Sanctuary Palm Cove

Attractive property in a good location — which makes the experience more disappointing. We paid five-star rates ($700+/night) for a week. On our last full day, a housekeeper knocked loudly and entered our apartment before 9am, unannounced and without consent, while my husband and children were asleep. My young daughter was frightened by a stranger coming into the room and called me in a panic while I was at the gym. No servicing was scheduled — the resort’s own website says guests are left “without unnecessary interruptions” unless a service is arranged. When I raised it at reception, I was initially told we “should be up by 9” before management later apologised. Separately, housekeeping accidentally took my daughter’s toy with the linen and returned it damaged, and a leaf blower ran near our apartment around 8am every single morning — at a resort called Sanctuary which advertised being a quiet and serene place. There was also a funny odour coming from the drains in the bathroom ..

OMG this place is amazing. I was lucky enough to win a competition and the prize was 5 nights here. The photos looked amazing, but when I arrived is was so much bigger than expected. We walked in the door to be greeted with a real WOW factor. The staff are lovely and helpful. It is walking distance to the beach and speciality shops, there are no stairs at all, and it is only a short commute to all the tourist attractions. If I could rate Sanctuary higher, I would.

I chose to stay a little outside Cairns. Palm Cove is a peaceful spot with plenty of cafes and restaurants and a lovely seafront promenade. And Sanctuary is the icing on the cake. A place with character, undeniable design, high quality, and top-notch amenities. Highly recommended.

Great place

I stayed at Sanctuary Palm Cove for an extended stay and came away with rather mixed feelings. The resort itself is attractive, peaceful and very well located, and the reception staff were absolutely lovely. They were friendly, helpful and responsive throughout my stay. I had a prolonged problem with the Wi-Fi and, although it took a considerable time to resolve, the staff kept me informed and arranged temporary access to the Wi-Fi from a neighbouring property, which at least provided limited connectivity. My main reservations concern the accommodation itself. It looks quite luxurious at first sight, but I found the open-plan design awkward in practice. There are partitions rather than proper separation between the bedroom, bathroom and toilet. From the toilet I could see both the bedroom and the front door. Some people may enjoy this very open style, but I found the lack of privacy distinctly odd. The kitchenette was also disappointing for a property promoted as self-contained. There was very little usable workspace and an extremely limited supply of glasses, cutlery and cooking utensils, with no proper sharp kitchen knife. With only a couple of glasses and very few knives and forks, I found myself running the dishwasher after virtually every meal. Sanctuary describes its accommodation as providing the comforts of home and its Studio as having a kitchenette and unlimited free Wi-Fi. Technically those facilities were there, but for a longer stay I didn’t find the kitchen adequately equipped, and the extended Wi-Fi problem was a significant inconvenience. There is much to like about Sanctuary, particularly the setting and the excellent staff, but the accommodation was less practical and comfortable than its rather luxurious appearance suggested. For a short stay these issues might matter much less, but after an extended stay I don’t think I would choose to stay here again.

Fantastic place. Apartments are huge, great appliances no expense spared. The pool was lovely too. Close to all restaurants with an easy walk.

Beautiful spacious and peaceful!