12 of the most dazzling Broadbeach accommodation picks

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Unpack and unwind close – but not too close – to central Gold Coast action with the dreamiest Broadbeach accommodation.

Surfers Paradise’s chilled-out neighbour has finessed its bookable digs in recent years, taking full advantage of its prime location beside the Gold Coast’s beating heart. The once sleepy suburb is now overflowing with a sophisticated edit of serviced apartments, high-shine hotels and slick Airbnbs, making it a well-trodden, well-rounded destination. Offering the finest of dining, epic things to do, and a superb cafe culture right on its doorstep and within walking distance, Broadbeach accommodation is one of the city’s hottest tickets.

1. Dorsett Gold Coast

an aerial view of the Dorsett Gold Coast, Broadbeach accommodation
Check in to chill out at the dazzling Dorsett Gold Coast. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Price: $$-$$$

The Star Gold Coast’s domination continues with Dorsett Gold Coast, a swish space offering glittering poolside R&R. The high-end Broadbeach accommodation oozes confidence, with glossy finishes and splashes of marble against rose gold and turquoise, totally illuminating your holiday.

Soak up the sun at Isoletto Pool Club, an al fresco haven with a 12-metre infinity pool where drowning cocktails and looking dapper draped across four-post cabanas is the order of every day. Swap cushioned orange luxury for a sunken sun lounge, built right into the pool, when you’re keen to cool off.

The rooms extend the fun as tropical printed carpet and curvy jewelled-toned furnishings pop with personality, while huge TVs, rain showerheads and balconies dial up the luxe. This place is a popular option for couples while still winning points among families as twin rooms offer ample beds.

You’re moments away from The Star’s wide range of eateries, but there’s also Jin Cafe & Bar serving up a mix of drinks, coffee, light snacks and sharing platters, plus a gorgeous executive lounge on level 19 which offers buffet breakfast and a 90-minute complimentary canapes and drinks service from 5pm daily.

Azure Spa & Fitness is within The Star, on hand to keep your workout and beauty regimens on track while on tour.

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2. The Shores

Price: $-$$

Sucker for a Palm Springs-inspired stay? The Shores, located 15 minutes down the Gold Coast Highway from Broadbeach, is the city’s latest ode to the beloved mid-century trend, decked out with a Slim Aarons-inspired pool scene and retro van slinging drinks. An original 1970s motel, the accommodation has totally remodelled its rooms, which range from the Miami Mini for two guests to the Palm and Sunset Suites which both sleep four. Whatever you land on, the interior is beachy perfection with terrazzo-printed flooring, duck-egg blue walls and doors, SMEG bar fridges, pale timber and all the whites.

In even better news, the team are working on a sibling location within Broadbeach itself, which will join their Surfers Paradise location and planned Kangaroo Point and New Farm builds in Brisbane. Watch this space.

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3. Meriton Suites Broadbeach

a cosy suite with balcony and beach views at Meriton Suites Broadbeach
Meriton Suites Broadbeach is within walking distance to the beach.

Price: $$-$$$

One of the best things about staying in Broadbeach is its central Gold Coast location, and life is extra easy at Meriton Suites Broadbeach. Close enough to notorious Cavill Avenue without hearing its round-the-clock raging, and within walking distance to the beach and the retail heaven that is Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, this Broadbeach accommodation consists of elegant studios and one, two and three-bedroom suites inside two 32-level high-rises on the Gold Coast Highway.

Featuring balconies with sensational views, king beds, Kevin Murphy toiletries and separate living areas, the rooms are luxurious while still providing much-needed kitchen and laundry facilities. To help families or business travellers really settle in, a fitness centre, two swimming pools, a sauna, an indoor spa, and on-site cafe are ready to be explored.

Additionally, the views from this place are second to none. Blue-on-blue vistas, all elevated above ground level, are spied from multiple spots within each room, soothing your stay from every angle.

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4. Peppers Broadbeach

the pool at Peppers Broadbeach
Relax by the resort pool. (Image: Peppers Broadbeach)

Price: $$$-$$$$

Fancy a stay above the clouds? Peppers Broadbeach’s magnificent three-bedroom Sky Homes feel as though you’re floating miles above sea level (you’re above level 30, in fact), offering panoramic views across the whole city including its rich hinterland.

The lavish spaces feature three bathrooms, huge balconies, full kitchens with European appliances, marble bathrooms, soft bathrobes, minibars, and laundries. They’re monochrome masterpieces, and the magic continues throughout the Broadbeach accommodation’s smaller stays.

One- and two-bedroom suites are situated across its lower floors. Elsewhere, there are communal Teppanyaki-style barbecues to enjoy, a gym, two swimming pools, an outdoor spa, a theatrette, a steam room and sauna. Plus, you’re right in the heart of the action with some of the suburb’s most popular cafes and restaurants just a walk away.

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5. The Darling

an elegant and cosy interior at The Darling, Broadbeach
The Darling features fully furnished, elegant suites. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Price: $$$$

Make it a getaway to remember with a stay at the exceptional The Darling, offering glamorous lodgings within The Star Gold Coast’s prime location. The extravagant penthouses (you better believe there are multiple versions) feature two bedrooms, making them a ridiculously special-occasion option for families, while the King and Twin suites are more couple-friendly with open-plan fit outs.

Just like its renowned Sydney counterpart, The Darling is dramatically decorated with rich hues, a high-quality blend of velvet and silky textures, and European interiors. Expansive windows, the fluffiest of beds, Bose sound systems and state-of-the-art technology offer plenty more to get excited about.

When it’s time to (further) indulge, there’s a dreamy rooftop swimming pool right next to the acclaimed Nineteen at the Star restaurant, plus you’re also welcome to visit The Star’s Azure Spa & Fitness for all your beautification needs.

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6. Mel’s Place

epic beach views from Mel’s Place, Broadbeach accommodation
Immerse yourself in pure Pacific Ocean bliss. (Image: Mel’s Place)

Price: $$$$

If you prefer your privacy, Mel’s Place will propel your group getaway to all-new heights, offering three spacious bedrooms and three luxurious bathrooms to up to six guests. The two-level Broadbeach Airbnb is elegantly styled with warm hues and coastal-inspired furnishings but let’s be real about this place — it’s the views that get people booking. Sink into the living and dining to immerse yourself in pure Pacific Ocean bliss, with a wraparound balcony luring you even closer to mesmerising waves and blazing sunsets. The Broadbeach accommodation’s kitchen is also positioned with epic views, ensuring there’s no escaping downtime. Secure parking and Wi-Fi are also included.

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7. Vue Broadbeach

the top view of the pool at Vue Broadbeach
Vue Broadbeach features a 12-metre pool with sun beds.

Price: $$$

Instagram-friendly living just 120 metres from the beach is on offer at Vue Broadbeach, a block of apartments frequented by families and couples craving stylish surroundings.

Featuring one-, two- and three-bedroom stays, this Broadbeach accommodation is chic from start to finish as the jaw-dropping lobby (it’s like an immersive art space with texture upon texture enveloping you in drama) greets you with 360-degree monochrome marbled magic.

Inside the rooms, coastal interiors and textures create calming spaces, while fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities, balconies, flat-screen TVs, dining tables and plush lounges bring ample comfort. Two electrical barbecues, a 12-metre pool with sun beds, a spa bath and a sauna offer further picture-perfect backdrops.

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8. Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach

sunlounges by the pool at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach
Recline on lounges by the pool. (Image: Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach)

Price: $$$

A glittering outdoor pool with views stretching all the way to the Gold Coast hinterland is the headliner at this Broadbeach accommodation, located right between Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and the smaller Oasis retail mecca.

Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, tailoring mainly to couples, boasts almost 300 rooms and suites, taking from the hotel chain’s French heritage and delivering stays dripping in luxury. Think toiletries crafted by French fashion house Balmain, carpeted floors, massive flat-screen TVs and in some, spa tubs and pillow menus so you can select your preferred squishiness.

There are three on-site eateries including Bistro On3, offering daily buffet breakfast; Room81, a cocktail lounge with mostly antipasto; and TC’s Bar & Gaming Lounge, providing a more casual experience. There’s also a second open-air pool, gym and tennis court.

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9. Key West

Price: $$$$$

Grab your nearest and dearest for a stay at one of the suburb’s most extravagant waterfront mansions, Key West, situated in Broadbeach Waters, just a 15-minute walk from all the shops and cafes.

The two-level, six-bedroom property sleeps up to 12 guests and offers enough space for each individual family to holiday without stepping on everyone else’s toes thanks to several living spaces begging for you to collapse in.

The rooms inside this Broadbeach accommodation are all beautifully appointed, complete with plush carpets and cosy interiors, and if you’re staying on the top floor, private balconies create the ultimate sunset setting.

There’s also a gorgeous pool alongside an inbuilt barbecue and dining space, a private jetty to anchor your boat (as you do) and an open-plan kitchen with a butler’s pantry.

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10. Mantra Sierra Grand Broadbeach

a spacious suite with beach views at Mantra Sierra Grand Broadbeach
Mantra Sierra Grand Broadbeach stands tall in the heart of the city.

Price: $$$

Providing luxe creature comforts like a theatre room, tennis court, heated swimming pools, a sauna, steam room and gym, this sky-high Broadbeach accommodation is a convenient choice for families hunting down a comfortable Gold Coast getaway.

Home to a series of one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments, Mantra Sierra Grand Broadbeach is located within a short walk from Pacific Fair Shopping Centre as well as loads of cafes and bars.

The rooms are stripped back of cluttered furnishings, providing simple, quality lodgings to let beautiful ocean views and salty beach air drift through spacious builds. The kitchens are fitted with dishwashers and large refrigerators, while washing machines and dryers feature throughout.

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11. Lilet Airbnb

an indoor pool with sunloungers at Lilet Airbnb, Broadbeach accommodation
Get access to The Star Residences’ pool on Level 20.

Price: $$

Step inside the pages of an interiors magazine with a stay at Lilet Airbnb, a one-bedroom apartment within The Star Residences, styled to beachy-chic perfection. Located on level 34, the stay is decorated with a mix of rattan and timber, eclectic artworks, Italian appliances and hints of greenery. It’s cosy, and an ideal base camp for couples.

The Broadbeach accommodation also features access to The Star’s level 20 facilities including a pool and spa, yoga room, gym, sauna and steam room, plus there’s an enclosed courtyard fitted with barbecues and cushy lounges to make mealtimes easy if you’re too chilled to head out.

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12. Avani Broadbeach Residences

beach and city views from the blacony of Avani Broadbeach Residences, Broadbeach accommodation
Witness stunning views of the city skyline and ocean from your suite. (Image: Avani Broadbeach Residences)

Price: $$$

Leave the baby gear at home when you book a stay at Avani Broadbeach Residences, a Broadbeach accommodation standout with the littlest of holidaymakers in mind.

Providing travel cots, highchairs, kids’ cutlery and dishes, the team have also fitted out their one- and two-bedroom stays with simple yet stylish furnishings (read: not too many breakables), making the spaces exceptionally kid-friendly.

Wall-mounted TVs, separate lounge and dining areas, balconies offering water views, fully equipped kitchens with coffee machines and laundry facilities are all in the mix, as well as several ground-floor eateries.

The Beach Hotel, which opened in November 2024, is a buzzing hot spot with live music and its Mediterranean-inspired Cora restaurant, while the pub itself is the place to go to keep the good times rolling into the wee hours. There’s also a swimming pool, gym and barbecue areas located on site.

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Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

(Credit: Riley Williams)

Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

1. E-Mountain biking

mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

2. HI Fitness Club

HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
Stretch out with reformer pilates.

If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

3. Walking trails

runners on hamilton island
Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

4. Spa wumurdaylin

Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

5. Sunrise yoga

sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
Start your day on the right foot.

Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

6. Getting out on the water

people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
Try your hand at a host of watersports.

Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

7. Take a swing

Dent Island Golf course
Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.