Jenny Flower

So what’s so special about the Cable Beach Club?

The Cable Beach Club resort is an Australian hotel icon. I personally love the Cable Beach Club resort and encourage my clients to stay there if possible. So why is the Cable Beach Resort a premium property; the most expensive in Broome? And more importantly why do I and my team recommend you stay there?

The Cable Beach Club resort is an Australian hotel icon

It was built in 1988 by English businessman Lord McAlpine, a charismatic entrepreneur who was one of the first to see the tourist potential of Cable Beach and bought the land that the resort now sits on.

The resort was built on the site of the old Cable Station, which was used to transmit telegraph messages between Broome and Java and the story goes that McAlpine’s original sale contract for the land was signed on the back of a beer coaster in the public bar of the Roebuck Bay pub.

It is a great tale and fits perfectly the image of 1980s Broome in those days as a bit ‘wild west’. Let’s not worry how true that story really is!

The resort is world famous nowadays along with the beach itself; known for its white sand and clear blue waters.

It has won numerous awards, including the Australian Hotels Association Award for Best Resort Accommodation and the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence.

The resort is also a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group.

I personally love the Cable Beach Club resort and encourage my clients to stay there if possible

I say, ‘if possible’, because it is a super popular resort and often booked out completely during the busy months in Broome between May and September. And nowadays the property insists on a minimum booking stay of 3 nights during that period. Like Kimberley cruising in general the rates for this property are not for the faint-hearted with the lead in rooms starting at $600 per night during the high season.

It is important to note that Cable Beach Club Resort is a 4-star property. Its rooms are very comfortable and beautifully set out in a colonial style but they are not super luxurious. And, to be frank the resort in general did suffer a little in the post COVID period with staffing issues; a common problem for the entire hospitality industry in Australia right now. If you check out the Tripadvisor reviews you will see the occasional grumble about staffing levels even now.

So why is the Cable Beach Resort a premium property; the most expensive in Broome? And more importantly why do I and my team recommend you stay there? Two reasons:

Unique Location

McAlpine’s vision means that the Cable Beach Club Resort is the only hotel in Broome that is right by the beach. Cable Beach is a wonderful beach and If you fancy a pre-breakfast walk your feet can be on the sand within 90 seconds of leaving the resort. Even without leaving the grounds the views of the stunningly blue Indian Ocean from the restaurant and sunset bar are without comparison. No other hotel (including the various other hotels in the Cable Beach suburb) has the advantage of this proximity to the beach and this represents a huge advantage over all its competitors.

Ambience

The resort is also surrounded by beautiful gardens that are home to a variety of native plants and wildlife. It is common to walk past a bandicoot or wallaby as you are walking from reception to your room at night. To be honest the grounds are so large (26 acres) that it is quite typical to get yourself temporarily lost as you search for the spa, reception or one of the restaurants. Here is a hint if this happens to you; the heads of the stone horse statues are always pointing in the direction of reception! These gardens are maintained by a team of dedicated horticulturists who work hard to keep them looking their best all year round. And at night the lighting is designed for maximum ambient effect – looks really nice.

The Cable Beach Club offers a range of accommodation options. There are a total of 225 rooms and suites, including:

Garden View Studios

These rooms overlook the lush gardens and feature a private balcony or terrace.

Pool View Studios

These rooms have views of the resort’s stunning swimming pool and feature a private balcony or terrace. I love these.

Ocean View Studios

These rooms offer stunning views of the Indian Ocean and feature a private balcony or terrace. And I also love these.

Bungalows

Suites

The Cable Beach Club has a range of suites to choose from, including the Pearlers Suite, which is named after the town’s pearling history and features a private plunge pool.

The Cable Beach Club is not only a luxurious resort, but it is also home to some of the best restaurants in Broome including:

Sunset Grill – Take in the serenity of the iconic Cable Beach while enjoying a premium menu carefully curated by their Executive Chef in the Sunset Grill restaurant. Ensured to deliver the best of Broome through each dish and your dining experience with them.
The Cichetti Club is a tapas-style restaurant that serves up a range of small plates inspired by the flavours of Italy. The menu features dishes such as arancini, calamari, and meatballs.
Ikigai – Ikigai, meaning a reason for being, will take you on a culinary journey with a delicately designed Kaiseki menu by Chef de Cuisine Sean Kim, featuring dishes ranging from fresh sashimi and nigiri to items cooked on a traditional Hibachi grill.
Sunset Bar – Sunset Bar is the perfect spot to enjoy a drink, a taco and unwind for the day as you take in the iconic Broom sunset.
Kichi Kichi – This restaurant serves up a range of Japanese dishes, including sushi, sashimi, and tempura. The restaurant also has a Teppanyaki table where diners can watch as their food is prepared right in front of them.

In conclusion

The Cable Beach Club is definitely not a cheap accommodation option. Yes it charges a premium and definitely leverages off its location and history. But hotel prices in Broome have leapt up in the last few years so the Cable Beach Club is no longer massively more expensive than its competitors. Even some very ordinary hotels in Broome town are now getting away with rooms from $350 a night in the high season – much to the bemusement of the locals.

The Cable Beach Club has a unique place in the heart of Kimberley tourism. It’s a great place to finish off (or start) your Kimberley cruise holiday. Grab a drink at the sunset bar on your first evening there and tell me I’m wrong.

About Jenny Flower

I’m an expert in small ship cruising in the Kimberley and have completed four cruises on different vessels along this spectacular coastline. Cruises in the Kimberley are not one size fits all. There are different ships and itineraries, each offering their own special elements.

If you would like to have a chat with me about Kimberley cruising at a time that suits you book in a call.

Book a call