An island resort where Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt once partied is falling into ruin despite still being advertised online as a luxury destination.
Friends star Jen and her then husband Brad were guests on Double Island off Australia’s far north Queensland coast when fellow Hollywood star Keanu Reeves threw a lavish and infamous New Year’s Eve party there.
Keanu was Down Under filming the Matrix movies back in late 2001 when he organised the lavish $200,000 (US$150,000) bash, which was attended by a host of famous faces including Matt Damon, Drew Barrymore and Kiefer Sutherland.
Since its glorious days, the Double Bay hotel leaves a lot to be desired, including overgrown vegetation and broken hammocks
Outdoor dining areas, meant to be where guests enjoy a ‘sublime culinary experience’ are strewn with gaudy old furniture
Although its full-length windows are stylish, this former gym has definitely seen better day
The picturesque coastline lined with mangroves is ruined by unsightly pylons and bits of rusty steel
Back in its heyday, the lagoon pool at Double Bay was inviting and would make for the perfect party bash
An island resort where Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt once partied is falling into ruin despite still being advertised online as a luxury destination.
The celebrity party featured a huge firework display on New Year’s Eve which shocked locals who had no idea the island was packed with Hollywood stars.
But now the resort, which is said to feature 24 luxury bungalows, and facilities for up to 40 guests, has seen better days.
A visitor to the island who had paddled there on a kayak with a friend told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Basically, the island is a dump. It’s become a terrible state. No A-lister in their right mind would set foot on the place.
‘Staying there would be more like a “Survivor” challenge than a luxury getaway. The only welcoming thing there right now is the dog!’
Crab nets and deck chairs litter a pristine beach that would have been the source of fun in previous years
Visitors to the island are warned not to intrude on the land beyond where the tide reaches and told cameras are in use
Safari-style tents meant for eco-friendly ‘glamping’ stays are covered in mould and moss, while detritus including fuel containers, washing paraphernalia, dirty towels and abandoned tools litter the area.
Visitors to the island are warned not to intrude on the land beyond where the tide reaches and told cameras are in use.
But it is still possible to see one apparently abandoned home where rainforest plants are beginning to encroach into its once-pristine garden; its plunge pool is drained of water and a bedroom balcony is unfit dished without a guard rail.
Safari-style tents meant for eco-friendly ‘glamping’ stays are covered in mold and moss
The boat meant to ferry well-heeled guests to and from the mainland is pulled up onto the beach, apparently unused
A gym lies abandoned and apparently unused but appears to be in good condition, even though the equipment appears to be dated.
Outdoor dining areas, meant to be where guests enjoy a ‘sublime culinary experience’, are strewn with a mishmash of old furniture.
The boat meant to ferry well-heeled guests to and from the mainland is pulled up onto the beach, apparently unused.
Local sources say the island is maintained by a handyman who lives there with his wife and dog.
However, the island’s web page, doubleisland.com.au, is still working and shows the resort in pristine condition.
There is no indication of the island’s current state and it appears that it is still possible to make bookings.
Kitsch trespassing signs, conveyed in a friendly way, make it very clear that strangers will not be tolerated
A mishmash of junk ruins the natural beauty of the island, with steel and plastic highlighting the ‘romantic’ edge
The website’s home page boasts: ‘Traditionally Double Island has only been available for exclusive ‘private whole of island’ use.
‘However… we are now delighted to announce that… Double Island is now available for individual couples, family and friends to enjoy on a three night minimum basis’.
It even boasts of the cuisine available to guests, saying that its food is a ‘absolutely sublime culinary experience, with an internationally renowned kitchen brigade’.
Also billing itself as a location for weddings, the site says the island is ‘one of the most romantic and exclusive wedding locations in Australia.’
It adds: ‘Wedding receptions at Double Island include your overnight accommodation in a stunning Villa, luxurious open plan lounge and dining area, opulent marble bathroom, fully-equipped kitchenette, plus either a private plunge pool or outdoor spa, wireless internet connection and fully air-conditioned.’
‘The only welcoming thing there right now is the dog’, who cuts a lonely figure roaming the resort all day
Local sources say the island is maintained by a handyman who lives there with his wife and dog
A lonely catamaran, baking in the hot tropical sun, waits patiently on the island for its next trip out to the water
The boat meant to ferry well-heeled guests to and from the mainland is pulled up onto the beach, apparently unused.
Gushing more about the island’s accommodation, the site goes on: ‘During your stay, we invite you to surrender all those modern-day ‘conveniences’ that can keep us from truly living in the moment.
There are televisions and mobile reception for those who ‘must’. But we encourage you to surrender, let your wake-up call be the sound of island birds and the lapping of waves upon the shore.’
The website also gives a history of the island, saying it was named after the two peaks at its either end in 1848 by Captan Owen Stanley of the ship HMS Rattlesnake who was surveying the area.
There was no response to an inquiry made via the website about making a booking in June for ten guests.
One of the dilapidated safari shacks that has been left in a state of disrepair, festooned with overgrown shrubbery
With pristine coast line, tropical weather and the foundations of a resort, Double Island is a success waiting to happen
The island was once a private retreat for the Homes Acourt business family.
It is now reportedly leased by Chinese property mogul Benny Wu whose spokesman said it was going to reopen as a resort in 2016.
Spokesman Leo Chui reportedly said: ‘A lot of work has been done and is being done now. Basically we’re getting all the infrastructure up and running again.’
Mr Wu said he had spent A$3million upgrading the island’s facilities including improving its jetty, introducing solar power and bringing electrical wiring and pipelines up to standard.
He bought the property in 2012 from Sydney property developer Sean Howard.