There are few places in the world where luxury feels so deeply connected to the landscape.
This year, Orpheus Island Lodge and Mt Mulligan Lodge have been named among Robb Report’s 50 Greatest Luxury Hotels on Earth in 2026. For Mt Mulligan Lodge, the recognition marks its second consecutive year on the list, following its inclusion in 2025.
Robb Report’s annual list is shaped by the insight of 25 distinguished luxury-travel specialists, who are asked to identify the properties that set a genuine benchmark for exceptional travel. The selection recognises more than a remarkable setting. It reflects the depth of the guest experience, a distinctive sense of place and the care brought to every stay.
At Orpheus Island Lodge, that experience begins at the water’s edge. Just 28 guests at a time are invited to experience a private island framed by pristine fringing reef, sunlit beaches and more than 1,000 hectares of national park. Days unfold on the Coral Sea, over long lunches and at a pace set by the island itself. The Lodge’s reimagined North Beachfront Rooms, Suites and Villas, designed by acclaimed Australian architecture and interior studio Dubois, offer a renewed expression of island living and an even closer connection to the reef.
At Mt Mulligan Lodge, the experience is shaped by the scale and story of the outback. Beneath the striking escarpment of Ngarrabullgan, guests can explore ancient country through guided adventures, find stillness beside the weir and spend evenings beneath a sky full of stars. It is a landscape that creates perspective, inviting guests to slow down and experience the Queensland outback in a deeply personal way.
The lodges could not be more different in setting, yet both share the qualities recognised by Robb Report’s specialists: intimacy, a powerful connection to place and experiences designed around the best of their respective regions.
From the Great Barrier Reef to the outback beyond Cairns, Orpheus Island Lodge and Mt Mulligan Lodge offer two remarkable ways to experience Queensland, and two enduring examples of luxury that feels inseparable from its surroundings.