One of Australia's most unique stays has reopened - and two rooms are underwater

It's glamping, with a big difference. Reefworld is in the middle of the ocean.

Limited to just 36 guests, the revamped Reefworld is a supersized pontoon floating above Hardy Reef on the outer Great Barrier Reef.

Two of its rooms are luxury suites beneath the water, with floor-to-ceiling glass looking directly into the reef. The remaining guests sleep above deck in four-poster Reefbeds that can be enclosed for privacy or opened to the night sky.

And now, for the first time, they get the place to themselves.

Originally opened in December 2019 as both a base for daytrippers and overnight accommodation, Reefworld has undergone an extensive renovation and reopened this week exclusively for overnight guests.

Day visitors have been moved to the separate nearby Heart Pontoon, leaving Reefworld to a maximum of 36 overnight guests staying in its two underwater Reefsuites and 16 Reefbeds.

Permanently moored at Hardy Reef, almost 40 nautical miles offshore, the pontoon is reached by catamaran through the Whitsunday Islands. The journey takes about two hours from Hamilton Island and roughly 2.5 hours from Airlie Beach.

The change in operation makes a big difference.

Instead of heading back to land after an afternoon snorkel, Reefworld guests stay put, with access to the reef through the evening, overnight and into the following morning.

Onboard, there is a telescope for stargazing and whale watching, drinks and snacks on request and plenty of private chill out areas.

The revamped experience is now all-inclusive, with a seafood buffet lunch on arrival, sunset cocktails and canapés, a three-course chef-led dinner with Australian wine, breakfast with barista-made coffee and another two-course lunch before departure. There are two chefs catering to guest needs.

Guests can snorkel Hardy Reef with a reef guide, take a semi-submarine tour or watch the constantly changing marine life from the underwater observatory, by day and night. There is also a stinger-protected pool alongside the pontoon.

Scuba diving and scenic helicopter flights over the Great Barrier Reef are available at extra cost.

For those sleeping above the water, the redesigned Reefsleep accommodation consists of 16 four-poster Reefbeds on the pontoon's upper deck, all with USB chargers and luggage storage. Carefully-stocked bathrooms are shared.

Below deck, the two Reefsuites take the idea of a room with a view considerably further. Built beneath the waterline, the suites look directly into Hardy Reef, allowing guests to watch marine life from their room.

Cruise Whitsundays general manager Shaun Cawood said the Reefsuites had traditionally been booked out 12 months in advance, but the redevelopment had transformed the entire overnight experience.

"Our food and beverage offering has been completely reimagined, showcasing the very best produce and flavours the Whitsundays has to offer," he said.

"The Reefbeds have been designed to sit in harmony with the reef itself, but don't let the style fool you, they're genuinely comfortable. I've slept out there for days at a time, and I still don't want to leave.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

The transformation is part of Journey Beyond's $42 million investment in the region, which also includes a new 36-metre catamaran due to join the Cruise Whitsundays fleet in 2027, with indoor and outdoor seating, an open-air upper deck and a more premium section reserved for Reefworld guests.

Journey Beyond chief executive Chris Tallent said the redevelopment was about giving guests a deeper connection with the reef.

"As part of Journey Beyond's $42 million investment into the region, and continued premiumisation of its Cruise Whitsundays product portfolio, including the build of a new 36-metre catamaran, the refurbishment of Reefworld represents our commitment to taking guests further and elevating their experience on the Great Barrier Reef," he said.

A night in a Reefbed starts from $895 per person twin-share, or $920 for a solo traveller. For an underwater Reefsuite, prices start at $1495 per person twin-share, while a solo stay starts at $2690.

For that, you get to wake up with just a handful of other guests, with the Great Barrier Reef right outside your bedroom.

Bookings are now open through Cruise Whitsundays.