Noosa Blue Resort includes two pools and a spa, along with a steam room and a fully equipped gym.
Getting there: About an hour and 40 minutes’ drive on the M1 from Brisbane Airport. Direct flights with Air NZ from Auckland to Sunshine Coast Airport are seasonal, usually flying from July to October. From December 2024, a year-round Auckland-Sunshine Coast Airport route will be operated by Jetstar.
Style: Originally inspired by Mexican architect Ricardo Legoretta, who incorporated the themes of earth, sky, light and colour into his work. Here you’ll find calming neutral shades, tiled floors and rattan furniture in spacious suites.
Price: Ranges from $219 per night for a deluxe suite to $279 per night for the premium penthouse suite.
Perfect for: Couples or friends looking for a relaxing weekend experience. For New Zealanders, it’s a great base for a mid-year getaway from the winter blues.
First impressions: Despite the fact that we were there for the Noosa Eat & Drink Festival on one of the holiday town’s busiest weekends of the year, Noosa Blue was calm and relaxed from the moment we walked through the doors and heard the trickle of a water feature echoing from the in-house yoga studio.
The rooms at Noosa Blue resort include private balconies overlooking a pool.
There’s a faint scent of chlorine, reminiscent of family holidays, and the staff are warm and welcoming, checking us in early as we arrived a few hours ahead of time after an early morning flight.
Rooms: The Oasis Suite is less of a room and more of an apartment whose size rivals that of our Auckland home. The bedroom - which includes a spa bath - leads into a generously sized lounge and kitchen area to a private balcony with views of the pool below.
Bathroom: The bathroom is more utility than luxury, with a washer-dryer squeezed next to the vanity, toilet and shower on either side. But it’s a welcome sight when you come up from a soak in the pool and realise you’ll need to wash and dry your togs before repacking them for your flight home. The bathroom included Ideology toiletries and a hair dryer.
Food and drink: Aloha Coffeehouse is located within the building, part of Aloha Active yoga, Pilates and cycle studio. It’s open daily from 7am to 12pm and is a good option if you don’t feel like walking far for your morning brew or fancy a smoothie by the pool.
If you’re after something more substantial, bustling Hastings St is just a 15-minute walk down the hill. Just bear in mind you’ll have to walk back up - or you can catch a free bus if your stay falls on a weekend.
Facilities: Most of the rooms have an in-room spa bath, and there are two outdoor pools and an outdoor spa. Nearby, there’s a steam room, with gym access downstairs and Aloha Active offering yoga and Pilates classes, as well as massages.
Each room includes a washer-dryer, hair dryer, ironing board and clothes rack. If you’re driving, there’s complimentary parking and EV charging on site. If not, there’s a bus stop right outside the resort.
Family friendly: The suites are designed for couples and young families, so you could bring your baby or toddler along - the in-room living area, kitchenette and laundry facilities will add to the appeal for parents.
Sustainability: While you can choose to opt out of housekeeping or laundry service in most modern hotels, here the in-room washer-dryer means you can decide whether - and when - to do your own laundry.
It was surprising to see toiletry minis in the bathroom, though according to the resort’s general manager, there are plans to switch to refillable bottles.
Guests can recycle items through Containers for Change, with proceeds donated to charity Koala Krusaders, and they can choose to offset the carbon emissions from their stay.
Accessibility: Accessible rooms can be arranged, contact staff for more details.
