Numerous Gold Coast hotels of all descriptions are available. There are eight major suburbs to the city, and all of them are popular resorts on the Gold Coast that each boasts a distinct flavor and appeal. You can find cheap lodging on the Gold Coast or extravagant luxury hotels, charming oceanfront bed and breakfast inns or mega beach resorts complete with water parks and aquariums.

You can find Gold Coast accommodations to suit almost any budget and taste in most of the suburbs, but each district is known for certain things to do and attractions. Almost no resorts on the Gold Coast are located directly on the main 50 miles of uninterrupted Gold Coast beaches, but many are located only about 300 feet away. This is the region’s zoning method that keeps this magnificent strip of sand as undeveloped as the miles of urban beaches in Rio de Janeiro.

Broadbeach is a shopping mecca, one of the city’s best surfing beaches, and popular with locals. Apartments and vacation rentals are very popular throughout Australia, and there are a number of very beautiful oceanfront Gold Coast accommodations that are apartments in the five-star standard. Look for the Wave and Verve, both high-rise luxury apartment buildings. If you’re looking for luxury hotels, try the elegant Sofitel with its sumptuous rooms and suites, or Conrad Jupiters Hotel and Casino, one of the largest hotels in the country with everything from a full-service spa to 24-hour gaming casino. On the other end of the budget scale are the Old Burleigh Court Apartments, within walking distance of the casino.

Australia Map

Surfers Paradise and Main Beach are the centers of tourism in the city, and boast numerous attractions and things to do. Many of the resorts on the Gold Coast are either high-rise hotels or high-rise apartments that line the beach area the way the resorts of Miami Beach in Florida do. Because of the theme parks here (Sea World, Dreamworld, Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild Water Park) many of the Gold Coast hotels here cater to families with children. There is great surfing here as well, and the apartments also appeal to groups of surfers.

The Main Beach section boasts the most luxurious Gold Coast hotels and resorts. Here is the lavish Palazzo Versace, with its own marina for sailing enthusiasts who arrive in their own yachts, a full-service spa, exclusive Versace boutique, and elegant hotel rooms. It also has luxury condominiums that rival the best apartments on Park Avenue in New York City. As in many other properties in the city, you will find a wedding chapel and facilities to accommodate all kinds of special events.

If you want unique Gold Coast accommodations that aren’t in the midst of the tourist center, but still within ten to thirty minutes by car or bus transportation, you might try the Radisson Resort that is located ten minutes inland from Broadbeach. Here you will find a day spa, driving range, fitness center, outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, and a children’s activity club. It is also easily accessible to five excellent golf courses. About 30-minutes north of the city is Runaway Bay, sheltered from the ocean by the North and South Stradbroke Islands Reserve. There are several hotels here clustered around the canals of Biggera Waters, and you can be on the pristine beaches and in the wild wetlands of North Stradbroke Island within a few minutes. If you like, you can stay in the only hotel on either of the two islands—the beautiful Stradbroke Island Beach Resort and Spa. Make your plans for this as far in advance as possible, as accommodations are limited. Scattered among all the hotels, beach resorts, and apartments are several intimate bed and breakfast inns.