Australia To Get Its First Fairmont Hotel
Accor is bringing its luxury brand to Port Douglas.
By Terry Christodoulou
Fri, Sep 11, 2020 5:51am
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The northern tip of Queensland is set to land Australia’s first Fairmont hotel, with the opening of the Fairmont Port Douglas resort in 2023.
An hour’s drive from Cairns the resort sits between the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest and will serve as a popular hub for tourists looking to explore the clear waters and famous coral reefs or the unique wildlife of the Daintree.
The Fairmont Port Douglas is set to host 253 rooms and will embrace its natural surrounds through a birds’ nest-themed lobby, a treetop walk and a want for green spaces and natural light throughout.
“We are excited to bring the extraordinary Fairmont brand to Australia and are confident that Fairmont Port Douglas will deliver a new level of luxury and sophistication to one of the country’s most glamourous resort towns,” says Simon McGrath, COO of Accor Pacific.
Elsewhere, the resort sees several restaurant and bars along with several resort-style pools and a decadent day spa – which will lean on natural, local ingredients.
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A&K Sanctuary’s newest Nile vessel, Nile Seray, will launch in October 2026 as Egypt enters a new era of global tourism
By Jeni O'Dowd
Tue, Dec 9, 2025 2 min
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A new luxury riverboat set to sail the Nile from late 2026 has opened for bookings, as Egypt experiences its biggest surge in international tourism in more than a decade following the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Nile Seray, the latest vessel from A&K Sanctuary, will launch in October and operate four-night voyages between Aswan and Luxor.
The boat will accommodate just 64 guests across 32 suites, placing it firmly at the premium end of the fast-expanding Nile cruising market.
The launch coincides with the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in November 2025, a project more than 20 years in the making.
Located near the Giza pyramids, the museum spans more than 480,000 square metres and is now the largest archaeological museum in the world.
It houses more than 100,000 artefacts, including, for the first time ever, the complete collection of King Tutankhamun’s treasures displayed together in one place.
The museum’s opening has been widely credited with transforming global interest in Egypt, driving record visitor numbers and sparking a wave of new hotel openings, aviation capacity and high-end travel investment across the country.
Interior renderings released this week show Nile Seray adopting a contemporary design approach that blends modern lines with heritage references.
The 32 suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Nile, with natural materials and colour palettes drawing from Egypt’s desert landscape.
Two onboard restaurants open onto deck spaces, while the top deck includes a swimming pool and shaded daybeds designed for daytime cruising and sunset views.
Each voyage will include guided access to key archaeological sites on the West Bank, including the tombs of Seti I and Ramses VI, along with private openings of the tombs of King Tutankhamun and Amenhotep III. Excursions are led by specialist Egyptologists, with daily touring built into the itinerary.
With only 64 guests onboard, the vessel is aimed at travellers seeking a more intimate alternative to the larger Nile cruise ships that dominate the route during peak season.
Luxury hotel availability across Egypt remains tight during busy periods, particularly following the museum’s opening.
Nile Seray becomes the fifth vessel in A&K Sanctuary’s Nile fleet, joining the Nile Adventurer, Sun Boat III, Sun Boat IV and Zein Nile Chateau. A sister ship is also scheduled for launch in 2028.
Voyages include visits to the temples of Luxor, Karnak and Aswan, felucca sailing around Elephantine Island, Egyptian cooking demonstrations and traditional entertainment. All meals, excursions and onboard activities are included.
Each sailing will also contribute to A&K Philanthropy programs in Egypt, including long-running partnerships in Luxor and Aswan focused on youth education and cardiac care.
