Moonshadow Villas Reviews

Guest Reviews & Press Releases

Weekend Australian Travel and Indulgence Nov.17-18
Travel Writer, Journalist and Author James Jeffrey

“This is one of the few places where I could imagine both honeymooning and holing up if  apocalypse occurs and there is a nuclear winter to ride out. With its four architect designed villas in a lush elegant and unexpected world of their own, Moonshadow is one of Darwin ’s lovliest surprises. Surrounding a tiered sandstone plunge pool, the villas feature coconut wood floors, teak furniture, splashes of suitably tropical art and the slow hypnotic swish of ceiling fans. There are hints of Bali and a mouth-watering selection of Chinese Antiques, not least 300- year-old lacquered wedding cabinets featuring moments from the Chinese version of the Kama Sutra in gold leaf. The city is just a short walk away, as is Mindl Beach and its’ sunset market, but it’s tempting to forget them all and loiter here. Darwin is hardly short of nice places to stay, but nowhere I have been comes close to touching Moonshadow”
James Jeffrey Journalist and Author of “Paprika Paradise”

"We just wanted to thank you for such a wonderful holiday, the accommodation was perfect and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your help with the arrangements for the itinerary. Everybody (us included) have advised that this was a trip of a lifetime!!  We hope to see you again in the next couple of years - but again thank you so much!"  Tanya and Kent Sept 09
Apart from saying WOW! there is nothing more left to say!

"I am writing to express my very sincere thanks the  stay at Moon Shadow Villas during my recent visit to Darwin. Both Sally and I were totally overwhelmed by the magnificent surroundings. The gardens, the water features, the care and attention to detail was amazing as was the manner in which the villas themselves were decorated and presented. I don’t think we have ever stayed in cleaner, more spotlessly presented accommodation. The privacy the villas afforded and the fact that they are located within a stone’s throw of the main CBD of Darwin is hard to believe. We could have very easily been in holidaying in Bali itself.
I am employed in a business that is well known for the quality of its product and its customer service and I think it is fair to say that both you and Peter echo the values we take into our business on a daily basis."
Paul Johnston  Sales Manager   Lexus Of AdelaideMOONSHADOW VILLAS

Immerse nella foresta tropicale, a tre km dal centro di Darwin, si trovano le Moonshadow Villas: una della quattro proprietà in Australia che merita le 5 stelle dell’hotellerie, ma anche le Green Star che le sono state assegnate dal punto di vista ecologico.
Le ville, a due piani, con due stanze da letto e due bagni, sono arredate in stile balinese con mobili raffinati e di lusso, laddove la sinfonia dei colori è parte dell’arredamento stesso; dispongono di una cucina perfettamente attrezzata, di un sistema audiovisivo con lettore CD, lettore DVD e video, televisione ed internet veloce senza fili.
Ma quello che incanta sopra ogni altra cosa sono le verande che si affacciano nei piccoli giardini tropicali di ciascuna villa e che fanno cerchio attorno alle piscine.
Gli ampi spazi sono autonomi e privati ma ci si trova in piscina per l’aperitivo serale e per un bagno prima di cena con gli amici sotto la splendida cascata in arenaria.
Un soggiorno indimenticabile.  November 2009

"Our recent stay at Moonshadow Villas was nothing short of perfect so thank you so much.  Our Villa was stunningly decorated, quiet and private and so much nicer than staying at a large resort/hotel.  We absolutely loved it and will recommend Moonshadow to everyone we know travelling to Darwin and will definitely stay again should we make it up that way again."
Dea & Dave August 2008  

"Just a quick email to thank you for our stay at Moonshadow Villas.  The Rainforest Suite is beautiful and the perfect place to relax.  The location of the villas to all the sites in Darwin is great and the oasis they provide is truly wonderful.  The helicopter trip we did of Katherine Gorge and Kakadu was a once in a life time experience, thank you for organising."
Peter and Karen August 2008

"Thanks for the great stay!!  A FABULOUS villa and property. We felt so comfortable and very relaxed and at home.. Warm regards
Tanae and Jay November 08

"Just wanted to say we had a FAB time at Moonshadow in the Orchid Villa and you really do have the most lovely place there; we felt rested and relaxed after the second day and by day 4 really felt like we'd had a good break. Now back to reality and work with happy memories."
Linda & Ben March 08

"Everything that was outlined in the website, was exactly as we found it - what a fantastic experience and a lovely relaxing time it was. The location is ideal - close to everything and far enough away. Well appointed. The daily gardener was always polite and paid attention to detail, whilst we hardly noticed the other guests. See you again soon!"
Fiona and Family Tamworth January 2008

Karla - October 2007
"From the moment we stepped through the door we were in heaven!!! The vila is beautifully decorated and the surroundings so calm and tranquil you can't help but relax. We had the most wonderful stay and have definately recommended it to all our friends. Well done Peter and Moya, you have created a relaxing tropical oasis that was just what we needed."
Broome WA

"It was such a treat to return to such beauty and serenity.. Well done on creating such a lovely haven in Darwin - we will certainly recommend it highly!"
Meredith and Paul  Sydney

"Thank you once again for a superb stay.. I always leave here, wanting to stay longer, but also feeling refreshed and at peace.  See you next September, Please say farewell to Ron for me.."
Cheers Annie  Adelaide (Sept. 2007)

Raise our glass and Spread the Cheer.. To your good selves and Moonshadow.  6 Stars in our book.  We had a fantastic time staying in Birdsong, A Giant Round of Applause for Your Diligence and Attention to Detail Second to None, Big Hug, Cheers, Sam and Louise  (August 2007)

"We were 2 couples having a holiday together..  We had 6 days enjoying the ambience of the beautiful Moonshadow Villas.  This central oasis, not far from the city and the Mindl Beach Markets is a place of tranquility and beauty.  It is charmingly and comfortably furnished with heaps of style and all the comforts of home.
The enticing plunge pools, shaded by a graceful canopy of tropical palms provided many hours of relaxation.  Our hosts, Peter and Moya, were most accommodating and helpful and yet did not intrude on our privacy.  We would recommend Moonshadow to anyone who wants a very special place to stay in Darwin.."
Simon  July 2007

"We visited Darwin for work and pleasure and found Moonshadow to be a fabulous place to be based for both. The photo's and description on the website is simply understated. I would highly recommend anyone looking for a great place to stay give Peter and Moya a call. It is well worth it......We have already booked for next year."
Tom - June 2007

"It begins with words.
Not a shout, or a whisper, just a gentle trace of chalk written with a head bowed in suppliance and a prayerful hand - "Welcome to Moonshadow.
Who designed this paradise of leaf and stone and water?
What gentle hand ignites each flickering candle and spills into our rooms the perfumes of the Orient?
What Spirit inhabits this orchid-filled Oasis,
This Sanctuary of calm, where water spills through dual pools of languid light and shadow?
A canopy of graceful palms stretches out to gather the suns last rays and returns them gently in golden shards.
A whimsical frog gestures under a water lily, juxtaposing neatly with the Gods of Bali.
Moonshadow spellbinds the guest with the musical notes of bird calls and of crickets
and with the sweet taste of wine shared with special friends.
Moonshadow - a retreat that bewitches and entices the guest to return to this Eden again."
Jen and Mike  Melbourne May 2007

"What would madam/sir desire? Something with a huge WOW factor perhaps? Done, thrice over.
Something of sublime beauty? Added lashings of class, style, sophistication? Done.
Maybe a divine, lush oasis of bougainvillea, frangipani, orchid, palms, birdsong and treefrogs? Done.
A villa that is tres modern, luxuriously spacious and superbly appointed? Done, easily.
Ah, and would you like your villa and plunge pool to be gobsmackingly stunning? Done. 
How about charm, warmth and helpful hospitality on the side? Done, no problem.
And lastly, how about a complete lack of pretension or overbearance? Done."
Nel and Peter  Melbourne May  2007

"We chose Darwin as a holiday destination to celebrate my husband's Birthday and our Wedding Anniversary. Instead of 'touring' the Top End , we decided to make Darwin our base and do day trips - all major attractions are easily accessible from Darwin .
Our choice of "Moonshadow" for our accommodation was inspirational . Moya and Peter have captured the essence of tropical living in these magnificant villas , tucked away in a tropical garden wonderland .Our host's relaxed approach to their guests and their attention to detail in the decor made "Moonshadow" our HOME for our visit to Darwin .
Besides visiting the usual tourist destinations such as Kakadu , we really enjoyed the FISHING . There are excellent 1/2 and 1 day charters on Darwin Harbour ( my husband's best catch was a 10kg Giant Trevalley ) and 1 day Barramindi Trips to places such as Corroboree Billabong on the Mary River.
If you want to do your own thing , there are great wharves to fish from or you can hire your own boat for the day .
After our 'exhausting' days activities . Moonshaow was a luxurious sanctuary to return to each evening and refresh ourselves . We felt like 'moving in' !"
Judy - May 2007

"We stayed at Moonshadow Villas in February 2007 and enjoyed the experience enormously. Several other guests have commented on the atmosphere, which we adored - in particular the rooms, pool, gardens, and outdoor showers. We also wanted to highlight how generous with his time Peter, the co-owner, was to us.
He gave us useful advice on trips to take around Darwin, booked an excellent Asian restaurant on our behalf, and helped me establish a broadband connection when I needed one. Moya, his wife, was also very kind, for example making sure we were awake at 6 a.m. for a trip to Kadaku. We look forward to visiting Darwin, and Moonshadow Villas, again!"
James and Joy  Hong Kong

"MoonShadow is the ultimate Darwin experience. Peter & Moya have created an oasis in the centre of Darwin where one cannot do anything but relax. Our villa was magnificent; rainfall shower, magnificent wooden gates on entry to the courtyard, a well stocked kitchen and beautiful unique furniture all hand picked by the hosts. Peter's artwork through our villa (and all villas we believe) signal the creativity of your hosts. Moonshadow is a virtual art gallery that would rival any of the boutique gallery's that Sydney has to offer. Our favorite activity was an afternoon by the pool, reading, dipping in the pool and falling asleep under the trees to the relaxing music coming from rock speakers in the garden. This place (and its hosts) have more uniqueness and luxury than any Hotel in town (by far) and yet has the privacy of your own tropical estate. 10 out of 10 Peter and Moya. Thank you".
Sophie + Adam -  Sydney March 2007

"We were really excited about our accommodation at Moonshadow and were certainly not disappointed. We love to stay in "different" accommodation and Moonshadow was first class in all aspects. The atmosphere was relaxed and it was obvious that Peter and Moya wanted us to enjoy our time at Moonshadow. Whilst the pool and surrounds were fantastic, what impressed me most were all the personal touches within our villa and the attention to detail. I think that they knew exactly how to set up the villa so that it was just as they would like it leaving it impossible to fault any aspect of the accommodation. We would highly recommend Moonshadow to anyone and everyone, especially if staying somewhere really special is an important aspect of your holiday experience."
Dianne - March 2007

"Our week long trip to Darwin
Was made much more complete
With our lovely stay at Moonshadow
With hosts, Moya and Pete

A well equipped kitchen
Allowed us to eat in
Although it's close to restaurants
And, to many, we have been

The heat and the humidity
You cannot go too far
From the pleasure of the refreshing pool
To our own, inviting spa

As soon as we arrived by plane
And felt the heat up here
We knew we would appreciate
A lovely, icy beer

No need to worry as we flew
And landed at midnight
For Moya and Peter had stocked up
The fridge for us that night

What a welcome! What a place!
We all said to each other
The cooling aircon working hard
The heat was not a bother

And nothing ever was a chore
For our inviting hosts
It's just so hard to narrow down
What we enjoyed the most

The spaciousness and facilities
We all just felt at home
The peace and tranquil nature
Made us feel so all alone

But Peter held the fort so well
While Moya was away
"If I can do just anything,
Please ask", is what he'd say

For when we're next in Darwin
Staying alone, or with our friends
There's no place that we'd rather stay
Moonshadow, we highly recommend."
Justin - February 2007

"A touch of Paradise" perfectly sums up our stay at Moonshadow Villas. My partner and I stayed with a friend from NZ for 5 days. We did not have a car but it was an easy walk into the city centre. Whilst many people had questioned us about going to Darwin in the "wet" this was not a problem. Returning to our villa at the end of a hot sticky day was like entering an oasis. A cool and funky villa,change into the bathers, slip into a cool shaded pool then sitting on our decking with the coldy of choice. What's not to love? Moya and Peter are great hosts that have the great ability to be there when you need them and not when you don't. If you like something different from the sterile "chain" brand accommodation, as Molly Meldrum used to say " Do yourself a favour !" "

SEE MOONSHADOW IN  VOGUE ENTERTAINING AND  TRAVEL IN THE CHRISTMAS 2006 EDITION FOR THE 20 TOP HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Se the review From Vogue:

 

"Me Tarzan, you Jane. Minutes from Darwin's CBD is a gorgeous complex of just five "jungle" villas on a property landscaped with rare plants and trees. The residences are set in the rainforest and have won many architectural and building awards including best tropical building. There's a choice of one-or twobedroom villas, or two bedrooms and a sofa bed. Upstairs in four of the twobedroom villas is an enormous king bedroom, with teak furniture carved in a banana leaf motif. One also has a private spa for those with romance on their mind. All are superbly fitted out with coconut wood floors and antique curios. The ambience has a touch of Somerset Maugham about it, but with the benefit of all mod cons, as well as waterfall pools set into the rainforest-so forget languishing like a world-weary expat in the heat. The beach, golf course, Darwin's restaurants and the buzzy Mindil Beach Markets are an easy walk away."

 

ATTENTION ALL BRIDES!

"I had two days soaking up the luxury of Moonshadow after the stress of a wedding and it was the perfect recipe to help me relax and for us to have some time alone in a completely romantic setting. Gentle meditative flute music wafted through the trees and the sound of water falling in our wall length water feature added to the serenity of the place. The gorgeous sandstone pool looked extremely inviting and was flanked by the tallest palms I've seen; sunbeds nearby. The water tumbled over different levels which would give the impression of swimming in a giant water feature. You could really imagine yourself to be anywhere in Indonesia. Our own personal spa was also made of sandstone pavers which felt wonderful underfoot, as did the granite pebbled floors and coconut wood floor boards inside the villa. Little touches like sandalwood soaps in the rooms and comfy places to plonk down and sleep or relax were numerous. And it's all so private, with your own path through the palms or an enormous wooden sliding door to shield away the world. Thankyou Moya and Peter for providing something very special for my wedding night and honeymoon. Would love to return and will recommend to interstate guests as something very special on their visit to Darwin. If you are getting married but can't honeymoon away just yet, you will find Moonshadow to be a beautiful reason for staying put in Darwin. Is as good as a getaway.

The Moonshadow provides the most perfect location in Darwin for a bride-to-be to spend a serene night before her wedding. It is also a fantastic place to invite friends and close family to join you as you get ready for your big day with its numerous bathrooms and places to get dressed, not to mention sharing a glass of champagne together as you wait for your limousine to take you all to the church. Perfect."
Rachel - February 2007

"Great villas with all of the amenities that you could want in an excellent location. We loved the pool - a great way to cool down on a hot day. Would definitely stay there again."
Richard - January 2007

"What a lovely oasis of peacefulness and calm close to the bustling Darwin city centre! The pool is cool and the rainforest setting with mood enhancing music simply wonderful. A spiritually uplifting experience made even more special by the gentle hospitality of owners Moya and Peter."
Andy and Heather - December 2006

"You know how you book a place on the net and you wonder if the photos are taken to make the place look a whole lot better than it is? Well these photos dont do it justice at all - the place is gorgeous! Beautiful decor with lots of extra touches - quiet and private - we loved it."
Jill, Margaret River - November 2006

"Thank you Peter and Moya for a great two weeks in your beautiful Moonshadow Apartments. We couldn't believe how beautiful the setting was and what a wonderful job you had done with the decor in the apartments. We would never want to stay anywhere else."
Roz & Graeme - October 2006

"I booked a holiday for my client, who unfortunately passed away while there in Darwin. He was a cancer patient and wanted to return to Darwin to see his family. The hosts at Moonshadow were very caring and gave my client a wonderful place to stay and see out his last days. I would like to say that we gave our client his dying wish and that he died peacefully and in comfort. The service and the hosts were exceptional. Thank you"
Published Comment on TakeABreak

"On arrival at Moonshadow we knew that our family were in for a very special holiday experience, Magnificent accomondation in a beautiful tropical setting, would highly recommend and will definately be the only place we would stay in Darwin, Moya & Peter are always on hand with invaluable tourism advice and make you feel very welcome."
Tina - October 2006

"Thank you so very much for our wonderful holiday at your gorgeous villas'We are regular visitors to darwin and have stayed at many locations -but! Nothing compares to moonshadow!The design, decor and comfort, as well as location is unreservably magnificent!!!Peter and moya thank you for your warm hospitality.You mad our holiday one to remember!!1will be recommending you to all our friends."
Keith and Jo - October 2006

"I have just returned from a week at Moonshadow Villas and this truly stunning property is unbeatable anywhere in Darwin ! It's not just the luxury, or gorgeous design or artwork. It's also about the people who own them. Long time local residents of Darwin (Moya and Peter), who are ony too happy to provide you with any information you need. This was my third trip to Darwin this year, and now that I've found these villa's I would be wasting my time trying to find something that beats them!"
Pip ( Perth ) - October 2006 

"I recently returned from a week long stay at your lovely villas and just wanted to say that they were delightful. As someone who grew up in Darwin and now lives elsewhere it was nice to come back to darwin and stay somewhere that was so relaxing and tropical, and felt so Darwin, a real oasis. Hopefully I will get the chance to come back. The children also especially loved the pool."
Donnagh - October 2006

"Myself and my family travelled from Scotland and booked Moonshadow online without ever seeing the villas before. The villas and hospitality received from Pete and Moya was outstanding you couldn't have wished for anymore. The setting and ambience within the gardens and villas is beautiful you would never think you were so close to the center of Darwin. I will definitely be staying in Moonshadow again when I return to Darwin . A big thank you again to Pete & Moya for such a memorable holiday especially after we had travelled so far!"
Scott - October 2006

Best place in Darwin to stay!
Sadie - September 2006

Rating: 5 /5  "We loved everything about Moonshadow. It had a stunning tropical luxurious decor and an exclusive atmosphere. Even though it felt hidden away, it was very close to everything and we walked to Festival events, Mindal Beach markets and restaurants in the city. This is a VERY special place and we plan to return."
R, SA August 06

"This was fantastic. We loved the accomodation. It was so comfortable and tranquil with great facilities. Highly recommend."
Malcolm - August 2006 

Monsoonal Experience NT

Escape the sun and sand down south and head for a tropical summer: experience the Top End's Green Season. Sure, it's hot and steamy, but it can also be stunningly beautiful with all the national parks at their verdant best, sudden refreshing showers and the chance to watch storms roll in across the harbour and fall asleep to a chorus of tree frogs.

Make a base in Darwin at the award-winning, architecturally designed moonshadow jungle villas, which feature a waterfall. pool and a second wet-edge pool terraced into the rainforest canopy. The retreats are an Ernest Hemingway delight of java sandstone, tropical orchids and river pebbles surrounded by towering palm trees.

All have quality teak furniture throughout and coconut wood polished floors. Indeed, they're so atmospheric, it's a shock to realise that both city and sea are only a walk away, while all the area's delights, including the Territory Wildlife Park, Kakadu and Arnhem Land and Litchfield, are only a drive away. For more details:

Moonshadow (08) 8942 3333.

Excerpt from an article by Sue Williams, Australian Financial Review Oct 28 2006