Finalists Revealed – The People’s Choice Awards 2014 shortlist

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The people have spoken… in Australian Traveller magazine’s People’s Choice Awards 2014. After an overwhelming number  of nominations here is the finalists shortlist – (in no particular order).

Winners will be announced at our award ceremony to be held at the brand-new InterContinental Sydney Double Bay on Monday, December 1. Follow us on Twitter (using #ATPeoplesChoice) and Facebook for updates. The full list of winners will appear in Australian Traveller ‘Best Holidays of 2015’ edition, out December 4.

Excited? We are! Good luck to all the finalists.

AUSTRALIA’S BEST STAYS

BEST HOTEL

  • Crown Towers Melbourne, Vic
  • QT Sydney, NSW
  • Langham Melbourne, Vic
  • Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW
  • Shangri-La Sydney, NSW

BEST LUXURY RESORT

  • Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, NSW
  • Southern Ocean Lodge, SA
  • Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania
  • qualia, Hamilton Island, Qld
  • One&Only Hayman Island, Qld

BEST AFFORDABLE RESORT

  • Pinetrees Lord Howe Island, NSW
  • Emma Gorge at El Questro, Kimberley, WA
  • Mantra on Salt Beach, Kingscliff, NSW
  • Desert Gardens Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort, NT
  • Crowne Plaza, Hunter Valley, NSW

BEST HOTEL SPA

  • Spa qualia, Hamilton Island, Qld
  • Salus Spa, Lake House, Daylesford, Vic
  • The Spa at Byron at Byron, NSW
  • Crown Spa, Crown Towers Melbourne, Vic
  • Chuan Spa, Langham Melbourne, Vic

BEST QUIRKY ACCOMMODATION

  • Atlantic Byron Bay, Byron Bay, NSW
  • QT Hotel Sydney, NSW
  • Roar and Snore, Taronga Zoo, NSW
  • White Cliffs Underground Motel, White Cliffs, NSW
  • Undara Lava Tubes Wilderness Lodge, Savannah Way, Qld

BEST GLAMPSITE

  • Paperbark Camp, Jervis Bay, NSW
  • Longitude 131, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT
  • Sal Salis, Ningaloo Reef, WA
  • Nightfall Wilderness Camp, Lamington National Park, Qld
  • Eco Beach, Broome, WA

BEST CAMPSITE

  • Peoples’ Park Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, WA
  • Clarkes Beach Holiday Park, Byron Bay, NSW
  • Lake Argyle Caravan Park, WA
  • Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, Airlie Beach, Qld
  • Ayers Rock Resort, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT

 

AUSTRALIA’S BEST TOWNS

CITY OF THE YEAR

  • Hobart, Tas
  • Sydney, NSW
  • Melbourne, Vic
  • Perth, WA
  • Brisbane, Qld

BEST BEACH TOWN

  • Port Douglas, Qld
  • Noosa, Qld
  • Byron Bay, NSW
  • Lorne, Vic
  • Coral Bay, WA
  • Broome, WA
  • Airlie Beach, Qld
  • Mooloolaba, Qld
  • Jervis Bay, NSW
  • Yamba, NSW

FRIENDLIEST TOWN

  • Broome, WA
  • Airlie Beach, Qld
  • Byron Bay, NSW
  • Cairns, Qld
  • Exmouth, WA

COSIEST TOWN

  • Bright, Vic
  • Leura, NSW
  • Margaret River, WA
  • Daylesford, Vic
  • Stanthorpe, Qld

BEST KEPT SECRET COUNTRY TOWN

  • Ballarat, VIC
  • Mudgee, NSW
  • Exmouth, WA
  • Orange, NSW
  • Broome, WA

 

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

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AUSTRALIA’S BEST SUMMERS

SEXIEST HOTEL POOL

  • qualia, Hamilton Island, Qld
  • Adelphi Hotel, Melbourne, Vic
  • Palazzo Versace, Surfer’s Paradise, Qld
  • Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, NSW
  • One&Only Hayman Island, Qld
  • Lake Argyle Caravan Park, Kimberley, WA
  • Crown Metropol, Perth, WA
  • Park Hyatt, Sydney, NSW
  • Spicers Peak Lodge, Scenic Rim, Qld
  • Peppers Palm Cove, Qld

BEST BEACH

  • Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW
  • Cable Beach, Broome, WA
  • Whitehaven beach, Whitsunday Island, Qld
  • Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay, NSW
  • Main Beach, Noosa, Qld

MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND GETAWAY

  • Hayman Island, Qld
  • Hamilton Island, Qld
  • Lord Howe Island, NSW
  • Kangaroo Island, SA
  • Fraser Island, Qld

BEST CRUISING EXPERIENCE

  • Cruising the Kimberly coastline
  • Bareboating in the Whitsundays
  • Cruising Sydney harbour
  • Cruising on a big liner
  • Sailing on Ningaloo Reef

 

AUSTRALIA’S BEST EATS

BEST FOOD REGION

  • Tamar Valley, Tas
  • Central West NSW
  • Yarra Valley, Vic
  • Margaret River, WA
  • McLaren Vale, SA

BEST WINE REGION

  • Barossa Valley, SA
  • Yarra Valley, Vic
  • McLaren Vale, SA
  • Hunter Valley, NSW
  • Margaret River, WA

BEST CITY RESTAURANT

  • Quay, Sydney, NSW
  • Vue de Monde, Melbourne
  • Attica, Melbourne
  • Rockpool, Bridge St, Sydney
  • Aria, Sydney

BEST REGIONAL RESTAURANT

  • Biota, Bowral, NSW
  • Rick Stein at Bannisters, Mollymook, NSW
  • Lake House, Daylesford, Vic
  • Muse Restaurant, Pokolbin, NSW
  • Hentley Farm, Barossa Valley, SA

BEST REGIONAL CAFÉ CULTURE

  • Mornington Peninsula, Vic
  • Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Qld
  • Margaret River Region, WA
  • Byron Bay Hinterland, NSW
  • Southern Highlands, NSW

 

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insider tips, offers, and more.

AUSTRALIA’S BEST JOURNEYS

BEST ROAD TRIP

  • Great Ocean Road, Vic
  • East Coast Escape, Tasmania
  • Pacific Coast (Sydney, NSW to Brisbane, Qld)
  • Gibb River Road, Kimberley, WA
  • The Nullarbor (Ceduna, SA to Perth, WA)

BEST TRAIN TRIP

  • Indian Pacific, NSW-SA-WA
  • Kuranda Scenic Railway, Qld
  • The Sunlander, Qld
  • The Ghan, SA–NT
  • Puffing Billy Railway, Vic

 

AUSTRALIA’S BEST AIR TRAVEL

BEST AIRPORT

  • Adelaide Airport, SA
  • Brisbane Airport, Qld
  • Cairns Airport, Qld
  • Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), Vic
  • Sydney Airport, NSW

BEST MAJOR AIRLINE

  • Qantas Airways
  • Virgin Australia
  • Jetstar
  • Tigerair

BEST REGIONAL AIRLINE

  • AirNorth
  • QantasLink
  • REX
  • Skywest
  • Skytrans

 

BEST OVERALL TRAVEL EXPERIENCE OF 2014

  • Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef
  • Seeing Uluru at sunset
  • Swimming with Ningaloo’s whale sharks
  • Exploring the Kimberley
  • Doing the Top End

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6 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

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    Wellness travel is no longer just green juices and massages. Here’s what to look for in a hotel that helps you truly recharge.

    Wellness means different things to different people. For some, it’s nourishing the body (and soul) with healthy food. Others find balance in movement, while for many, sleep is the elixir of life.

    The right hotel now needs to be more than just a place to drop your bags. It needs to be a destination in itself. A place to calm your nervous system and support your wellness from check-in to check-out.

    1. Easy access to good food

    The modern dining space at The Ternary in Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour with views of Darling Harbour.
    Enjoy waterfront dining at The Ternary.

    Rethinking hotel dining, Novotel is focusing on food that supports how people travel. Created in collaboration with chef and recipe creator Alfie Steiner, its new menu offers thoughtfully sourced, plant-forward dishes that balance taste, freshness and nutrition.

    Experience seasonal produce among the skyscrapers at The Ternary inside Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour. Overlooking the waterfront, this popular restaurant serves up sustainable ingredients across their grill, Asian and dessert kitchens. Chilled mixed cocktails from the bar can finish the night.

    For something more relaxed (and much further north) MOKU Bar & Grill at Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort is set alongside the lagoon-style pool, complete with Cairns’ only swim-up bar. Fresh, tropical flavours complement the warm breeze and lush gardens.

    2. Better sleep options

    The guest room and plush bed at Novotel Melbourne Airport, designed for a comfortable and restful stay.
    Recharge before your next flight.

    There’s nothing quite like the crisp white sheets of a well-made hotel bed. Beyond fresh linen and perfectly made beds, Novotel works with sleep experts, including Australia’s Olivia Arezzolo, to create a better-designed sleep environment for its guests. Things like pillow menus, in-room yoga channels and advice for getting over jet lag make spending a night in selected hotels more of a luxury.

    Novotel Melbourne Airport takes it one step further by also offering soundproofed rooms, a 24-hour health club, a heated indoor pool and an infrared sauna. Stopovers, day trips and early mornings come a little easier after a good night’s sleep.

    3. More ways to move

    The well-equipped gym at Novotel Melbourne Airport, offering everything needed for a convenient workout.
    Prioritise wellness while you travel.

    Feeling rested makes it easier to move your body, both for relaxation and fitness. Novotel’s spa and fitness centres not only have fully equipped gyms, saunas and steam rooms. But they also offer luxurious spas to massage worries away.

    Nowhere is this more useful than the 24/7 gym, sauna and wellness facilities at Higher State Health & Wellness Club, accessible for Novotel Melbourne Airport guests. Need to stretch after a long flight? Try the gym or one of the 25-metre indoor swimming pools. Need to unwind a little? A session in the infrared sauna may help.

    4. Building family memories

    The sandy lagoon pool at Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, featuring a real sand beach for family fun.
    Make family holidays effortless.

    The right hotel can make or break a family holiday, so choosing one that caters to both adults and small humans is key.

    With kids’ activities daily, including movie nights and sandcastle-building competitions, Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort always keeps kids in mind. The real sand beach at the end of their large, outdoor pool provides hours of digging and building space for younger kids, while older kids will love the craft and trivia sessions.

    For nature-loving families, Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort is set on 36 hectares of natural bushland around a private freshwater lagoon. Kangaroos roam freely, and local birdlife creates a calming soundtrack to your holidays. Kayak on the lagoon, swim in the refurbished pool and spa, or take part in some of the creative kids’ activities. Plus, children aged 15 and under eat breakfast for free when dining with a paying adult.

    5. Location is key

    People strolling through Melbourne's iconic Degraves Street, lined with bustling cafés and laneway charm.
    Wander the city’s iconic laneways. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Staying close to where you want to be can reduce stress as well as taxi costs. However, finding a hotel that’s both central and comfortable can be challenging. Novotel has over 600 hotels across more than 65 countries, from major city centres to tourist destinations. In Australia, Novotel has a knack for offering central locations and convenience.

    Novotel Perth Murray Street is in the heart of Perth, surrounded by cafes and restaurants and only a short walk from the shops and dining options of Elizabeth Quay. However, the heated rooftop pool and hotel restaurant, Miss Mi Perth, will keep guests busy too.

    Novotel Melbourne on Collins couldn’t be closer to the action, with Federation Square, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the arts centre only minutes away. Window shoppers can browse Bourke Street Mall, Royal Arcade and the historic Block Arcade. Or, grab a coffee in the famous Degraves Street and Centre Place. While venturing out is easy, leaving the heated pool, gym and in-room dining won’t be.

    6. Giving back

    Sea turtle, Diving in Daphne Menor, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
    Protect our oceans as you explore.

    Holidays tend to connect us with beaches, coastlines and waterways, making ocean conservation something travellers can appreciate. Through its partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Novotel supports conservation projects around the world, such as protecting seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean, tackling discarded fishing nets in the Baltic Sea and whale conservation in Australia.

    Novotel has also been championing sustainable seafood across its restaurants and has moved towards a more plant-focused menu. In fact, at least 25 per cent of dishes are now plant-forward. They have been phasing out single-use plastics, reducing water and energy usage and cutting down on food wastage where possible.

    Staying at a Novotel is one way to support these global conservation and sustainability efforts. It’s feel-good tourism at its best.

    Start planning a holiday to inspire your every day at novotel.accor.com.