The 14 best hotels and resorts on the Gold Coast

The three crystalline towers of The Langham Gold Coast are like jewels in the Surfers Paradise skyline, but it’s not just the exterior that brings diamonds to mind. This luxe hotel is home to six standout dining and drinking experiences, including a signature beachfront restaurant, a Michelin-starred Cantonese fine diner, a fancy high tea haven and a lively outdoor pool bar. There’s also a luxurious wellness centre, a multi-purpose health studio, a fancy day spa and two swimming pools. Plus, the beach is just steps away. It doesn’t get much better than this. As for the rooms, you can choose from four room types, five suite options, or one-to-four bedroom apartments in the Jewel Residences, each offering either ocean or Hinterland views.

Time Out tip: For an extra touch of luxury, visit the award-winning Chuan Spa for treatments inspired by centuries-old traditional Chinese medicine, including hot stone therapy, white clay facials and mud wraps.

Address: 38 Old Burleigh Rd, Surfers Paradise

Price: From $477 per night

Arguably the Gold Coast’s most luxurious accommodation to date, this 24-storey beach house marks the Australian debut of LA’s innovative Mondrian hotel group. The five-star property swung open its doors in June 2025, just metres from Queensland’s pine tree-framed Burleigh Beach. Inside, Mondrian Gold Coast serves up laid-back luxury with 208 studios, suites and homes – all boasting views that’ll make your jaw drop, stretching from the Pacific Ocean right out to the Hinterlands. Sun-drenched and twice the size of the national average, the rooms perfectly capture the essence of Queensland's iconic surfing destination with its famous rolling waves, swaying pines and sparkling white sands. Downstairs, LiTO whisks you straight to the Italian coast with a warming all-day menu of Med-inspired fare, while on level three, Haven pairs Burleigh’s barefoot vibes with the freshest seafood, finest Champagnes and unbeatable Pacific Ocean views. Post-feast, you can relax in one of two magnesium-infused plunge pools or splash out in the 24-metre resort-style pool. On the wellness front, Mondrian Gold Coast is home to a super modern fitness studio and neighbouring Ciel Spa, specialising in advanced bio-wellness therapies. 

Time Out tip: If you're staying a while, opt for a suite or beach house – the added kitchenette and laundry will come in handy. 

Address: 3 First Ave, Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast

Price: From $512 per night

Sitting just 200 metres from one of Australia’s most treasured surf beaches, Kirra is one of the Gold Coast’s best-kept secrets. This sparkly new stay, which opened in April 2024, features a 25-metre pool, barbecue area, gymnasium and more than 100 resort-style, multi-bedroom apartments. Each room is jaw-droppingly gorgeous and caters to your every need with full kitchens, separate dining and living spaces, wrap-around balconies, free-standing baths and plush king beds. Our favourite part is Kirra Point Holiday Apartments' luxe recreation deck by the pool, where you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the beach’s powdery white sands and glittering waters. You’ll leave wishing you’d booked at least an extra night (or three).

Time Out tip: If you’re partial to a wander, the whole Kirra-to-Coolangatta boardwalk is one of the prettiest ocean promenades in Australia.

Address: 4 Miles St, Coolangatta

Price: From $737 per night

Soft white sand, bright blue waters with tropical fish and a streaming waterfall – we’re not talking about the Great Barrier Reef, we’re talking about the JW Marriott’s dreamy lagoon, which was awarded Australia’s Best Hotel Pool in 2021. Everyone, from eight-year-olds to eighty-year-olds, is looked after at the resort, which offers coastal activities like snorkelling, sandcastle making and daily fish feeding, along with Jacuzzis, poolside cabanas and aquatic scooter hire. If you're looking for an excellent family-friendly resort that's super close to the beach and all the many wonders of the Gold Coast, with a very impressive natural pool, you really cannot go past the JW Marriott. It's a legend, for a reason. 

Time Out tip: Committed to sustainability, the JW Garden’s culinary team also run garden and herb planting tours where guests can see those fresh ingredients being incorporated into the very food they eat.

Address: 158 Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise

Price: From $807 per night

Standing loud and proud at 322 metres, Q1 is the tallest residential building in all of Australia and the stage for one of the country’s highest external building walks, the SkyPoint Climb. The accommodation here is elite, with one- to four-bedroom apartments boasting views that stretch from the shimmery sands of Surfers Paradise to the lush green hinterland. The Q1 architectural design was inspired by the Olympic Torch and Sydney Opera House, and inside you’ll find three swimming pools, an award-winning day spa and four spectacular eateries. Plus, if you're driving, they've got complimentary underground parking. 

Time Out tip: Want to get bang for your buck, view-wise? You can find Australia’s only beachside observation deck on level 77. 

Address: 9 Hamilton Ave, Surfers Paradise

Price: From $238 per night

Once known as Palazzo Versace, the Imperial is one of the Gold Coast's most iconic hotel destinations. Mere steps from Main Beach and dripping with Gold Coast dreams, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more unique stay on the Goldie. While not exactly subtle (the decor is a heady mix of marble, gold and chandeliers – but with that name, what did you expect?), the Imperial is huge, and, crucially, lots of fun. Centred around a massive pool, it has a well-equipped gym and spa, and 200 rooms that are big and suitably luxurious (massive mirrors galore, whirlpool baths, Juliette balconies). There’s also a private marina and a restaurant that has one of the area’s best buffet dinners. 

Time Out tip: Why not pretend you’re a trust fund baby with billions in the bank as you recline by the oh-so ‘grammable pool, or perhaps a business mogul with money to burn as you enjoy a relaxing beauty treatment at The Beauty Room?

Address: 94 Seaworld Dr, Main Beach

Price: From $150 per night

Just across the road from the Imperial Hotel, this grand, five-star hotel is within walking distance of Seaworld and boasts a sky bridge that connects it to the shopping centre on the other side of the road. It's also one of the only big hotels with direct access to the beach, though the waves up here can be rough, which is possibly why the pool area is one of the biggest on the Gold Coast, featuring a kids' pool, a hot tub area and a heated, colossal lagoon-like main offering. There’s a modern gym and a stylish spa all on the ground, meaning you can check in here and, if you want, not really ever leave. 

Time Out tip: Sheraton's on-site Terraces Restaurant gives the Imperial Hotel a run for its money when it comes to its seafood buffet. 

Address: 71 Seaworld Dr, Main Beach

Price: From $300 per night

If you’re here for a bit of a flutter, this Vegas-style casino hotel – Queensland’s oldest, in fact – combines eating and sleeping with the possibility of winning some dough. With a casino that's open 24 hours, heaps of dining options, line dancing on the lawn and constant entertainment, The Star doesn't sleep. Housed on its own island in Broadbeach, it also has a theatre, spa, large pool area with cabanas and five signature dining venues. It’s opulent, yes, but with a sense of humour (NB: the vending machines selling mini bottles of Möet). 

Time Out tip: Respite from the kerching-ing throngs can be found in the serene, outdoor Garden Bar.

Address: 1 Casino Dr, Broadbeach

Price: From $316 per night

A blindingly blue one-acre lagoon steals the show at this luxury coastal retreat in Sanctuary Cove. With its gold offerings, nestled next to a lavish marina and close to the Goldie's best theme parks, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort has something for everyone in the family. Surrounded by 4.2 hectares of tropical garden, you’ll also have exclusive access to two of Australia’s top golf courses – The Palms and The Pines and Links Hope Island. The 251 rooms and suites recently underwent a lavish refurbishment with deluxe bedding, chaise lounges, outdoor furniture and white marble work zones. 

Time Out tip: You’re also only a short buggy ride away from the Sanctuary Cove Country Club, where you’ll have complimentary access to five tennis courts, a 25-metre heated lap pool, gym, yoga studio and aerobics classes.

Address: Sanctuary Cove, Manor Cir, Hope Island

Price: From $214 per night

Summoning the spirit of the Gold Coast’s golden era of the '60s and '70s – when this stretch of Queensland was a playground for the great and good of Australia – the retro, disco-fabulous style of the hotel's lobby pairs these winks to the past with playful yet modern finishes. A refresh of the hotel’s 293 rooms and suites has seen flashes of the kaleidoscopic colours and yesteryear chic, set against a crisp, white, beach-shack style complete with ‘Queensland beach house’ beds. Where the QT Gold Coast stands apart from its sister sites is its resort spirit, exemplified by its stunning pool lido and proximity to the lapping waves of the Pacific Ocean. 

Time Out tip: For a more substantial feed, the QT’s flagship in-house fine diner, Yamagen, offers some of the best Japanese cuisine in the area. Booking ahead is advised since it’s a huge hit not only with guests but locals too. 

Address: 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise

Price: From $200 per night

It’s all about sunny days, sandy toes and blissful nights at ‘The Cat’. Originally built in the late 1960s, this roadside motel has been reimagined as a stylish surf shack, boasting six coastal-inspired queen rooms and a two-bedroom apartment. The Cat is perched just 200 metres from the pristine waters of Palm Beach, but you can also relax under shady umbrella trees in the motel’s communal courtyard or on sunbeds by the pool. The rooms are beautifully designed, super comfy and popping with lots of thoughtful little details, including locally made soaps and sustainable evo hair washing products. This really is the definition of lo-fi luxury. 

Time Out tip: Coming in late? They've got contactless check-in and free parking.

Address: 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise

Price: From $275 per night

With its burnished gilt ceilings, rose gold columns and thick-pile azure carpets lapping like waves against a parquet marble shore, the lobby of the Dorsett is a masterclass in Gold Coast glitz. And while this small but perfectly formed hotel may not be quite as resort-scaled as some of its nearby neighbours, its luxe finishes, boutique charm and thoughtfully curated facilities can certainly hold their own against any of Surfers Paradise’s bigger accommodations. The 313 guestrooms channel a similarly glamorous aesthetic, with palm frond artworks, gold leather headboards and rain showers.

Time Out tip: The hotel’s location in Broadbeach places it in the heart of one of the best dining destinations on the Gold Coast, with outstanding and numerous options just minutes from your room.

Address: 5 The Darling Ave, Broadbeach

Price: From $163 per night

On the southern tip of The Gold Coast, Coolangatta is a surf town with a laidback, slightly ’70s vibe on the border with New South Wales. Mantra, on its main beach, is great if you’re looking for a budget-friendly apartment hotel a short drive to the casinos, shops and malls in Surfers Paradise and the unmissable Currumbin Wildlife Park. On-site, you’ll find a tennis court, a gym, a small sauna and a pool, and you’re walking distance to one of the region’s best surf breaks too. 

Time Out tip: Added bonus for Aussie film fans? Much of the 1994 classic Muriel’s Wedding was shot here.

Address: 88 Marine Parade, Coolangatta

Price: From $208 per night

You've probably heard of this place. What was once known as The Islander – a 1980s two-star hotel in Surfers Paradise that was popular with partying school leavers, or ‘schoolies’ – was remodelled as The Island, a boutique hotel aimed at a more sophisticated guest. With light wood panelling and black metal beds and wardrobes, a cocktail bar on the roof and a big, breezy restaurant downstairs, it’s now one of Surfers Paradise’s best budget hotels – albeit one that has thankfully retained a touch of its ’80s cool. 

Time Out tip: It’s a block from the beach too, though if you don’t fancy braving the waves, there’s a small pool.

Address: 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

Price: From $200 per night