The one type of traveller behind the rise of the luxe hotel stay

Louise Goldsbury Louise Goldsbury
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Not that I need an upgrade from a Sydney Opera House-facing room, but when I mention it’s my 50th birthday, the staff are not surprised. Everyone, it seems, is celebrating something at Crown Towers. Some people don’t know it yet – such as the women whose boyfriends plan to propose this weekend – while others have chosen the venue for its all-in-one excellence. 

The glamorous hotel has a world-class spa, the city’s highest rooftop bar, several top restaurants including Oncore by Michelin-starred chef Clare Smyth, and an infinity pool with over-water daybeds, private cabanas and Darling Harbour views. Even the hard-to-impress locals love it, with more than one-third of guests from NSW in 2024.  

The rise of the milestones

Increasing numbers of people are choosing to stay in hotels to mark milestones. According to the concierge at Crown Towers Sydney, there’s an equal split between birthdays, anniversaries and engagements. Other occasions include divorce, retirement, graduation, pregnancy, a new job or promotion. Some guests book after receiving an inheritance or redundancy payment or overcoming a serious illness. 

My celebration lasts for four days, starting with an indulgent breakfast at the sprawling international buffet, trying a different restaurant each night, and then drinks on the big day with 30 friends before a boat party departing from nearby King Street Wharf.  

King Street Wharf in Sydney
The writer celebrated her 50th with a stay at Crown Towers Sydney and a boat party from nearby King Street Wharf. (Image: Getty/gionnixxx)

I meet a couple from Sydney celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with their children and grandchildren. “We wanted our family to join us for this big one, but not for the whole weekend. This was the perfect place to bring everyone together for lunch, and then we’ll have dinner by ourselves and get a massage tomorrow." 

Another couple told me they chose Crown because “you feel like a VIP" and “everything is organised for you". 

Celebration and Love Packages are designed for those who want to make it more extravagant. Among the tailored treats are French Champagnes, flowers, balloons, LED candles, cakes, cheese boards, teddy bears, bathrobes with personalised embroidery, heart-shaped rose petals on the bed, or lightbox letters and numbers that spell out a special message. Original ideas are also welcome for the concierge team to customise.  

Crown Towers Sydney Presidential Suite
The Presidential Villa at Crown Towers Sydney is the ultimate milestone location.

As people get older, they are more inclined to celebrate life with extraordinary travel experiences. A 2024 report by Globetrender found that over-50s are three times more interested in travelling to mark a milestone than their younger counterparts. Gen X “milestoners" might kick off a mid-career gap year at a fancy hotel, while baby boomers are opting to start their retirement with a trip overseas.  

The desire for “carpe diem celebrations" has intensified in recent years, according to UK-based luxury tour operator cazenove+loyd, which has observed a 40 per cent increase in requests for 50th, 60th or 70th birthday trips since the pandemic.  

Solo travel is an emerging hot trend for milestones. A survey by Webjet revealed one-third of Australians would travel alone for a significant birthday, 23 per cent after a relationship break-up (even though travelling while heartbroken can backfire), and 48 per cent upon retirement.  

Hotels responding to the trend

More hotels in Australia are responding to this demand by offering room upgrades and discount packages for milestones, especially if you book direct. In some cases, there is no extra charge or small gifts appear as a surprise. The chance of a freebie is why some Aussies deliberately time their travels for special occasions.  

Woman celebrating with a stay at Shangri-La The Marina Cairns
Shangri-La The Marina Cairns is one of several hotels crafting packages for milestone travellers. (Image: Tropical North Queensland)

The Westin Brisbane, home to the city’s only swim-up pool bar and Guy Grossi’s award-winning restaurant, Settimo, is known for its personalised touch. “Our staff connects with guests from the moment they check in to find out who they are and why they are staying with us," says general manager Kelvin Ramm. “From there, we send something up to the room to recognise their milestone, like wine or chocolates, along with a thoughtful card that mentions the interaction." 

InterContinental Sydney provides complimentary treats in suites, such as balloons or the chef’s signature ‘birthday dome’. Guests can also coordinate with the hotel team to curate experiences, such as in-suite dinner parties, for an extra fee. 

In Cairns, at Shangri-La The Marina, chocolates and a bottle of bubbly will be waiting in the room upon arrival. The Shangri-La Celebration offer also includes daily breakfast for two in The Backyard waterfront restaurant. 

Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort and Spa has a Baby Shower Package designed for groups of 15 people or more. The party venue comes with an iced tea station, a photo wall, platters of food and cupcakes topped with sugar baby feet.  

Ovolo Woolloomooloo turns up the royal treatment for birthdays with decorated guestrooms and a special badge that provides perks such as personalised selfie sticks, a hotel-wide music playlist and a signature cocktail named after you. 

If you’re a member of a hotel loyalty program, check for additional rewards on your birthday. Crown Perth has extra enticements for West Australians who join the free Crown Rewards program. During their birthday month, members receive complimentary valet parking, a bottle of sparkling wine, breakfast and late check-out. 

Another idea is to book out a floor for the exclusive use of your party guests. QT Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth offer Floor’d packages with optional drinks on arrival, food, pop-up bars, DJs or performers.  

With enough advance planning, milestoners can book an entire property such as Mysa Motel, a seven-bedroom motel in Palm Beach, Queensland.  

Alternatively, book several rooms and the poolside events space at Adina Chippendale, in the inner-city suburbs of Sydney. This secluded sanctuary has studios overlooking a pool and courtyard that can be hired for daytime fun or a summer party under the stars.   

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Other milestone hotels around Australia

NSW

  • Capella Sydney 
  • Park Hyatt Sydney 
  • Four Seasons Sydney 
  • Intercontinental Sydney 
  • Crystalbrook Byron – Byron Bay 
  • Bells at Kilcare – Central Coast 
  • Bannisters – Mollymook & Port Stephens 
  • Ovolo Woolloomooloo 
sydney opera house
Park Hyatt Sydney is set amongst the icons.

Qld

a hammock on the balcony of Silky Oaks Lodge
Silky Oaks Lodge is the perfect setting for a milestone celebration.

Vic

  • Langham Hotel – Melbourne 
  • Ritz-Carlton Melbourne 
  • QT Melbourne 
  • Peninsula Hot Springs 
  • Balgownie Yarra Valley 
  • Eaglehawk Country House Hotel  
Eco Lodge Peninsula Hot Springs
The Eco Lodges at Peninsula Hot Springs bring relaxation to your next milestone celebration. (Image: Alarna O’Connell)

SA

Southern Ocean Lodge The Baillie Pavilion
Southern Ocean Lodge The Baillie Pavilion offers unbeatable views of Kangaroo Island.

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insider tips, offers, and more.

Tas

  • Saffire Freycinet 
  • Kittawa Lodge – King Island 
  • Pumphouse Point – Lake St Clair 
  • The Henry Jones Art Hotel – Hobart  
  • MACq 01 – Hobart 
Couple on MACq01 hotel balcony overlooking Hobart waterfront
Expansive waterfront views are one of MACq 01 – Hobart’s  many drawcards. (Image: Stu Gibson)

NT

Uluru Longitude 131
Longitude 131° offers rooms with a view of Uluru. (Image: Baillie Lodges)

WA

  • Crown Towers Perth 
  • Ritz-Carlton Perth  
  • COMO The Treasury  
  • Samphire Rottnest – Rottnest Island 
  • El Questro Homestead – the Kimberley 
  • Cable Beach Club Resort and Spa – Broome 
a modern bathroom with a bathtub at COMO The Treasury, Perth
COMO The Treasury in Perth is the epitome of urban luxury.
Louise Goldsbury
Twice named Best Travel Writer at the National Travel Industry Awards, Louise is an occasionally Sydney-based writer, who spends most of the year on luxury cruises. When on land, she embarks on road trips to review hotels, spa resorts and wine regions around Australia.
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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

    The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

    But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

    Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

    Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

    Exploring K’gari

    ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
    Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

    This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

    If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

    The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

    kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
    Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

    If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

    While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise. Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

    The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

    Unwind at sunset

    two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
    Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

    As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

    The Sunset Bar, located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

    When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

    Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

    Indulge and disconnect

    woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
    Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

    The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

    Getting there

    kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
    The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.