No Gold Coast hotel is complete without the requisite pool and luxury J W Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, you’ll be dipping your toes in some of the best. The sprawling pools — including a sand-edged saltwater lagoon and freshwater pool with a kids slide — weave their way through daybeds (bookable for guests relying  on reclining time) and palm-shaded gardens. Grab a cocktail and snack from the bar menu and let the lounging begin. 

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa.

There are no rooms at The Darling, a truly OTT hotel atop the Gold Coast’s The Star complex. It’s only opulent suites and all of them are as spacious as the next: the smallest is a generous 70 square metres. Don’t skip a visit to the rooftop pool, which soars almost 70 metres above street level, or the chance to recline on a sun lounger at its shoulder after ordering a drink from the bar menu.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at The Darling.

Nowhere captures the glitz of the Gold Coast quite like the chandelier-adorned Palazzo Versace, a sprawling luxury hotel with more than a little Italian-infused flair. Guests flock to the enormous cabana and palm-tree fringed pool or, after a turndown service that includes the lighting of an oil burner to fragrance the room, the indulgently deep (and private) bathtub.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at Palazzo Versace.

Earn or use Qantas Points when you book hotels and accommodation. Visit qantas.com/hotels today

The QT quirk mixes with a beachy aesthetic at the Gold Coast outpost; a place of lemon-yellow soft furnishings, kitsch-cool galah lamps and distant views of the ocean and hinterland. The on-site eateries also live up to the hype – at Stingray, a dimly lit Cali-inspired bar, you can sip more than 50 types of tequila.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at QT Gold Coast.

You’d hardly know you’re a stroll away from bustling Cavill Avenue at voco Gold Coast: soundproofed rooms seamlessly keep the light and bright rooms whisper quiet despite the central location. Head out or stay in — both plans have their merits, especially with an on-site spa, two pools and three casual eateries.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at voco Gold Coast.

A welcome switch from the area’s skyscrapers, low-rise Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort has a kind of country home feel, with its back door opening directly onto the beachfront. Families will love the buffet meals (perfect for fussy kids and food lovers alike) and couples will likely spend the afternoon at Oasis Pool, with its swim-up bar and delicious cocktail menu.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort.

Earn or use Qantas Points when you book hotels and accommodation. Visit qantas.com/hotels today

You’ll have the best of The Star’s dining and entertainment at your doorstep at flashy The Star Grand. The luxury of this stay is more than pillow menus, ocean views and rainwater showerheads — it’s the easy access to incredible on-site dining experiences including the understated Japanese fine-diner Kiyomi and elevated surf ‘n’ turf- style eatery Nineteen at The Star, which peers out over the glittering skyline.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at The Star Grand.

If you’re a stop-and-drop kind of holiday guest, opt for a stay at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach. There’s a plethora of pools (heated when the season warrants it; an excellent on-site restaurant in Room81, where French food meets Australian produce in an almost impossibly Instagrammable (and delicious) way; and bathrooms of marble and Balmain amenities. Choose your corner and relax into it.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach.

Golfers and families alike will adore InterContinental Sanctuary Cove, an enormous property of calm gardens, relaxing pools and excellent on-site experiences. The 18-hole Arnold Palmer championship golf course is a serious drawcard for the sporty and a stay here also grants guests access to The Sanctuary Cove Country Club, a space dedicated to wellness, spanning everything from spa treatments to fitness facilities and group classes.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at InterContinental Sanctuary Cove.

Earn or use Qantas Points when you book hotels and accommodation. Visit qantas.com/hotels today

Comfort and convenience seamlessly merge at Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel & Residences, where apartments combine the holiday essentials of comfy beds, impressive views and fancy amenities with helpful extras such as kitchenettes and washing facilities. Its location in the heart of Surfers Paradise gives guests the option of dipping a toe into the action… or staying local at the huge outdoor deck space of pools, gardens and poolside bars.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel & Residences.

Catch the Gold Coast feel at Vibe Hotel, a casual high-rise hotel seemingly built around the rambling outdoor, sun-drenched eatery of Driftwood Social. Get familiar as soon as you check in: if you’re not down at the shore of Surfers (just 500 metres away), you’ll be here at this poolside eater. Our advice? Order a hearty burger with a light, fresh cocktail, perfect for sipping as the sun goes down and the river views darken.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at Vibe Hotel Gold Coast.

Name it and Peppers Broadbeach, a property of huge three-bedroom “Sky Homes”  probably has it. In addition to several pools for languid swims or heart-pumping laps, there’s also a gym, sauna, steam room, Tai Chi lawn and Zen gardens on-site. After something a little more stimulating? Hit the private cinema to catch a screening.

Read more and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next stay at Peppers Broadbeach.

Earn or use Qantas Points when you book hotels and accommodation. Visit qantas.com/hotels today

Perth CBD: The Best Hotels to Book Now