Budget
Less than 100 meters from the sand and only a few blocks from the center of the action, the Gold Coast International Backpackers offers travelers, students, or anyone on a tight budget the opportunity to explore Surfers Paradise at a fraction of the price. With dorm rooms starting at only $30 AU per person per night, saved cash can be spent right outside the hostel's doors. Learn to surf, snorkel, para-sail and jet-ski, or see the Gold Coast on board a 600-hp jetboat--with 360-degree spins and speeds up to 80 kmph--for a gut-wrenching 55-minute tour of the coast. Extra cash can also be spent at night on Surfers' lively bar scene. Follow the screams and heart-thumping beats to the intersection of Cavill and Orchid avenues, Surfers' nightlife headquarters. From a jam-packed Western-themed nightclub with electro beats to a bar covered in ice, it's never quiet in Surfer's Paradise.
Gold Coast International Backpackers
28 Hamilton Ave.
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4217
011 (+61) 7 5592 5888
goldcoastbackpackers.com.au
Views
At 322.5 meters and 80 floors, the five-star Q1 Resort & Spa is the tallest residential tower in the world, offering panoramic sweeping views of the Gold Coast from its own observational tower located on the 77th floor. Guests can also enjoy the Q1 Spa--voted the No 1 Spa in the Gold Coast, Flight Experience Q1--a-state-of-the-art Boeing 737 flight simulator, and one of the World's fastest elevators-soaring 77 floors in less than 43 seconds. Located in the heart of downtown Surfers Paradise, rooms have a front-row seat for all the action nearby. In October, the city shuts down as 300,000 people crowd the streets to watch the V8 Supercars fly by at jaw-dropping speeds amid 96 hours of relentless partying.
Q1 Resort & Spa
9 Hamilton Ave.
Surfers Paradise, QLD 4217
011(+61) 7 5630 4513
q1.com.au
Luxury
Surrounded by breathtaking gardens, a tropical lagoon and lush landscapes, the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa is a rare oasis in Surfers Paradise. Offering the utmost in luxury, the five-star award-winning resort has sweeping coastal views, an on-site spa, and even scuba diving and snorkeling among its own tropical fish. For outdoor enthusiasts wanting to escape Surfers' busy and chaotic streets, travel a few miles inland, enjoy breathtaking waterfalls, dense rain forests and tranquil bush walks in the sub-tropical hinterland.
Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa
158 Ferny Ave.
Surfers Paradise, Queensland 4217 Australia
011 (+61) 7 5592 9800
marriott.com/hotels/travel/oolsp-surfers-paradise-marriott-resort-and-spa
