The Gold Coast is home to a rising number of luxury accommodation options, many of them built right beside the region’s famous beaches. Check out the best of the newest…
BY Craig Tansley
THE VILLAS by BILINGA BEACH ABODES
These two villas just opened up and capture the essence of the Southern Gold Coast. Located along Bilinga’s Golden Four Drive, this part of the Coast has become the new hot zone for real estate. It’s only a minute walk to one of the widest – and least visited – strips of beach on the whole coast. Each villa has three bedrooms and its own plunge pool. The ultimate beach houses, the interiors have extra pizzaz with spiral staircases, bedroom lofts and custom furniture that feels like you’re in Spain. The Hemsworths may favour Byron, but Bilinga is what Byron Bay felt like 20 years ago. Kirra and Tugun – with their cute cafés, restaurants and bars – are only 15 minutes away along a beachside path.
THE LANGHAM
The Langham – built in the sand dunes in a quiet little enclave between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach – was always going to be a huge deal. It cost $1.4 billion to complete (it’s split across three towers) and is the first absolute beachfront hotel built on the Coast in 30 years. But it lives up to the hype, and then some. Guests can relax with a cocktail at the bar by the lagoon-style pool, while stylish rooms all look out over either the surf, or the green hinterland. There’re two great restaurants on-site too, including one of the world’s best Cantonese restaurants, T’Ang Court (its Hong Kong cousin has three Michelin-stars).
SANDBOX LUXURY BEACHFRONT APARTMENTS
You probably haven’t heard of these apartments - they’re the southern Gold Coast’s best kept secret. But here you’ll stay right on the beach – there’s ocean views from many of the apartments. Built in a secret nook of uber-cool Tugun, you’re only a 150-metre stroll from the Surf Club and a fully patrolled beach out front. Though the calm swimming waters of Currumbin Creek are still only 15 minutes’ walk north, and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is half that, while the trendy cafés and restaurants of Tugun are just at the end of the street. Choose from one to three-bedrooms – the ocean view apartments are your best bet.
SHERATON GRAND MIRAGE RESORT
You can’t get any closer to the ocean anywhere in Australia – especially where waves break – than Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. This is the Gold Coast’s only absolute beachfront resort. It’s built in the middle of one of the Gold Coast’s most action-packed locales – the Gold Coast Spit – so you have plenty of restaurant and bar choices, and a fancy marina right next door. Sea World is right next door too. But maybe you won’t want to leave the property – there’s six hectares of beautifully manicured tropical gardens, with enough bars and restaurants to keep you occupied for a week.
BOARDWALK RESORT
Burleigh’s newest luxury accommodation option offers a home-away-from-home, all just a few blocks from the heart of Burleigh, and an even shorter walk from the ocean. Stroll to Burleigh’s bars, restaurants and cafés and the boutique shops of James Street. Or take a 60 second walk to the famous beaches of Burleigh, and the riding and running trail that runs parallel to the beach. Choose between one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments which all offer their own kitchen facilities and a private balcony, many of which look out over the famous waves of Burleigh Beach. There’s also a yoga terrace, outdoor pool, and gym in your own private oasis.
NIRVANA BY THE SEA
Built right beside one of the Gold Coast’s most impressive beaches – Kirra – these luxury apartments offer stunning views out across the water all the way across to Surfers Paradise. Kirra has become a bustling seaside village, home to great restaurants like Siblings, straddling iconic Kirra Point (one of the world’s best surf breaks). Nirvana By The Sea lets you rise above the fun zone on the street, up into two- and three-bedroom apartments above, offering panoramic views across the Gold Coast skyline. The apartments alone are impressive, but you can also make use of the accommodation’s 25 metre heated lap pool, spa, sauna and steam room, Gold Star theatre room and executive lounge.
JW MARRIOTT GOLD COAST RESORT & SPA
This is the first JW Marriott Resort in Australia – it follows a $35 million rebrand and refurb of the old Surfers Paradise Marriott. While it’s just off the Gold Coast Highway, the second you step beyond the (impressive) lobby and see the gigantic tropical lagoon out back, suburbia seems a million miles away. This is one hell of a space: full of white sandy beaches, cascading waterfalls you can swim under and with a hip-as-heck silver Airstream serving lunch right beside it. The rooms are stunning - set with local stone, light calming tones and with views over everything - though you’d come here just for the food alone. Misono, one of the largest teppanyaki-style Japanese restaurants in Surfers Paradise, features an Izakaya and live sushi bar, while Citrique is a seafood restaurant - with an open kitchen and interactive cooking stations – well deserving of its Chef Hat.