Page 54 - Port Douglas Magazine 29

ACCOMMODATION
Villa San

Michele

A Piece of the
Mediterranean in the
heart of Port Douglas…

Villa San Michele
features boutique four
star apartments in the
heart of Port Douglas on
vibrant Macrossan Street.
With complimentary Wi-
Mantra Aqueous On Port Fi, two heated swimming
newly
pools
and
refurbished bathrooms
Award winning accommodation in the heart of Port Douglas and kitchens, Villa San
Michele is the perfect
Situated just off Macrossan Street, Mantra Aqueous on Port provides the
place to relax and unwind.
perfect base to enjoy the cosmopolitan lifestyle of tropical Port Douglas.
Villa San Michele’s central
Featuring four outdoor pools, two large cabanas with barbeque and
Macrossan Street location
entertainment areas and large sundecks, the resort is an ideal holiday
places all that Port
location for couples, families and honeymooners.
Douglas has to offer right
Mantra Aqueous on Port offers a range of stylish accommodation from on your doorstep, and is
Spa rooms to self-contained one and two bedroom apartments with all just a five minute stroll from magical Four Mile Beach.
room types featuring air-conditioning and a private balcony spa. The unique Mediterranean-style apartments are situated around a courtyard of
Douglas Business and Tourism Awards: tropical gardens with two heated saltwater swimming pools, sun loungers, spa
Winner 2010: Best Accommodation and poolside BBQ. The one and two bedroom apartments are very generous
Winner 2011: Best Hotel/Resort in size and feature a private balcony and kitchen facilities. The two bedroom
Winner 2012: Best Hotel/Resort Accommodation apartments feature two bathrooms and two balconies.
Finalist 2013-2018: Best Hotel/Resort Accommodation
Villa San Michele also offers complimentary undercover parking
and laundry facilities, a tour desk, book and magazine exchange and
3-5 Davidson Street, Port Douglas 24-hour onsite management.
07 4099 0000 | [email protected]
mantra.com.au Toll free 1800 994 088 or 07 4099 4088
[email protected] Th e Pines at 11 Oak Beach Rd, Oak Beach
villasanmichele.com.au
THE RISE OF HOME SHARING
STAYS, EATS, TOURS, & MORE!
We speak to Rob Whyte, director of Boutique Collections, about the
increasing role played by home sharing in the accommodation sector
Th e tourism industry has expanded exponentially “For the most part, tourists and travellers During events such as the FIFA World Cup and
across the world in modern times. had tended to stay in pubs and hotels, which the Olympic Games in recent years, crises in
During this period, many challenges have been developed sameness in their locations, styles and short-term accommodation for thousands of
identifi ed - and subsequently overcome - so facilities,” Rob says. visitors and spectators have been alleviated by the
that travel and tourism are major elements of “Motels provided a new and diff erent experience availability of rooms in private homes.
the global economy and the mainstay of the and, in the 1990s, boutique hotels began to In fact, in a televised interview following the
economies of small nations. appear.” FIFA World Cup in Brazil, founder and CEO
Among the challenges has been the task of “Boutique hotels provided a chance for the of Airbnb Brian Chesky cited the use of Airbnb
providing accommodation to the millions of traveller to stay in accommodation located away during the World Cup as an example of the
people who need to spend the night away from from the centres of towns and cities with their sharing economy’s growth.
We’ve got all the insider info to home in a safe, clean and secure place. own unique, more personal and less predictable He said that out of the sporting event’s 600,000
make your trip to Port Douglas “As people become more settled in towns and styles.” estimated visitors, 120,000 – or one-in-fi ve –
even more amazing. cities and society becomes more affl uent, homes More recently, the internet has enabled small stayed in Airbnb accommodation.
are more comfortable and are oft en larger than businesses to access marketing tools at a very low He also added that Brazilian authorities consulted
the space needed for living on an everyday basis,” cost, by joining websites shared by other similar the company prior to the event due to concerns
Visit our site and follow us says Rob. businesses, says Rob. that the available accommodation would not be
to uncover the very best of “Th e opportunity to earn extra income by “Sites such as VRBO and Craigslist paved the able to cope with the large amount of visitors.
Port Douglas! utilising space that is surplus to the occupier of way and now there are many sites off ering all the “Th e advantages for owners and visitors are
real estate has been recognised for a long time, in various styles of accommodation globally.” obvious, while Governments also benefi t by
forms such as boarding houses, guest houses, bed “Airbnb is an example of a site that has grown saving the capital cost of building accommodation
and breakfast accommodation, house swapping rapidly and avails itself of individual and which would be underutilised once the event is
and the renting out of a spare bedroom,” he says. privately-owned premises to fi ll a need in the over,” Rob says.
Rob says an increase in availability and social accommodation market worldwide, with 6+ “So, what developments are foreshadowed to
acceptability of accommodation in private homes million homes listed.” satisfy underlying accommodation needs for the
portdouglasuncovered.com has led to a greater level of trust between owners “It’s a remarkable statistic, given that it is said that future?”
and potential guests, as well as a wider interest in
there are 16 million hotel rooms and 2.2 billion
“Th ere can be little doubt that home sharing will
accommodation that can off er a more local and homes worldwide.” play an increasing role.”
personal experience. theboutiquecollection.com.au
56 tourismportdouglas.com.au