North Queensland’s very special holiday accommodation, Kewarra Beach Resort and Spa is both exclusive, and distinct.
Located near Cairns, this resort presents beautifully appointed, individual deluxe bungalows and spacious suites that sit unobtrusively across 30 hectares of lush tropical rainforest.
The pristine nature resort is nestled between the Great Barrier Reef and tropical rainforests of North Queensland, harmoniously reflecting an essence of tropical Australia with respect to its Indigenous heritage. Kewarra fittingly means, 'rainbow over the ocean', and the land (previously a sugar cane farm) was lovingly and respectfully restored back to its original rainforest environment.
This extraordinary 33-year-old property has a balanced eco-system of its own, with a natural rainwater system that feeds back into the ocean; tropical plants, trees, and an abundance of local wildlife. The resort not only offers exceptional accommodation and experiences for its guests but also provides a rich habitat for native Australian fauna.
Mark Carrette is the general manager at Kewarra Beach Resort and he told us: “Indeed, this is a very special place to work. It is the only private beach resort of this kind within easy reach of Cairns, Palm Cove and Port Douglas, and a place where guests can truly experience the Northern tropics in all its glory.
“The central hub of the resort is completely open, this provokes a sensory experience like no other, perfectly integrating wonderful nature and cool sea breezes deep within the resort facilities.”
Mark originally trained as a chef in Cairns before travelling the world, where he worked at many extraordinary luxury hotels. He worked for Hilton International for several years before returning to Cairns, where he accepted a position at Kewarra Resort as the food and beverage manager. Now he is very proud to be the general manager of Kewarra, and also the general manager of its sister-resort, Double Island Resort, prior to its sale.
The management training at Hilton International served Mark well, he explained: “With the excellent management training I received and my vast experience in the industry, I have developed a management style that promotes great communication and effortless teamwork. I have faith in integrity, it should override everything you do; in business, communication, and be fundamental to your character.
“I also believe in absolute authenticity in the experiences you provide to your guests; we present a real and unique tropical paradise experience in every way, from the lush native wildlife and plants to the staff who are there to guide and offer advice.
“I am very proud that most of our staff are locals who have worked at Kewarra for up to 30 years, they have vast local knowledge and absolutely adore our resort. In my opinion, my greatest skill has been to harness and nurture talent and expertise and direct it towards the enrichment of our guest experience, consequently the quality of service is second to none and possibly our biggest point of difference to other resorts.”
Kewarra Beach Resort has created a “sense of place” and this is what guests want according to Mark: “Our guests arrive with certain expectations about the property, environment and staff and my job is to ensure that we meet those expectations. In essence, my message for other managers is simply – always aim to deliver what you say you will deliver!”
Kewarra offers several different accommodation options for its guests: from the signature bungalows individually set beside the lagoon, nestled within the rainforest or on the sand overlooking the beach, to the spacious suites with a private outdoor patio hidden in the rainforest. There are also two beautiful pools and a lagoon-style day spa to delight guests, who can also attend guided walks around the rainforest.
Ranked number one on TripAdvisor for the Cairns district in Queensland Australia, Kewarra’s guests find that this resort is a celebration of all that North Queensland can offer; a truly enriched tropical paradise with nothing else quite like it!
With so many changes happening within the accommodation industry and many hotels and resorts in FNQ adapting their offerings to meet ever-changing consumer demand, especially for the Chinese tourist, Kewarra Beach Resort is determined to remain faithful to its heritage.
For as long as Mark is at the helm at Kewarra, the uniqueness of this tropical paradise and the standard of its team will continue to provide exactly the extraordinary experiences FNQ guests have come to expect, for many years to come…
