In pursuit of creating unforgettable experiences for our guests. At The Reef House, our goal is to deliver an exceptional experience to every individual through friendly ‘our house’ service and attention to detail.
Born and raised in Fremantle close to Perth in Western Australia, Wayne has been a resident in Palm Cove since 2008 and apart of the Reef House Team as General Manager for 6 years.
The role Wayne has taken on is much more than being in charge of all aspects of the smooth functioning of The Reef House. For Wayne, he identifies his position as the role of a Custodian, maintaining the traditions and history of The Reef House, which he says is a true honour.
As a work philosophy, Wayne has often emphasised his genuine sense of care, attention and passion for making people happy, which of course extends not only to the guests but also to the Team at Reef House.
“Not only do we want to please and make people enjoy their stay, but show a special style of hospitality to fellow humans and treat people better than they expected to be treated”.
That is the overall nature of all who work at Reef House and Wayne has always looked for this personality trait within every Team Member.
“How we make you feel is the difference, nobody else can do it better.”
Wayne and his Team want to make sure that the Reef House exceeds the promise we want to deliver. A return visit or personal recommendation to friends is the best compliment the Reef House could ever receive!
Assistant General Manager Karolina Kowalska has been instrumental in the evolution of The Reef House for many years after working in several roles and departments throughout the property.
She started her career in food and beverage in Poland before moving to Australia 16 years ago and training as a chef. As Chef De Partie at Spicers Peak Lodge Maryvale, Karolina was part of the team responsible for obtaining two Chef Hats.
Karolina joined The Reef House in 2016 as Restaurant Supervisor and became House Manager in 2019, taking ownership of Housekeeping and the Maintenance Department. This new role ensured the two departments worked together as a team to keep ahead of the needs of guests.
Her expertise in creating a stable team led to Karolina’s promotion to Front Office in 2022 as Rooms Division Manager ensuring all hotel departments worked together as a team and overseeing the successful delivery of The Reef House’s 21+ Signature Inclusions and Experiences.
Karolina loves working at the Reef House because it feels like family. “I’m working with happy people who are doing what they love also. That passion for customer service is what makes The Reef House stand out from other properties.”
Valentine’s Day is a special day for Assistant Restaurant Manager Jade Mathieu as it is the day she became part of The Reef House Adults Retreat family. Jade joined the team three years ago as the restaurant supervisor and instantly fell in love with the property and the close-knit team that she became a part of.
After an exciting career in very high-end hotels in her native France that included working at bespoke properties during summer in St Tropez and in the French Alps during winter, Jade arrived in Australia to work in hospitality. She worked at Melbourne and the Kimberley and drove from Western Australia to Cairns to work at Nautilus Restaurant in Port Douglas. She then moved to Noosa to manage a bar but missed the tropics so decided to drive back to Tropical North Queensland and was excited to get a role at The Reef House.
“The Reef House feels like a house, not a hotel, just like the properties that I worked at in France. I love Palm Cove’s barefoot luxury with the beautiful gardens at The Reef House and the oldest rainforest in the world as the backdrop. Palm Cove is my home now as I love the quality of life here. It is beautiful, calm and relaxing,” she says.
Jade has many happy memories of helping guests to enjoy their getaway including being part of a wedding proposal and assisting with birthday celebrations. “Many of the guests are like family and I text them Happy New Year. I am lucky to have so many special people as guests and my office view is beautiful.
Executive Chef Sanjesh Shankar is bringing a fresh set of eyes to The Reef House Adults Retreat menu after joining the team late in 2025, but he knows there are some dishes that are sacred to the award-winning boutique resort’s repeat guests.
“The barramundi is staying and there are other best-selling dishes that I might just tweak a little. I will be making presentation changes and want to broaden the concept of Queensland on a Plate by introducing even more local produce such as Gallo cheeses to expand the local storytelling on our menu,” he says.
Sanjesh’s career in big brand hotels started in his home country of Fiji before he was sponsored by Holiday Inn Cairns more than two decades ago to move to Tropical North Queensland to work. He has been responsible for openings including being the first executive chef at the Doubletree by Hilton and more recently was Executive Chef at Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort and Spa and Crystalbrook Reilly.
In between Sanjesh decided to try different things and joined Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, creating a new menu with slow-cooked smoked meats that was an instant hit.
“I always step out of my comfort zone, but one side of me knew I needed to get back into the kitchen and do what I do well. I chose The Reef House Adults Retreat knowing that its operation was totally different to hotels. The property has so much culture, story and accolades, and that makes the expectation so high,” he says.
“My energy and creativity are back, and I have started seeing things differently. I am thinking more about my people and how you connect with them to be more team member focused. Chefs can get into their own rhythm and act like there is no way but my way. I have a great team of 10 in the kitchen and the team members are coming up with ideas as we work on the menu. We will start testing it in February to get it right before the high season.”
Originally from Switzerland, Isabelle was trained in France by the crème de la crème; Clarins, Chanel, Dior & Phytomer, specialising in intensive therapies such as anti-ageing, deep relaxation massage and slimming treatments.
Isabelle’s extensive experience has taken her all around the world as a pioneer in providing anti-ageing facial treatments. Isabelle was the Managing Director of the first privately owned Christian Dior Spa on the Caribbean island of Saint Maarten.
Isabelle is committed to nurturing her clients and offering unique spa treatments designed for intense relaxation, rejuvenation and general well-being.
Isabelle leads a small dedicated team at the exclusive Reef House Spa who follow the mantra that nothing is impossible when it comes to your care and making your experience unique.
Born in Strasbourg France, Cedric has that special European charm, which has an intrinsic focus on his power of personality.
As the Luxury Concierge for The Reef House, Cedric has taken the role to a new level, reaching out to guests before they arrive by phone, where he focuses on finding the little details that will make their stay an absolute pleasure, as well as encouraging a genuine reason to return.
Having resided in the Palm Cove area for over 5 years, Cedric is here to help guests with the best places to visit, be that restaurants, a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, or just relaxing around the hotel with the many experiences and services provided, be that the twilight cocktail hour, sorbet around the pool or a mixology class.
Cedric chose this career path due to his innate “love of people”. His infectious smile and courteous style is a delight for all our guests and fellow team members.
Building relationships with guests at The Reef House Adults Retreat is what Marilena Monafis is passionate about. Born in the United States, Marilena moved to Cairns with her family in 2017. She worked at The Reef House restaurant for six months before moving to reception and became the Front Office Manager a year ago.
“I came to The Reef House looking for an opportunity to do reception work, but nothing was available I so started in food and beverage. I finally got a chance to try out at reception, and I really loved it as I enjoy interacting with guests and getting to know them. Building that relationship is so important. Some don’t come back for two to three years and I still recognise them,” Lena says.
One of her favourite connections was with a couple from the United States. The husband was born in Greece – the same background as Marilena’s family. “He and his wife came to see everything Australia has to offer including the wildlife. I told them to go to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures and do the Zootastic tour. I always hype it up as it is one of my favourite experiences. You get to feed a cassowary, pat a wombat and spend time with other animals like koalas.
“The wife pulled me aside after they came back and told me she couldn’t believe how much fun her husband had and said he had never been that excited. At first, they weren’t sure about my recommendation but trusted me and said it was the highlight of their trip to Australia. Knowing someone had taken my suggestion and enjoyed it as much as I did feels special.”
Escape Planning Specialist Karla Orrantia has the inside information on what to do and where to go for guests staying at The Reef House Adults Retreat. Tours of the Daintree rainforest, Port Douglas, waterfalls and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway are at the top of her list. For the more active traveller she recommends kayaking from Palm Cove to Double Island to see turtles and walking the Wangetti Trail from Palm Cove to Ellis Beach.
Return guests are especially keen on new experiences and often request a detailed itinerary to make the most of their stay. It’s this personalised attention that drew Karla into the role after starting in reception at The Reef House four years ago.
“I arrived in Australia in 2020 from Mexico where I had hotel experience and travelled around. I loved living in Australia, so I decided to stay and worked in big resorts. After working at a Cairns resort, I wanted to try something different, and The Reef House gave me the opportunity to join the reception team. I loved it as there was more personal interaction. At the big resorts, the staff do not have the time to get to know the guests. Here there are many return guests, and they become like family which is a very different experience that I enjoy,” Karla says.
Getting to know guests while they are planning their tropical getaway helps Escape Planning Specialist Jess Silverwood create a personalised Palm Cove holiday that delivers unexpected value to guests at The Reef House. There is no such thing as a reservations department at the adults-only boutique resort, instead Jess heads up the Boutique Tropical Escapes team where bespoke dream holidays are carefully crafted for each guest.
“I reach out when guests book to find out what attracted them to The Reef House, whether they have been to Palm Cove, if it is a special occasion and what they hope to get out of their holiday,” she says. “I can then make suggestions about what they might like to include in their Boutique Tropical Escape. It could be a private transfer for someone with mobility issues, desert plates and rose petals in the room for honeymooners, or perhaps an individual wine list to cater to allergies.
“I have helped a father and daughter create lasting memories on their final holiday together before he passed away, guests on their third visit wanting the same relaxing experiences each time, and girlfriends celebrating a 40th enjoy the pampering they need on a holiday away from the kids.”
In addition to the extra touches, Boutique Tropical Escapes has a number of signature experiences including beachfront yoga, stretch and breathe classes, an Indigenous cultural journey, and a skincare talk with a Mimosa at the day spa. The most popular activities are the cocktail classes and the wine tasting.
“Nearly every guest does the cocktail class on the deck with an ocean view and the wine tasting at the Brigadier’s Bar overlooking the pool. It is where our guests connect and often start friendships which see them return to holiday here at the same time.
“The Brigadier’s Bar is the essence of The Reef House. It’s not like the corporate lounge you will find in hotels, it’s a place to meet new friends and swap stories in a relaxed beach atmosphere.”
After a 14-year career as a travel agent and tour guide hosting groups in bucket-list destinations from Antarctica to Africa, Valerie Clemens arrived in Palm Cove in 2022 planning to work one winter season at The Reef House Adults Retreat. Two years later and Valerie is an integral part of The Reef House experience as one of the Personal Escape Planning Specialists who ensure every guest has the holiday of their dreams.
“I’m still here as I adore the unique area of Tropical North Queensland and was super impressed with The Reef House, its offerings and the amazing team who genuinely care about exceptional customer service. It blows me away every day. I love being part of this team and making sure our guests have the best experience by helping them to create amazing memories,” she says.
Valerie has a long list of regular guests who she helps each year to plan their Reef House getaway and sometimes catches up with them at a cocktail-making class or for a sorbet by the Tranquillity Pool – her two favourite experiences.
“I arranged a five-day getaway for a group of eight ladies in our Villa Casablanca and now they return every year leaving their hubbies and kids at home so they can relax, enjoy spa treatments, and take a well-earned break. They always have so much fun!
“Even our new guests often feel like friends because I speak to them so much on the phone to help plan their holiday. I always find out if guests have visited the region before as I am super passionate about it and want to make sure they experience the best of this unique destination as well as soaking up the restful atmosphere of The Reef House.
“My life is about giving people their travel dreams and one of my favourites involved a marriage proposal. I had a lot of fun helping a guest arrange a proposal on a sand cay on the Great Barrier Reef. I organised the helicopter and flowers and was just as thrilled as he was that she said yes – how could she not!”
As Housekeeping Manager Bobbie Dillon is very much behind the scenes at The Reef House Adults Retreat, but that doesn’t stop the guests from noticing her and the extra care her team takes when they prepare a room. “I come across a lot of return guests who stop me and say, ‘you are still here, you are such a hard worker’,” Bobbie says.
Bobbie joined The Reef House team eight years ago training as a room attendant under her younger sister before becoming Housekeeping Manager three years ago. “I enjoy the work as it’s fulfilling at the end of the day knowing that my team and I have created a nice space for guests to get away. The Reef House gets plenty of positive feedback and it’s rewarding to know that my girls and I are part of that.”
Making sure a room leaves a good first impression on guests is not just about the gifts on the bed and how perfectly the room is made up, it’s also about the attention to detail. After a year into the management job, Bobbie took the initiative to ask if maintenance could fall under her role to ensure the rooms were kept to her high standards and if two housekeeping supervisors could be rostered on during peak times. The result has been noticed by guests with a more than 34% jump in their appreciation for housekeeping in post-stay surveys.
Born and raised in Rabaul Papua New Guinea, Jean is the Assistant Housekeeping Manager at The Reef House and has lived in Palm Cove for 21 years.
Jean is known for her smiling face and takes a lot of pride in remembering the little things that ensure guests have a memorable stay and keep returning year after year. Things like what tea they enjoy drinking and the type of furniture they like in their room.
Jean loves the green season and her top tips for the region are to visit Kuranda, the Daintree and Port Douglas.
Financial Controller Valmir Junior is enjoying the quiet life of living in Cairns and working at Palm Cove after leaving behind the big city of Sao Paulo and more recently, Melbourne. Armed with accountancy and business administration degrees, Valmir left his Brazilian home almost four years ago to move to Australia and learn English. He joined the Veriu Group in accounts receivable and worked up to payroll before joining The Reef House Adults Retreat in mid-2025.
“Cairns and Palm Cove are so quiet and a really good place to live. It’s really beautiful. I enjoy bungy jumping and swimming in the waterfalls,” he says. On his days off Valmir likes to go out for pasta at authentic Italian restaurant Pist4cchi in Cairns and catching up with friends at small bars like Nok Nok. In Palm Cove he is fond of the pizza at Il Forno, but he says you can’t go past the corn-fed chicken with crispy and fondant parmesan polenta and the chocolate walnut brownie on the menu at The Reef House.
Ondrej Hrasna is possibly the most popular staff member at The Reef House thanks to his fun cocktail classes which are among the favourite Signature Inclusion activities for guests.
Ondrej moved to Australia from Slovakia in 2019 and after two years of limited job opportunities during the pandemic, the former head waiter found his niche at The Reef House in December 2021.
In the morning Ondrej is a barista and morphs into a bartender at lunch time, with three afternoons a week devoted to cocktail classes. There is nothing he enjoys more than experimenting with the taste of drinks and many of The Reef House guests feel the same way!
Ondrej brews a batch of sugar syrup every day and experiments with tropical flavours such as lemongrass to create popular cocktails like the Lemongrass-infused Sling which features locally blended Blackbooks Tea. This cocktail might be the second of the two cocktails guests learn to make, while the first is kept simple with no more than four ingredients. Guests get to keep the recipes so they can recreate the drinks at home.
Ondrej Urbanovsky has been promoted to Head Chef after two and a half years in The Reef House kitchen working as the Sous Chef. At school, Ondrej was interested in running a restaurant so undertook a Masters in Gastronomy and Hotel Management in the Czech Republic.
He advanced his career in Sydney working as a chef de partie and learning English on the job before joining The Reef House. Ondrej is very respectful of the menu created by the previous French-trained chef and is looking forward to using local produce to add his flair to the seasonal dishes.
“I like to work with the beautiful seafood and fish in this region. It goes so well with so many of the local ingredients like kaffir lime and tropical fruits. I’m also interested in Indigenous flavours like lemon myrtle and want to learn more about them.”
While she was at school in Indonesia, Jessica Suwita decided a career in hospitality would
suit her creative side. She took the brave step to move to Australia by herself a decade ago
and undertook hospitality studies to become a chef in Adelaide.
While holidaying with her partner, Jessica discovered Palm Cove and they loved the warmth of the tropics so moved north. She joined The Reef House as Chef De Partie notching up one and a half years before being promoted to Sous Chef.
“I like creating dishes of all kinds and could not name my favourite food as I just love food.
The only food I don’t like is bananas – I had way too many in Indonesia! I especially love the view from the kitchen at The Reef House where you often see beautiful sunrises or the
moon rising over the water while you are working.”
After working in production nurseries in the Northern Rivers for the past five years where his horticulture job revolved around caring for individual plants, Gardener Jack Lee-Johnson is relishing the responsibility of maintaining the extensive tropical gardens at The Reef House Adults Retreat.
“I’ve created a new garden at the front of the restaurant featuring day lilies to turn heads and my next project is to build a spectacular jade vine trellis near the rear rooms. What I really enjoy about working at The Reef House is chatting to the guests as many are interested in knowing more about the tropical plants,” Jack says.
“This ecosystem is governed by the giant melaleucas that have been growing here for more than 350 years and it is continually changing. In this tropical environment plants grow quickly with new shoots emerging each day to keep a gardener on their toes. It is so beautiful to have a natural ecosystem flourishing around you.
