Sometimes you don’t need a week away. You don’t even need a weekend.
Sometimes, one night is enough to make you feel like you have escaped.
We recently packed up the family for a one-night midweek stay at Spicers Tamarind Retreat in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, and it was exactly the kind of reset we needed. Close enough to home to be completely easy, but the moment we arrived and found ourselves surrounded by rainforest, it felt like we had gone much further away.
And honestly, there is something quite brilliant about a midweek escape. You finish work, swap the normal afternoon routine for a drive into the Hinterland, and suddenly you are walking along rainforest boardwalks to your own private villa.
Our Two Bedroom Luxury Forest Villa
We stayed in a Two Bedroom Luxury Forest Villa, and it was perfect for our family.
Set beneath the rainforest canopy, the villa felt incredibly private and peaceful. You really do feel surrounded by nature, with the sounds of the forest all around you.
Inside, there was so much space for all of us. The villa has two bedrooms, each with a king-size bed and its own ensuite, making it such a great option for families or friends travelling together. There is also a separate lounge area, a fireplace and a private verandah with a daybed.
The master bathroom was a highlight, with the most beautiful cocoon-style bath. It was the kind of room that made you want to slow down, put on a robe and do absolutely nothing for a while.
For a family of five, having two bedrooms and plenty of space made such a difference, and the hotel staff set up an extra bed in the living room for us. It still felt like a luxury retreat, but one where we could all genuinely relax.
Dinner Delivered to Our Villa
One of my favourite parts of our stay was dinner.
Instead of getting dressed up and heading out, we had a BBQ pack delivered straight to our villa.
This is exactly my kind of family travel. We could stay in our cosy clothes, the kids could relax, we put the fire on, and we could cooked dinner together on the BBQ surrounded by the rainforest.
It made the whole evening feel so easy.
There was no rushing, no trying to keep everyone sitting nicely at a restaurant table and no need to go anywhere once we had arrived. We simply enjoyed dinner at our own pace and made the most of being together in such a beautiful setting.
For a one-night stay, I loved this option because it meant we could spend every minute enjoying the retreat.
Rainforest Boardwalks and Winter Swimming
The retreat is connected by beautiful boardwalks that wind through the rainforest and simply walking around the property was part of the experience.
The kids loved exploring, and I loved how peaceful it felt. Everywhere you looked, there was lush greenery, and it really felt like we had stepped into our own little rainforest hideaway.
We also made time for a swim.
Now, swimming in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in winter might not sound like the obvious choice, but the pool has a warm area that made it possible to enjoy even in the cooler weather.
The kids were very happy to be swimming, and I was very happy to have somewhere warm to sit!
It is such a lovely feature for a winter stay and means the pool isn’t something you have to save only for the warmer months.
Breakfast Delivered to Our Room
The next morning, we finished our stay in my favourite possible way: breakfast delivered straight to our villa.
There is something so luxurious about not having to rush everyone out the door for breakfast.
We could wake up slowly, stay in our room and enjoy breakfast together in our pjs while looking out at the rainforest.
Breakfast can also be enjoyed in the restaurant, which is a lovely option if you would prefer to head out and make a morning of it, but for this stay, having it delivered to us was perfect.
Especially when you are only staying for one night, every extra moment you can spend enjoying your villa feels worth it.
Is One Night Enough?
I am usually the person who wants to stay everywhere for as long as possible, but this trip reminded me how much you can fit into one night when somewhere is close to home.
We arrived, explored the rainforest boardwalks, swam, settled into our villa, enjoyed our BBQ dinner together, slept surrounded by the forest and woke up to breakfast delivered to our room.
All in less than 24 hours.
A midweek stay also has such a different feel to a busy weekend away. It felt calm, easy and like we had managed to sneak a little holiday into the middle of an ordinary week.
The Perfect Sunshine Coast Hinterland Escape
Spicers Tamarind Retreat is the kind of place that feels worlds away, even when it is close to home.
For us, the Two Bedroom Luxury Forest Villa was the perfect base. We had the space we needed as a family, while still getting that special feeling of staying somewhere truly luxurious.
The rainforest setting, the boardwalks, the winter-friendly swimming pool, dinner delivered to our villa and breakfast in our room all made the stay feel incredibly easy.
And that is probably what I loved most about it.
Nothing felt difficult. We didn’t need a huge itinerary. We didn’t need to rush around trying to see everything. We simply arrived and enjoyed being there.
If you live on the Sunshine Coast or in Brisbane and feel like you need a break, don’t underestimate what one night away can do.
Sometimes the best escape is the one that is easy enough to actually book.
Spicers Tamarind Retreat:
https://www.worldsapart.club/spicers/tamarind-retreat
https://www.instagram.com/spicerstamarindretreat/?hl=en
Enjoy,
This trip was a collaboration with Ratua Private Island, but I loved every second of our experience and all opinions here are genuinely my own.