring our guests to take a part of the island life home.

Elysian is a boutique island retreat with a small team of dedicated staff, including a private chef, to cater to a maximum of 20 guests and will be available for exclusive use.

Elysian is exclusively for guests aged 16 or over and will focus on the wellbeing of guests with several features to enhance this unique island experience.

Visit www.elysianretreat.com.au for further information.