Peppers Bloomfield Lodge

Collected from our hotel in Cairns, we were transferred to the VIP departure lounge of Hinterland Aviation. A 'briefing' from our rather laconic pilot was peppered with a number of well timed wise-cracks aimed at putting us at our ease (he really does have more than one lifejacket) we boarded our light aircraft for a truly stunning 30 min scenic flight up the Queensland Coast. This may sound like an obvious tip, but, sit on the left hand side going up and the right hand side coming back for the best views of this spectacular coast and verdant rainforest and spot the dabs of dark reefs clustered below the turquoise/jade Coral Sea.

We touched down on a grassy outback airstrip where we were met by Peter, the resident Lodge manager for short 4WD trip to the Bloomfield River. Here, we climbed aboard a small launch for a wonderfully breezy cruise out to the ocean and around intoWeary Bay, straining to spot the Lodge amongst the profusion of green ? look for the jetty - that's my tip - everything else is too well hidden.

The warmest of welcomes and an ice cold beer awaited us on arrival! This really is one of the best things about this place - all the staff without exception are super-friendly ? although, who wouldn't be happy living in 'paradise'! Adding to the intimacy is th fact there is a maximum of 34 guests. And because there are no roads in or out (access is only by water) there is no problem with security so, there are no room-keys.

Plus there's no need to carry any cash since all meals are included and there's a help-yourself 'honesty' bar (pay at the end of your stay). Any excursions/spa treatments you choose to take are just added to your tab. This all adds up to it feeling more like your own private club than a hotel/resort.

The food - oh my! - the food! Gourmet meals are prepared by the resident chef including a buffet breakfast with a choice of hot dishes, a 2 course lunch and a 3 course evening dinner. All dietary requirements are catered for to the highest standard - and any chef who can make vegan fare sound delicious deserves a medal in my opinion! Mealtimes are spent mingling with other guests on shared tables of 4-6 so it's all very sociable and entertaining. Accommodation is in a range of hillside timber cabins all overlooking the peaceful Weary Bay and shrouded by the surrounding rainforest.

Despite it's remoteness I was amazed that I always managed to get a wonderful hot shower, the fans swished constantly and every little detail seemed to have been provided. Our cabin had drinking water and cold glasses in the fridge, torches by the bed, an umbrella (although we saw no rain!), repellent, sunscreen, mossie coils ? oh just everything!

Included in the tariff is a 2-3 hour guided Rainforest walk - ours was guided by the irrepressible Paul, the barefoot naturalist whose passion for this area positively spills out of him, and a 2-3 hour River cruise along the Bloomfield River where 'Croc spotting' is compelling (binoculars are provided - see, I told you they think of everything). Again the cruise was accompanied by a wealth of informed & fascinating natural history from our guide.

There are many optional excusions too. We took a day trip out to Hope Island on the Inner Barrier Reef for some fishing and snorkeling and a bit of rock-pooling. A small group of 6 guests and 2 guides, we had Hope Island entirely to ourselves and it felt like we were on our own private desert island ? with a 3 course gourmet picnic of course!.

So if you feel like getting away from it all to one of the most spectacular and untouched wilderness regions of the world without sacrificing any 5 star comforts then you really should go to Bloomfield and replace the revving of engines and buzzing of mobile phones with the tranquil symphony of nocturnal rainforest creatures ?

and if you're not relaxed enough already just listening to the churp of a white-lipped green tree frog whilst sipping a chilled wine, you can always treat yourself to a gorgeous massage from the resident therapist.