Beach hotels in Queensland, Australia

Stayed at the Wyndham in Surfers Paradise for a family weekend away and overall it was a solid choice. As Gold Coast locals we didn’t really need the constant upsell on tours and activities, but I can see how interstate or overseas visitors would find that useful. The location is the real strength here — easy walking distance to Cavill Avenue, directly opposite Q1, and the observation deck nearby was great for the family. Very convenient without needing to constantly drive around Surfers. Our king-sized room was spacious, comfortable and worked well travelling with a young family. The hotel itself felt clean and well maintained. One thing worth noting for visitors is that the Hamilton Street beach entrance is still showing the effects of Cyclone Alfred from 2024, so beach access in that immediate area is not quite back to normal yet. That’s obviously outside the hotel’s control, but useful for travellers planning beach days. Overall, a good stay if you want a central Surfers Paradise base with plenty within walking distance.

I was very satisfied. There is a shop near the hotel, which is very helpful. Due to its location, it is a place where you do not have to eat. The hotel employees are very nice.

Pros: Excellent location, right next to the LRT station. Spacious room with a balcony. Cons: Limited breakfast options. Facilities are a bit old (haven't used a shower with separate hot and cold water taps in 15 years). Cockroaches on the balcony one night (at least none inside). Right opposite the Sling Shot ride, so expect constant screaming until 10 PM.

The Mantra Hotel has outstanding location. It is directly in front of the Woolworths supermarket - the best option in central Cairns. It's also virtually opposite (the esplanade side)the lagoon public beachfront swimming pool. Finally it's just a 5 minute walk from Cairns Cruise Terminal, with outstanding day trips to Green Island, Fitzroy Island and the Reef. I booked a sea view room. When you enter the room, you don't see the ocean, but a building across the road. However, the view from the balcony was amazing. The balcony overlooks the main features of lagoon on the sea front. During the day it is great view - the lagoon pools and sea in the background. At night you cannot see the sea (as to be expected) but you have the amazing lagoon lights, which makes it very desirable and even romantic. Our room was at the end of block, which overlooks a shopping mall (no car noise) - looking right from the balcony is the lagoon view and looking left is a mountain view. However, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm the sun comes directly into the balcony area, which means it unusable until sun sets. Of course if you don't mind baking in the sun on the balcony, this is not really a concern. The room itself is pretty basic. The mini fridge of OK and TV has domestic channels only - no cable TV for BBC/CNN. The bathroom is of a good size. There is combined shower & bath. However, when using the shower, it can slightly flood this bathroom. A shower curtain may be desirable because the glass panel is not sufficient enough. At $225 per night this hotel was not cheap and you can better deals by coming in the off-season OR going bit further down the esplanade, and choosing another hotel. The Mantra does have its own pool and it is wonderfully heated, with normal deck chairs you would expect at 4 star hotel. However, the pool gets very little natural sunlight, because it of its location between 2 buildings. Overall, the hotel has amazing location, and it is still recommended, despite the shortcomings mentioned. My final note: When we checked in, I was impressed with the level of service provided by the receptionist. She had a very welcome attitude and a wonderful personality.

I accidentally booked this hotel and found out it was non-cancellable when I tried to cancel, so I had no choice but to stay. Overall, it was okay; the room was a bit small but quite tidy and clean. The front desk staff were very friendly. The restaurant was under renovation during our stay, so we were given vouchers to have breakfast at the hotel across the street. Clearly, for an extra AUD$80 a day, we could have stayed somewhere much better. The hotel hallways had no air conditioning and were very stuffy and hot. However, there was a free coffee machine downstairs with complimentary coffee. The swimming pool looked dirty though, and no one was using it. The location is a bit far from the Reef Terminal, about a 17-minute walk.

Great stay! Perfect for kids and adults alike with the choice of both the pool and ocean. Just wish I had booked the sea view. I couldn’t fault the service especially when addressing an issue with our parking.

This was not our first stay and in the main it was good. We stayed twice on this trip with a stint on Magnetic Island in between. Service on our departure stay was while not bad was marred by the gentleman who was abrupt and less than enthusiastic about being helpful. We arrived in the morning knowing we couldn’t get in until later and were greeted by a friendly and helpful reception attendant. Who said we would let us know by text as soon as a room was available for us. We took that to mean if we could enter our room before the scheduled check in time we would get a message. We never got a message. In fact we had ran out of ways to entertain ourselves and keep cool with just under an hour to check in time. So we went to the reception to assign the room was ready and were grumpily informed our room wasn’t ready and that is why we had not had a text. We understood this could be the case but the summary dismissal was far from reasonable customer service. No apology given we had patiently waited for over four hours already. We waited in the lobby and watched as others were given rooms. Why we had to wait while others did not was given no explanation and made no senseh to us. When check in time came and went is when I had to contain myself. One thing for us to be shunned for being early but for them to tell our room was not available at the time the business had committed to was very frustrating. It showed they had no system and were unprepared to provide reasonable customer service. We waited patiently and thankfully not for much longer and maintained our positive countenance. Thank goodness the room was,while only on the first floor, the better of rooms we had stayed in and worth the wait had it been managed better. If it weren’t for the grumpy reception we would have rated this trip more highly. Hopefully this business can get its cleaning process and attitude to customers of male staff improved the location value and room would be highly recommended as is a little work to do.

1. **Prime Location:** Just a 3-minute walk to the beach, with the G:link light rail station right at the doorstep. It's a 5-minute stroll to Cavill Avenue, a bustling pedestrian street packed with restaurants, bars, and convenience stores. A taxi to the airport takes about 25 minutes. 2. **Amenities & Experience:** Modern rooms, many with private balconies (sea or city views available). Features include an outdoor pool, spa, sauna, and gym. Dining options include Fables restaurant and Tales bar. Free and stable WiFi is provided. The downsides are that some facilities feel a bit dated, and street-facing/lower-floor rooms can experience noise from nearby bars on weekends. Parking is paid and limited. 3. **Service:** 24-hour front desk with multilingual staff who can assist with booking theme park tickets and excursions. Luggage storage is seamless. A credit card deposit is required at check-in. 4. **Ideal For:** Couples, families, and budget-conscious business travelers. During peak season, it's recommended to book an inner, higher-floor room in advance.

This is a fabulous place to stay. We chose a studio room, with ocean view, and it was really worth it. Although we arrived late, we contacted call staff at the door and they talked us through the check in process. Service was kind and responsive throughout. The only small downside was that the rooms are only serviced once each 8 days. However, when we requested fresh towels they were happy to provide them. The pool complex is lovely - the pool is a little cold for winter, but the spa was comfortable and we really enjoyed the sauna. Breakfast was included, and we had the choice of three cafes in the complex, with delicious food at all three. We can't wait to return!

Every time I visit the Gold Coast, I stay at the Marriott, and the breakfast is always great. However, the caps on the shampoo and other toiletries can be easily opened, which raises some safety concerns. After 6 PM, there are no staff or services at the pool, and it's not lit. For children with UV allergies who wish to swim in the evening, it's not possible. December is summer in Australia, so it gets dark late. I hope the hotel considers extending the pool's closing time, especially since guests are here for a holiday. Thank you.