The Tour Specialists Blog

Just a short note to say thank you for booking our accommodation at Kewarra Beach Resort. You were very helpful and it was a relief to know that everything had been arranged for us.

My husband, our 18 month old daughter and myself all had such a wonderful time we vowed to return Kewarra Beach Resort on our next holiday!

I couldn’t believe how stunning it was and to have our own bungalow right on the beach was simply unforgettable. We have travelled extensively around the world but I don’t ever recall staying in such a gorgeous place with such a beautiful setting. The staff were lovely and the food was delicious. One evening we ordered the Coral Seafood basket which they delivered to our room and we dined on our own private balcony under the stars looking over the beach. It was perfect.
Thanks again, hopefully you will hear from us again some time very soon!

 
Elisa 

One Night in the Rainforest

As a last minute attempt to get out of the city for the weekend my partner and I arranged to stay at Kuranda Resort and Spa on Sunday night. We were scheduled for a 12:00pm check in and decided to get up there as soon as possible to maximize our time. Kuranda Resort and Spa is located about 20 minutes north west of Cairns but feels miles away from the city. The resort is a quick five minute drive away from the main village of Kuranda and is located just off the highway. Upon arriving at Kuranda Resort and Spa we were greeted by an enormous Fijian style lobby with vaulted thatched ceilings and beautiful water features. We wound our way through a rainforest pathway which lead to our room; spa villa #36. The spacious two bedroom villa was all that was available over the long weekend since we booked our accommodation last minute. We chose to sleep in the spacious loft which was accessible by a timber ladder, instead of the downstairs bedroom. The villa had a corner Jacuzzi tub, a mini bar, two televisions, a CD player and a relaxing Egyptian Cotton Day Bed.

After checking in we took a short drive to Kuranda and had lunch and beers at The Kuranda Hotel, which is nearby the Sky Rail and Train Station. I had a burger and fries which surpassed my expectations and my partner had a 500g rump steak which he was extremely pleased with (most notably because of the cheap price). We spent some time walking around Kuranda and then went back to the resort to laze the rest of the afternoon away.

At 7:00 we arrived at the resort’s Forest Fusion Restaurant located in the lobby. With the option of sitting pool or fireside we chose fireside for something different and enjoyed a romantic dinner next to the cozy fire. We enjoyed a few glasses of wine, soup and oysters for entrees, and I had the risotto and my partner had a pizza for the mains. Both meals were good and the portion sizes were more than satisfying. After dinner and drinks we returned to our villa where we enjoyed a peaceful night sleep listening to the transpiring sounds of the rainforest as cool gentle breezes flowed through the villa.

In the morning we were treated to a tropical style continental breakfast which included fresh fruit, toast and yogurt and we spent the rest of the morning packing in as much relaxation as possible before check out at 11:00am.

Kuranda Resort and Spa is a great rainforest escape for locals and tourists alike. The resort has a beautiful four tier swimming pool which is more like four separate pools, a hot tub, sauna, day spa and conference facilities as well. The tourist village of Kuranda and the countryside on the Atherton Tablelands are must see attractions when visiting Cairns. Kuranda Resort and Spa is a great place to stay while exploring this diverse region of Queensland.

Meghan - The Tour Specialists

 On Saturday 21 June the Sebel Reef House & Spa Palm Cove will host and evening of fine food from France’s Champagne region, accompanied by some of the country’s best champagnes by Mr Frank Wilden the owner of Oyster, a highly rewarded Melbourne restaurant.

The evening will commence with champagne on the magnificent Terrace, situated across from the spectacular palm fringed Palm Cove Beach then proceed with the culinary  delights of chef Phillip Mitchell’s  Taste of Champagne Menu!

This night of indulgence is not to be missed and costs $110.00 per person for dinner and champagne.  A night’s accommodation at the Sebel Reef House & Spa is the perfect companion to make the evening a memorable one.  

Please contact Palm Cove Accommodation 1300 799 004.

Port Douglas is once again in annual preparation mode for the highly celebrated Reef & Rainforest Carinvale.  This year the Carnivale will be held from 23 May  - 01 June 2008.
Each year the Carnivale embraces a theme and this year is Bringing the Country to the Coast.

The Reef & Rainforest Carnivale gets off to a bang with the Spectacular Street parade on Friday 23 May where street performers, floats, entertainers and bands all promise to get this year Carnivale off and running.  The Street parade kicks off at around 7.00 pm and finishes off with a fantastic fireworks display!

The Reef & Rainforest Carnivale then continues on throughout the week with the 2C Solar Caps $20,000 Carnivale Fishing Bonanza, Audi Cairns Centre Clipper Cup Boat Races, Sheraton Mirage Art Awards & Masquerade Party, Golf Tournaments, Art Awards, Fashion, Cook offs between some of Port Douglas premier restaurants, Lotsa Printing longest lunch and on Saturday 31 May the Quicksilver Food Wine & A Taste of Port takes place, which is a unforgettable night of great food & wine complimented by fantastic entertainment.  This years headline act is the McClymont’s supported by Hip To Soul. As the theme this year is a little bit country grab your cowboy hat and boots and make sure you pre-book your spot to this sell out annual event! 

Port Douglas Accommodation during the Reef & Rainforest Carnivale is usually extremely heavily booked.  Why not reserve your room now at www.thetourspecialists.com we can also help with any tour arrangements you would like to make.

For many years, double Island has been Australia’s best kept secret located in the azure waters of Tropical North Queensland and has only been available to the chosen few. Guests and celebrities from all points of the globe have stayed on the penultimate tropical island hideaway. Now, a once in a lifetime opportunity exists for some discerning locals who want to experience fine dining and luxury accommodation in a truly exclusive and romantic setting. This new product range is being offered in a series of premium packages for locals to experience the ultimate reward that is Double Island. The first Romantic Packages will be offered on 24th & 31st May 2008. LIMITED TO 10 COUPLES ONLY
ROOM TYPE PERSONS RATE  
Deluxe Villa           $890.00 One Bedroom, Private balcony overlooking the rainforest, marble Floors
 
Conditions: Limited to 10 Couples only for and overnight stay on the night of 24 May or 31 May.
Package Inclusions:
Boat transfer to Double Island at 2:00pm (may vary due to tide times)
Welcome cocktail served by the pool
Afternoon use of resort facilities including resort pool, cinema, games room, library and beachside gymnasium
Pre-dinner glass of champagne on the Coral Sea Deck
3 Course A La Carte Dinner on the Moon Deck
A selection of premium wines and beers served to your table
Overnight accommodation
Live classical music
Breakfast in the Long House Restaurant
Late Checkout
Transfer back to the mainland at 12:00pm (may vary due to tide times)
French Champagne, Cocktails and Spirits available charged on consumption 
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so book now through www.cairnsaccommodation.com and be one of the lucky 10 couples to experience an exclusive night in Paradise that names such as Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves have stayed at!!!

I was very lucky to experience a night on Tropical Green Island.  This small coral cay is located just 50 mins away from Cairns.  Staying on the island was great as there were so many activities, you can choose to go on a helicopter scenic flight, dive, snorkel, glass bottom boat, parasail, sea walker, walk in the rainforest, shop or just relax by the pool and enjoy the dining…. You will always find something to experience!

My overnight trip to Green Island was in fact my work annual get together. This was the perfect destination for such an occasion.

All our staff met at the Reef Fleet Terminal for check-in and boarded the boat for a 1pm departure. During the 50 minute cruise I sat back and enjoyed the view from the upper deck of the Great Adventures boat.  On arrival at Green Island we were welcomed by our Managing Directors and a resort staff member. We were then escorted to the resort and allowed some time to check in before meeting the rest of our team for some fun games on the beach!
Everything was perfectly organized in a casual and friendly atmosphere by our Conference Incentive & Accommodation Specialists team. The afternoon activities provided much laughter, running, falling and eating sand and a few drinks…. After all our fun we headed back to our luxury suites to hose of all the sand and get ready for cocktails by the pool.  The time of day provided us with such a relaxing ambiance: you get the island for yourself (all the boats are gone) and you just have to “put up” with all the beautiful birds around you that consider that the island as theirs at night.

Unfortunately our BBQ dinner on the beach ended up at the restaurant due to the rainy weather. The buffet was excellent, especially the mushroom sauce made by their French chef! Delicious! After this sumptuous dinner we all decided to go back to the beach and watch the stars… and of course have a few more drinks. I don’t know why, after a while I ended up with a big headache so this was maybe the sign for me to go back to my suite. On the way back I passed by the resort pool and made a stop to enjoy the beautiful scenery at night, sitting in a long chair and listening to the silence!!

After a good (but short) night sleep and still a bit of a headache I thought a coffee would be really appropriate so I went to the restaurant. Breakfast looked so nice that I decided to give it a go. It was excellent.

I did not have the opportunity to do much before I got the 12.00noon ferry back to Cairns but lots of activities were available to me during my stay as they were included in my overnight package:

 Welcome cocktails & Island presentation
 Guided eco & rainforest walks
 Guided night nature walks
 Self guided walks & information
 Fish feeding daily
 Entry to the world’s oldest Underwater Observatory
 Glass bottom boat tour
 Windsurfers, surf skis & canoes
 Beach volleyball
 Snorkelling equipment 
 Beach chairs & umbrellas at Beach Hire

The location of this resort (46 luxurious suites) is exclusive: On the Reef and in the middle of the Rainforest! It also has its private swimming pool and internet access lounge for its guests.

Room Facilities:
 Remote control colour TV
 Complimentary cable TV
 Individually controlled air-conditioning
 Ceiling fans
 Direct dial ISD/STD telephones
 Message waiting system
 Mini-bar and refrigerator
 Complimentary tea & coffee making facilities
 240v/110v electrical points (bathroom only)
 Private balcony with table & chairs
 Full length mirrors
 Writing/make-up desks with mirror (Reef Suites only)
 Slippers (Reef Suites only)
 Bathrobes
 Hairdryer & complimentary personal grooming items
 Shower & separate bath
 In-room safe
 Pool & beach towels (available from Reception)
 Iron & ironing board
 Rechargeable torch
 Portable beach chairs (available from Beach Hire)

Green Island is a perfect location for your Seminars or Incentives

   The TTS Team arrive on Green Island 

Florence - The Tour Specialists Hilton Cairns

Good morning,

We have just arrived back from our holiday in Perth Cairns and Singapore, and want to thank you guys for all the preparations.  Everything worked like clockwork. We especially want to thank you for assisting Mmaphuti with her sudden change of plans. 

The cruise on the Great Barrier Reef was awesome.  The crew on the Santa Maria (the skipper is South African, by the way, and with South Africa just having won the world cup rugby, there were lots to celebrate), was the best anyone could have asked for.  They went out of their way to make everyone comfortable, and thanks to the one on one attention, my 65 yr old friend can now snorkel.

The diving instructor is especially well trained and convinced most on board to do a diving experience.

The meals were out of this world.  However, the hot shower was not working and that was a bit of a put off.

Our accommodation at the Reef Gateway was superb and well situated on the main road for easy access into town.

thank you once more.

rashida