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Surfers Paradise is a suburb of the Gold Coast in Queensland, and one of the largest tourist destinations in Australia. Set on kilometres of ocean surf beach, Surfers has more going on than just the waves. From the high rise apartments that line the shore, to the nightclubs, pubs and late night shopping lining the mall, Surfers is busy all through the day and night.
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Rising 323 m, it is the tallest building in Australia and when it was built it was also the tallest all-residential tower in the world. Visit the SkyPoint Observation Deck on level 77, or climb outside in the Skypoint Climb.
Contains the southern hemisphere's largest wax collection.
Choice of lunches for $10. Dinner meals under $20. Right across for the beach just down from Cavill Avenue.
Surfers Paradise RSL Club
The staff at the sign-in desk are quite rude and the whole place feels a little seedy as you walk right in to the pokie machine lounge, however once you get upstairs it's ok.
Age Limit: 18–35 in dorms; 18+ in private rooms. A quiet, highly rated hostel situated away from the central clubbing noise. Features a saltwater pool, an on-site bar, free Wi-Fi, and a large communal kitchen. Shared dorm beds are restricted entirely to travelers between 18 and 35, while anyone over 18 can book private rooms. Children under 18 are not permitted at the property.
Age Limit: 18–35 years old only. A premium boutique youth hostel built around a tropical outdoor pool oasis. Exclusively reserved for genuine international backpackers. Offers modern air-conditioned dorms and private en-suite rooms. Note: The minimum check-in age increases strictly to 21 during the annual November/December Schoolies festival weeks.
18–40 years old only. Highly secure and intimate youth hostel situated right next to the transit line and a brief 2-minute walk to the sand. Features custom timber bunks, a modern kitchen, and common areas. Check-in is strictly capped for travelers under 40 years old for both shared dorm rooms and private setups.
Age Limit: 18–35 years old only. A relaxed youth hostel at the quieter southern end of Surfers Paradise. Features an outdoor pool, tennis and basketball courts, shared kitchen facilities, and a social communal lounge. You must present an international passport upon arrival. Children and adults over the age of 35 are strictly not permitted to check in.
Age Limit: 18+ only (Adults only). Famous for its pod-style luxury bunk beds that offer optimal privacy curtains, private reading lights, and personal charging outlets. Rates uniquely include a complimentary hot breakfast and family-style dinners. Children under 18 are completely barred from booking or staying.
Features a revolving rooftop dining space, a massive outdoor lagoon pool with a sun deck, and two towers offering a flexible mix of hotel rooms and spacious serviced holiday apartments.
A modern high-rise apartment-style resort situated right in the heart of the Cavill Avenue shopping and dining precinct. It features spacious one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments equipped with private spa baths and balconies. Guests have access to lifestyle facilities including a sandy lagoon pool, indoor lap pool, and an in-house cinema.
A family-focused tropical paradise resort just slightly outside the noisy centre. Boasts a magnificent tropical lagoon pool with its own sandy beach, water slides, and a pirate ship play setup for children. Features fully self-contained apartment living with private balconies alongside the award-winning on-site Chiangmai Thai restaurant.
It is 100 metres from Surfers Paradise beach and a quick walk to the centre of Cavill Avenue. Offers sleek hotel rooms and studio suites featuring private balconies with sweeping views of the ocean or city skyline, complemented by an outdoor pool, gym, and on-site dining at Fables Restaurant.
A centrally located high-rise hotel near Surfers Paradise Beach. Offers comfortable hotel rooms and twin suites, each featuring a private balcony with ocean or city skyline views. Facilities include a fitness center, the Ocean Day Spa and Salon, and on-site dining. Street-facing rooms can experience evening noise from nearby nightlife hotspots.
A luxury 5-star apartment-style hotel housed inside the 76-story Ocean skyscraper, towering 252 metres above the Gold Coast. Features beautifully detailed studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites equipped with full kitchens and internal laundries. Amenities include a heated indoor pool, spa, sauna, state-of-the-art fitness centre, and a ground-level outdoor pool with a sundeck directly across from the beach.
A reliable and lively 4.5-star hotel offering excellent proximity to Cavill Avenue and the beach. Rooms feature contemporary configurations with private balconies highlighting ocean or city skyline vistas. Features a large outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, an on-site fitness centre, a full-size tennis court, and all-day dining at the BLVD Cafe & Bar.
A boutique high-rise building offering premium, fully self-contained holiday apartments. Features spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments equipped with full kitchens, laundry units, and private balconies boasting city, river, or ocean views. On-site resort facilities include a heated outdoor pool, spa, sauna, gymnasium, and secure parking.
A vibrant, 5-star designer boutique resort known for its quirky, retro-surf aesthetic and energetic atmosphere. Features custom-designed ocean-view rooms, the popular interactive marketplace-style Bazaar Restaurant, high-end Japanese dining at Yamagen, and the lively Stingray Lounge.
An upscale 4.5-star lifestyle hotel under IHG's trendy voco brand. Features bright, modern rooms, two outdoor swimming pools, L'Aqua Day Spa, and excellent casual dining venues including the Social House café/bar and Clifford’s Grill & Lounge.
Renowned as one of Australia's premier family-focused resorts. Features an expansive, complimentary on-site multi-level water park, an outdoor swimming pool, a giant hot tub, a supervised kids' club, and an indoor ice-skating rink. Accommodation options range from standard resort rooms to specialised family suites equipped with gaming consoles and bunk beds.
A chic, contemporary riverside lifestyle hotel featuring 199 rooms with private balconies showing sweeping views of the river or ocean. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool and sun deck, a fully equipped fitness centre, a jacuzzi, and the popular riverside Driftwood Social dining and cocktail bar area.
Two spectacular curved towers rising over the city centre, offering standard hotel rooms, executive club suites, and oversized 1- to 4-bedroom self-contained private residences. Features four pools, a dedicated eforea day spa, two gymnasiums, and premium sustainable dining at Catch Restaurant.
Luxury 5-star resort featuring a signature 5-metre-deep saltwater lagoon complete with a living coral reef and over 400 tropical fish. Voted as one of the top 10 Resorts in Oceania at the 2011 Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards. Following a multi-million dollar transformation, it offers upscale dining, family activities, and full-service day spa experiences.
Chevron Renaissance Towers
Sprawling holiday resort complex offering self-contained 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom vacation apartments. Known for its 5th-floor "Beaches in the Sky"—a massive 600m² sandy lagoon pool surrounded by subtropical gardens. Additional amenities include an indoor heated lap pool, a modern gymnasium, a health sauna, and a private in-house theatrette
A premium vacation ownership resort integrated directly within the JW Marriott tower. Offers spacious, contemporary multi-room suites ideal for longer family stays. Guests share complete, unfettered access to the landmark 5-metre-deep saltwater fish lagoon, pools, and premium resort infrastructure.
A striking 77-story ultra-luxury apartment resort redefining beachfront glamour. Offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with completely unobstructed ocean views, private balconies, and designer kitchens. Incredible podium facilities include a secret garden, a state-of-the-art gym, indoor lap pool, and a dramatic outdoor swimming podium directly facing the sea.
Q1 Tower
Housed inside one of the world's tallest residential skyscrapers, this luxury apartment resort towers 80 stories over Surfers Paradise. Offers expansive, self-contained holiday apartments with unique glass-enclosed balconies, state-of-the-art day spas, tropical lagoon pools, and direct internal access to the SkyPoint Observation Deck.
Jewel Residences
The first new ultra-luxury absolute beachfront hotel to rise in the city in over 30 years. Soaring above the shoreline, it offers 339 beautifully detailed hotel rooms and multi-bedroom managed residences. Features a stunning lagoon pool with a swim-up bar, a luxury wellness day spa, the famed Palm Court for high tea, and Cantonese fine dining at T’ang Court.
This part of Gold Coast is a 30-minute taxi ride from the Gold Coast Airport.
Read in the guideSurfers Paradise is quite compact, and you walk between much of the Surfers accommodation, Cavill Mall, and the beaches. In fact walking may often take less time than trying to find a parking spot close to the centre.
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