Gold Coast Travel Forum

We are coming to australia from the US. We want to stay in a resort on the beach, but we also want to be able to go out to the bars and enjoy the night life any suggestions.

I don't know what your budget is but an area of the Gold Coast that is becoming very popular is the Oasis at Broadbeach. There are all sorts of hotels and apartment hotels in the Oasis precinct, not to mention restaurants galore and lots of shopping. It is also a couple of minutes walk to the beach. Very well situated. Here is the website for one of the better apartment hotel blocks
www.sandpiperapartments.com.au/ Hope you enjoy my home state!

Thank you! We are looking to about $250-$300 a night.

That should be plenty for a really great place to stay.

The Versace is meant to be nice...anybody stay there?

Ummmmmm...not sure where you're from - USA I think?

I think you'll find most of us on VT wouldn't dare spend a honeymoon or plan a nice holiday in the Gold Coast (no offence). And if you're in the $250-$300 per night range, your money can be so much better spent than at the GC.

Are you open to any other suggestions on destinations? To come all this way, Australia has sooooooooooo much more to offer...

We are going to Sydney, Hamilton Island staying at Hayman Resort, Cairns we can't deciede to stay in Cairns or go to Port Douglas. We are flying into Brisbane and we were going to head to Gold Cost for 4 nights.

Sounds like a fantastic holiday to me Nic! You'll love Hamilton Island....especially if you are flying into Hamilton!...(ask for seats on the right hand side if flying from Sydney).
Hayman Island is very romantic!!
Have you chosen a place to stay in Brissy?
I would like to suggest the Chifley at Lennons and here's the link -http://www.ozhorizons.com.au/qld/bris/country/com.htm
And the Gold Coast is a great destination! Don't foget to do the theme parks- especially Dreamworld and Seaworld. Of course you can stay right at Seaworld if you want and have unlimited access to the theme park....but my suggestion is at Pelican Sands right on the beach at Tugan...opposite the Coolangatta airport. Here's the link -
http://www.pelicansandstugun.com.au
There's heaps to do in and around the Gold Coast. Why not visit a few of our pages here on vt? The best thing to do is hire a car and do a day down to Byron Bay and Nimbin and a day into the hinterland taking in O'Rielly's and Natural Arch....and don't forget the unspoilt beaches south of the border - Cabaritta, Hastings Point and Black Rock...just south of Pottsville. Take a picnic lunch and enjoy a romantic deserted beach all to yourselves!!
Have fun and if you need any mor info, then you are welcome to email me :o)
Cheers,
Ann :o)

Excellent - sounds like a great holiday.

Yeah if the Disney-esque theme parks are your thing, then the Gold Coast would be fun. Just be careful that school holidays are not on or you will find the bars in Surfer's Paradise loaded with hip-hop music and drunk teenagers - imagine Daytona Beach.

I avoided it by going a little further south to Broadbeach which was a bit more of a relaxed area than Surfer's Paradise.

Great trip - have fun fun fun!

Hi We have stayed on the Gold Coast several times and enjoy it, however there are some great places on the Sunshine Coast just north of Brisbane, last year we had a week at Noosa Heads, a fantastic place, fabulous beach, Hastings Street has the bars , restaurants and cafes, we also had a few days on the Gold coast, stayed at Ledgens Hotel and had great views of beach. For a honeymoon may I suggest you take a cheap flight to Hamilton Island( 1.5 hours flight with Jetstar cost Aust$70 one way. This is a fabulous Island in the Whitsunday Passage in tropical north Queensland, see the coral reefs etc.of the Great Barrier Reef. We went to all these places last September, just fantastic, have a look at my pages.

Good Luck,
Mike

jst a hint if planning on enjoying the night life surfers has a lock down time at night so you need to be in the bar that you want to stay in otherwise you cant get into any other bars i think it might be 1pm. was when i was there last.have you heard of draculars in broadbeach have a look at their web its worth a visit. had a fantastic time. if you dont mind been given a bit of stick try to get the tables on the ground floor and they love it if you give back to them.

Oh Draculas!!...Hey Seza...you just reminded me of a wonderful night we had there! Yep, good suggestion!! :o) Nic...stick Draculas at Broadbeach on your 'must do' list :o)

So I think we are leaning towards Broadbeach. My next question is we have 4 night should we spend all of them in Broadbeach or should we do a nite or two in Brisbane?

I love the Sheraton mirage which is located at Southport (Gold Coast)its the only resort or hotel on the Gold Coast which has direct beach access. The Verace is just two minutes away from the Sheraton but its not on the beach, however its an excellent 5 star hotel.

Others to consider are the Marriott which has a lovely swimming pool and the Sofitel in Broadbeach. (2 mins walk to the beach).

All the above hotels are close to cafes, restaurants and nightlife.

oops, i just noticed your other question.....I would do one night in Brissie, there are some excellent hotels and restaurants etc.etc.Sir Stamford, Quay West Apartments, Rydges etc.etc.

The best thing to do in Brisbane is to catch the ferry up Brisbane River and see the city from the water. Southbank is another great area to walk around. A path leads from the Botanical Gardens around to Southbank. This is a lovely way to enjoy the highlights of Brisbane.

Its approx one hour drive from the Gold Coast to Brisbane, or you catch a shuttle bus.

I would suggest you look at either the Sheraton or Versace they are two VERY nice places to enjoy your honeymoon. The Sheraton yes it is right on the beach and it is practically your own, but across the road is Versace although not on the 'beach' it is on the Gold Coast Broadwater, which is gorges at night and right next door are some of the best restaurants, (I recommend Omeros Brothers - Seafood Restaurant, which has just won again best seafood on the coast). There is a bus service out the front of both resorts which takes you in to Surfers or where ever else you wish to go. Surfers has great tourist beach markets every Wednesday and Friday nights. The night clubs have a lock out at 3am (which means if your leave the club your in at 3am you are not allowed back in to any other clubs), and then they shut at 5am. Hope this helps enjoy the Goldie.

the Gold Coast is very good, has most of everything, but do you want to be in the city type area or in a quieter spot to enjoy the beach? The bottom end of the Gold Coast being Coolangatta and than into Tweed Heads and south (Salt has a very nice hotel right on the beach (the Outrigger and next door Peppers) and is very quiet, just down the road from Kingscliff. Kingscliff is a small quiet village with many outdoor restruants and has a lovely beach and creek, has the shops and bus stops and clubs etc.

Up the top of the Gold Coast near the theme parks is the wonderfull Mt Tamborine (oh by the way I assume that you will have a hire car) and O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat has a very good rep. you should be able to find their web pages.

When will you be here?