Gold Coast Accommodation | Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise

There were a lot of things I liked about our room at the Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise but I especially liked that it had a lot of mirrors. I know there are a lot more things I could be waxing lyrical about – the spectacular view, for one. But if you’re as short-sighted as I am, you’d appreciate a big bathroom mirror that you can get right up close to, instead of having to lean across a wide bench and basin.

There were several big mirrors in the bedroom too, opening up the already spacious room and making it easier to dress and do make-up when the bathroom was occupied. The bathroom had a shower and separate bathtub with spa. It’s these seemingly insignificant things that add up to a hotel’s overall level of comfort, although at the end of the day, it’s a comfy bed that truly matters – and the king-size bed with plush duvet was certainly that.

We stayed in a king room on the corner of the hotel’s main tower, which offers 4-star accommodation overlooking the coastline on one side and the Gold Coast hinterland on the other. The adjacent Gold Tower has 5-star hotel rooms, apartments and suites.

The hotel is 200 metres from the beach, between the Surfers Paradise entertainment strip and Broadbeach’s shopping and dining scene. It’s a terrific location with a tram stop at the front door and the Pacific Fair shopping centre a short distance away. A shuttle service is available to Coolangatta airport.

There are two swimming pools, one of them, the Gold Tower pool, heated. Guests can use either pool regardless of which tower they are staying in. There’s a tennis court as well.

Our room was very spacious with two big sliding glass doors opening onto a balcony with a great view of Surfers. It was decorated in subtle gold and brown tones with blockout curtains and a single picture, also in neutral tones. Nothing to detract from the view here.

On this strip of real estate it’s all about the view, and at the top of the hotel is Queensland’s only rooftop revolving restaurant, Four Winds 360°. We didn’t get to experience it but it sounds like it would be a good spot for dinner or for high tea (held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon).

We had breakfast in Relish Grill & Bar, where the set-price breakfast includes barista coffee and eggs cooked to order. One thing I didn’t like about the breakfast buffet was the juice extractor for making your own juice. The chopped up fruit was difficult to reach and the juice extractor fiddly to use. Relish has a nice outlook over the pool.

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza so that I could experience Balthazar, an elegant new private dining space on the ground floor of the hotel. Another classy restaurant, Sifu, serving Cantonese and Schezuan food, is also about to open.

The Food Wine Travel checklist:

Comfy bed √
Good shower √
Free wifi √ (free for IHG Rewards Club members)
Free parking x ($15 per night or $25 for valet parking)
Tea and coffee in room √ (Instant coffee)
Fresh milk x (UHT)

We stayed in: Room 1607.

Crowne Plaza Hotel
2807 Gold Coast Highway
Surfers Paradise Qld
Australia
www.crowneplazasurfersparadise.com.au
Tel: + 61 (0)7 5592 9900

Christine and Maurie stayed at the Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise as guests of the hotel.