Hamilton Island's iconic Sails restaurant has been transformed - Travel Australia

Dec 19, 2025

Including the debut of a swim-up bar.

There are plenty of reasons why Hamilton Island belongs on your must-visit list for 2026. Aside from its balmy year-round temperatures, rainbow-hued reefs, and annual race week, there’s the tropical destination’s fast-growing collection of luxe new bars and restaurants. A new look for old favourite Sails is the most recent in a string of food-focused wins for Hamilton Island, following hot on the heels of Josh Niland’s Catseye Pool Club and Restaurant making its debut earlier this year.

While Sails was originally a part of Hamilton Island’s first development in the early 1980s, its reimagining has planted it firmly in the current era. Don’t fret – it’s iconic resort-style features remain, but they’ve undergone a suave new upgrade. Grab a pina colada from the brand new swim-up bar, before you make way for the luxe sun loungers nearby. The Sails Sunbed Series hosts a collection of king-size sunbeds or twin sunlounges, teamed with four curated food and drink packages to suit everything from an easy afternoon to a Champagne-heavy celebration.

The poolside precinct has been partnered with a modern dining space, with a vibrant new all-day menu to match, catering to breakfast through cocktail hour. Modern Australian flavours dominate dishes with a Mediterranean twist; think light and bright salads, meze plates, and (as you would expect) seafood galore.

The reopening of Sails is the latest in a string of new additions to The Whitsundays resident over the past 12 months, a proof of its evolution, says Hamilton Island CEO Nick Dowling; “Hamilton Island holds a special place in many Australians’ hearts, and Sails is woven into so many of those holiday memories. To bring it back to life like this feels incredibly exciting. With its new pool experience and swim-up bar, refreshed dining offering and the Sails Sunbed Series, we’ve taken what people have always loved about Sails and created a revitalised space that responds to how our guests want to dine and relax today. It’s a major step in revitalising the Resort Centre precinct and a clear sign of the broader transformation happening across the island, from accommodation to dining to experiences.”