Highlights
- Luxury self-catering mansion; sleeps 12
- Prestigious Port Douglas estate
- Direct access to the stunning sands of Four Mile Beach
- Glorious private pool with poolside pavillion
- Gym, complete with exercise bike, treadmill and weights machine
- Shared tennis court and driving range
- Filled with antiques from all over the globe
Smith tip
The prized local delicacy in these parts is the mud crab, usually weighing over one kilogram. If you want to really impress fellow guests with your culinary skills and inside knowledge of these exotic surroundings, serve them up a showstopper of ‘chilli mud crab’. Here’s how it’s done. You will need one crab per person. Cut the crabs into segments and crack the claws. Heat some oil in a wok and fry two cloves of garlic, two hot chilli peppers, one tablespoon ginger and coriander root (all finely chopped), then add the crab. Stir in half a cup of water and a tablespoon each of tomato sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to the boil. Cover and steam gently for about 10 minutes. Finally, mix in some chopped green onions, halved cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped mint and coriander, and serve with rice, crab picks and bibs.
Meryula
Queensland & Great Barrier Reef, Australia[view map]
- Style
- Indochinese-influenced mansion
- Setting
- Moments from Port Douglas’ Premier beach
The exclusive Beachfront Mirage Estate is Australia’s answer to Bel Air and just screams luxury. Meryula is self-catering of the highest order and has direct access to the peerless Four Mile Beach. The property also has a shared tennis court and driving range so you can refine your serves and your swings. The open-plan interior is a cornucopia of Indochinese, African and European art, and the classic-contemporary rooms have been are dotted with sculptures and other decorative finds. The exquisite garden, replete with flowering plants, has a heated pool which is book-ended by a decadent day-bed and a spa bath. And if you’re a techie, the outstanding sound and media system will ensure you develop a serious crush on this luxury self-catering mansion.
Need to know
In the know
For a detailed description of all the rooms and grounds, click here
Also worth knowing
- Children
- Are welcome but beware of the many beautiful (and, undoubtedly expensive) antiques in the house. More…
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