Review of QT Gold Coast – Queensland, Australia

Ah, the Gold Coast of Australia – the gold standard when it comes to surfing, not to mention a hot and sunny atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else on the continent. There is also plenty of choices for accommodations.  Read on for our review of QT Gold Coast.

It’s no wonder so many people, Australians and international tourists alike, flock to this area for a warm and beachy getaway. The region is beautiful, with plenty to see and do. And it’s here that you’ll find QT Gold Coast, a hotel so playfully colorful that it complements the upbeat spirit of the region.

Just a half-hour drive from the Gold Coast airport, this hotel is perfectly located with just a 5-minute walk to Surfer’s Paradise beach and a 1o-minute walk to the Pacific Fair shopping complex.

The hotel hosts 297 modern guest rooms and suites, all of which are spacious and equally as colorful as the lobby.  Vivid splashes of yellow, blue, orange, and turquoise are used as accents in an essentially white room. The overall design mixes retro Hollywood with a fun, beachy flair.  Designer bathrooms are every bit as bold and quirky with black and white tiles and a splattering of color.

Each room features a private balcony, a flat-screen HD TV, a small workspace, an iPod dock, and a minibar that uniquely includes a lemonade kit along with dominoes and pick-up sticks to keep guests entertained.  With a choice of an ocean view or mountain river view, the rooms are very clean and well maintained.

Onsite amenities include a spa, meeting and event space, a gift shop, and a nightclub called Stingray Bay that boasts live music and a dance floor.

For dining purposes, Bazaar is available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Though clearly an informal restaurant, it’s promoted as an international marketplace that allows guests to choose from a smorgasbord of foods and made-to-order dishes, including omelets and smoothies at breakfast time and salads, seafood, and roasted meats at lunch and dinner. Asian cuisine prepared in a wok is also available.

For dinner, Yamagen is an onsite alternative featuring Japanese cuisine.  Having recently received a renovation, the upscale restaurant now also includes a bar.

Given the size of the hotel, the pool (which features a small swim-up bar) and the surrounding lounge area are noticeably small. To that end, there are minimal lounge chairs available. On weekends it isn’t quite so troublesome; however, on weekends and holidays when the hotel is at its busiest, the pool size and lack of loungers prove problematic with guests having to move onto ‘the lawn’ or the beach in order to worship the sun.

PROS: Affordable. Excellent location. Upbeat atmosphere. Good customer service. Rooms and clean, comfortable and spacious.  Food is delicious and well varied. Plenty of unique amenities and details throughout the hotel. 

CONS: If visiting on a weekend, guests undoubtedly will be disappointed by the size of the pool and the lack of lounge chairs.  Although the food and atmosphere at Yamagen are amazing, the restaurant is quite pricey.