Airlie Beach: a paradise island in one of Earth’s most precious places
By Lallie Fraser
Airlie Beach is glitzy and gorgeous, with colours reminiscent of a Slim Aarons photograph – you would be rightly tempted to stay a night or two in this technicolour dream. Or, jump on a 15 minute helicopter ride over the blues of the Whitsundays to Elysian Retreat, Australia’s first hotel that is 100% solar powered which opened in 2019. Elysian Retreat rebalances what’s important when on holiday, letting the private setting take centre stage. With only 10 villas overlooking the sea in a 3 hectare private cove, this is Robinson Crusoe meets India Hicks. Every corner of each room has been carefully curated creating such a peaceful environment, you are arrested by the sense of slowing down and absorbing it in.
Sit in the hammock on your private balcony or head to the pool, where you have to blink twice to believe the scenery is real. There is a central octagonal villa where all meals take place, as well as housing an excellent game selection and an eclectic library. If you’re not a fussy eater, let Thom the chef choose your food for you, which will have been grown in their island garden or sourced from a local island or mainland. The dishes are always perfect for the mood: black salt Spanish mackerel with a quinoa, coriander and cashew Salad with a Ginger Salsa, coconut tapioca pudding with mango, orange and mint salsa and star anise syrup, and more…
Photo credit: Uniqwa
By being completely off-grid, Elysian Retreat avoids up to 120 tons of carbon emissions per year as the power of the sun operates all electricity as well as evading the need for fuel to be transported to the island too. There is minimal waste, the amenities in the room are Aussie-made and earth friendly (and delicious) and the spa offers Ayurvedic-inspired treatments. Each detail is precious, from the telescope to spy the unadulterated view of the twinkly night sky, kayaks to explore the shore and private yoga classes to start or conclude your day in the most chilled out way. When the discussions of how quickly we might have to get home started to take place, the idea of getting stranded at Elysian Retreat were extremely tempting. It is such an intimate setting, you soon feel like part of the family run by Charlton and his wonderful team.