Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas — Hotel in Port Douglas

Sadly a disappointing stay at Sheraton Mirage. 3-star hotel portraying itself as 5-star, with 5 star prices. Appalling service, consequent to being hopelessly understaffed. The property itself is dated and in need of refurbishment.

For context, I spend 100 days per year in hotels for work all over the world, a reasonable portion in Marriott properties. This property doesn’t meet Marriott’s usually high standard.

Day 1 -

Arrived at 14:30 (check in is stated as 15:00). There was a queue at check-in (only 2 people on desk). The room was not ready and I was advised someone would call when it was. After an hour waiting with no call I tried again at the front desk (now 30 mins after official check in time). I was advised then that the room was ready and that ‘someone should have called’…

The room itself was dated and tired. 90’s / early 2000’s era. Floors clearly haven’t been mopped since the 90’s either. Walking from the bathroom to the bed your feet are caked with muck. As a consequence I had to ask the hotel to change the sheets daily (their default is to change the sheets only every 3 days, despite the extravagant nightly rate, and despite claiming to be a ‘5 star’ resort). No turn down service either.

Day 2 -

Breakfast service is slow, only one person to greet guests resulting in a line 5 people deep at 8:30am. Tables were dirty with only a cursory wipe after the previous guest vacates. On one occasion the buffet was depleted (staff were trying to manage but again simply not enough staff to cope with demand). It took over 20mins to get coffee. Allow yourself at least 10mins to locate a clean bowl or spoon! All for a $48 charge per person per day to include breakfast…

Returned to the room at 3pm to find it had not been cleaned. Upon calling house keeping I was told they ‘prioritise cleaning for arriving guests’. When the room was finally cleaned at 5pm no bath towels were left, the Minibar had not been restocked and used glasses and coffee cups were not replaced. Again, floors left filthy (I doubt they are ever mopped, even between guests… awful!).

I attempted to complain at the front desk, but once again there was a long line - only one person serving whilst multiple staff walked past, looked at the line, and kept walking. So I gave up.

Similar experience at the pool bar, good luck trying to get a drink! You will need to wait for the one person serving the bar (poor lady) to deal with the guest complaining about the sun longer they booked (for an extra $175!), being occupied by another guest (who clearly hadn’t paid for it). If you do make it to the bar, a basic cocktail will cost you $25… enjoy the cup full of ice!

Day 3 -

Returned to the room at 15:00. It had been serviced (progress!), but again with no towels. Called the front desk who suggested they would ‘inform housekeeping’. 16:30, still no towels, called again. Was told that ‘housekeeping had been informed’. Towels finally arrived at 17:30.

Summary -

Do yourself a favour, save your money and book a serviced apartment in town. Much closer to the many great bars and restaurants in Port Douglas, which charge less and care about customer service! (Side note, from Mirage you need to drive to get anywhere… probably by design to encourage guests to dine in their own overpriced restaurants!). Better yet, stay in Palm Cove. Much nicer and closer the airport. Or go to Bali, Cebu, Vietnam or Thailand - all provide the same scenic vista at a fraction of the price. This place is in desperate need of a wake up call. The one exception is the team at Daintree Bar, who I observed to go out of their way to make every guest feel personally welcome and appreciated - for you this review is upgraded from zero stars to one :) The second star is for the lagoon pools, which are generally clean and plentiful (despite the large number of guests) and essential given you can’t swim the sea....

Firstly, the negative feedback, my mother & I stayed a week end of June into early July.

Positive feedback Room was nice! Negative feedback The bed was not Sheraton standard - it was VERY uncomfortable. 2 separate beds both horrible. The sheets were cheap and nasty & stained with yellow patches all over the place. The sheets were similar to hospital sheets, definitely NOT Sheraton Sheet standard of other hotels! Yellow stains on the bedding. We went to the -unfriendly, no emotion, no empathy- reception, to ask if they could be changed, as well as adding an extra blanket (as it was cool) as we were both cold the first night. Reception were far from sympathetic or nice or even concerned…in fact they seemed VERY PUT OUT!!!!! I had asked them very kindly if they could or would mind …. Seems reception DID MIND. Message was not sent to house keeping. They did not know and we had to ask them as well. We asked each day, after day 1, of our 7 night stay for face washers….. nope no face washers that they initially supplied day 1 & took away but not replaced. Reception were not nice to deal with AT ALL. We aren’t ones to complain at all, so we asked them very submissively but it was met with a huge lack of care.

The whole hotel needs a complete overhaul (paint & update) and make over-especially for the price they are charging!!! Whilst up there saw many beautiful hotels up there for much cheaper & more modern & stunning!

However; the food & beverage staff & food at the hotel were magnificent! They were so friendly and so accommodating and so welcoming and the food so so amazing!!! It feels awful to say such terrible things about the hotel! We were so torn as it was such a dramatic experience. The food & beverage areas of the Sheraton was SO OUTSTANDING!!! It was mind blowing! It MADE OUR HOLIDAY!!! All the staff; chefs and service especially at; Lagoon House were seriously SO SO FANTASTIC! So personable and friendly- it made us return another night!! We would have been each night if we hadn’t booked elsewhere! Harrison’s was also fantastic!! We loved it! The service, the food, the drinks. Just fantastic.

Food & beverage staff & food were really so sensational!!!

Sheraton reception staff - we dealt with 4-5 times were so shut down, without any people skills, and customer service, follow up never happened, they were eye rollers, did not give any care on anything. Never smiled. We were shocked at the treatment. Similar with the bored staff at the concierge, there were clearly bored & unhappy with their job!

The photos online are far from that, they are drab & old!

Oh & loads of stairs to walk to get from room to reception!! Not friendly for wheelchair or anyone who wants to lift a heavy suitcase or just plainly get to restaurants on foot….. loads of stairs to walk!!

Food & beverage staff & food, were wonderful and so pleasant to deal with! Food was magnificent. As well as early afternoon drinks at Harrison’s!

The difference was very vast & disappointing to say the least! (Between room & food service)

Oh and the house keeping will commence anywhere from 10am-3pm so beware as they will just let themselves in, even if you are in bed sleeping or resting!!

Sheraton you really shouldn’t be charging the prices you do for the hotel service and amenities you actually provide. The beds are metal springs (wire) & very uncomfortable and the sheets were like hospital sheets, not Sheraton sheet standard we’ve experienced in the past at other Sheraton hotels. The sheets & light doona had yellow stains on them. The replacement had similar stains and then the next replacements had yellow stains on them as well!!!

Sheraton needs a HUGE make over. It’s old & drab.

But the food & pool are cool (although...

This was my third visit to the Sheraton, with my first being 25 years ago as a child with my parents. The hotel has aged a little since then, but it’s still a beautiful place, especially the façade and the impressive pool, which has been renovated and maintained well over the years.

The pool is a highlight, and it’s easy to spend half a day enjoying it without much planning. You can dip in, relax, and head back to your room whenever you need a break or to cool off. The pool bar is a nice touch, offering seating inside the water for a drink. While the non-alcoholic options are limited, it’s still a fun and unique experience. One downside is that dead bugs tend to collect in the water around the pool bar because of the lights left on at night.

Parts of the massive pool mimics a real beach with soft white sand. It’s relaxing and fun to have sand under your feet. But it’s worth keeping an insect repellent handy (for your head even when immersed in water) especially during stormy weather when bugs can fly in from the coast.

Port Douglas’s wet season brings on-and-off rain, but it’s easy to enjoy the sunny moments by the pool and retreat to your room when the weather changes.

The hotel has a good restaurant, which I’ve enjoyed in the past, though this time we chose to explore the many excellent restaurants nearby. Similarly, we skipped breakfast this visit but had a positive experience with it before.

The rooms are slightly dated, with a bit of unavoidable mold in the shower, though the furnishings feel newer. I've included plenty of photos of the building and landscaping, but none of the rooms—honestly, they just weren't worth photographing.

The staff are always friendly and welcoming, greeting guests warmly throughout the hotel. Water dispensers scattered throughout the premises offering chilled, ambient, and sparkling water are a thoughtful touch.

The landscaping is as stunning as it was 25 years ago, with lush rainforest plants, fountains, waterfalls, and rocks. The private beach lined with palm and coconut trees adds to the charm, and a great place for morning walks. Although swimming is discouraged due to crocodiles and jellyfish in the area. Who needs the beach when you have such a gorgeous pool.

After researching other major resorts in the area, none offered a pool as massive and impressive as the Sheraton’s. It wraps around the building and provides a truly unique experience. The drive into the hotel, surrounded by a lush golf course, is also beautiful and adds to the overall appeal.

Some tips that will help you have a comfortable stay: Bring an eye mask, as light from outside can filter through the windows. Opt for the king bed studio—our last stay in the smallest room felt quite cramped. This time, we stayed in a spacious king studio with a beautiful lagoon-view balcony, offering plenty of room to move around and a stunning view. Also, bring a reusable water bottle to take advantage of the water dispensers conveniently located throughout the property. If you need to get some work done or check your email in a private space, be aware that the business center is just an open internet kiosk attached to the lobby, offering no privacy or quiet. Upgrading your room is a better option, as you'll have a desk and a couch for work.

If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway with a fantastic pool and beautiful surroundings, the Sheraton Port Douglas remains a great choice. Despite some dated aspects, the...