InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort

The InterContinental brand encompasses an enormous variety of hotels, from urban skyscrapers to seaside classics to this, a high-end contemporary interpretation of a classic Queensland estate. The InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort is a part of the greater Sanctuary Cove development, a country club, shopping center, and residential neighborhood on Hope Island, roughly a third of the way from Gold Coast to Brisbane. This is where seemingly all of Australia goes on holiday, and the appeal of a place like the InterContinental is the way it feels, despite its substantial scale, like something of a private enclave.

The resort’s 251 rooms and suites are quietly contemporary in style, combining a tropical vibe with subtle elements of Art Deco and Modernism. Some have views of the gardens or golf course, others the lagoon or marina.

Guests benefit from access to two golf courses, including the only Arnold Palmer course in Australia, and swimmers will appreciate its one-acre lagoon pool, which comes complete with a white sand beach, calm waters, and none of the deadly sea life for which Queensland is so well known. Also present are a spa, a tennis club, a lap pool, and a marina, and no fewer than four restaurants.