Best Apartment Hotels on the Gold Coast

A short walk from area restaurants and the beach, Peppers is an upscale high-rise aparthotel with elegant apartment-style rooms. All units come with full kitchens with gas stoves and private balconies; many have Pacific Ocean views. Air-conditioning, minibars, and washing machines are all standard. Peppers offers more outdoor space than one might expect by looking at the corporate-style facade: it has an outdoor swimming pool with lap and lagoon sections and a hot tub, plus a lovely Zen Garden with its own Tai Chi lawn. Other amenities include a modern fitness center with steam and sauna facilities and a small theater for private film viewings. There are no on-site dining options (some local restaurants allow guests to bill to their rooms) and parking -- while free -- can be scarce. Though Wi-Fi is limited to one device, it is free, which is rare for the area.

Even in high-rise-mad Surfers Paradise, Q1 Resort and Spa makes a mark. The full-service apartment-style hotel is housed in the tallest residential building in Australia, and its SkyPoint Observation Deck offers 360-degree views. Its bright and modern apartments all have full kitchens plus washers and dryers, but these units are not as elegant as the ones at Peppers and their upkeep can vary. The hotel features an arcade room for kids, a spa, fitness center, and an outdoor pool with adjacent bar. Q1 is a short walk from beach, Beachfront Markets, and Cavill Avenue.

A five-minute walk from the beach, Wyndham Surfers Paradise features 52 bright and spacious apartments geared towards weekly rentals. All units include air-conditioning, balconies, and full kitchens with dishwashers and washer/dryers, but there are fees for Wi-Fi and pool towels. A palm-edges outdoor area features a beach-style pool and whirlpool, plus a nice chill-out area with sofas and barbecues. The Lobby Lounge on the first floor serves a daily buffet breakfast and a light lunch menu, as well as a cocktails and drinks. There are also pizza and Indian restaurants downstairs with takeaway service. 

With 25 floors, Xanadu Holiday Resort is a reasonably priced luxury property that towers over Main Beach, offering stunning Pacific Ocean views in most of its one- and two-bedroom apartments. Units have fully equipped kitchens, laundry rooms, living rooms, and balconies. The central location provides an easy walk to the beach and restaurants on Tedder Avenue. Communal areas -- indoor/outdoor pools, three hot tubs, a sauna, game room, barbecue areas -- are clean and unfussy, and the front desk is open 24 hours a day. In-room Wi-Fi is free, but slow, so many pay for faster internet service. Like Wyndham, pool towels cost a fee.

Artique Surfers Paradise is a giant high-rise apartment hotel, within walking distance of the beach, shops and restaurants, and a tram stop. It has 176 one- to three-bedroom apartments, each with a fully equipped kitchen including an oven, dishwasher, and lots of cookware. All units have balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows, and some have wraparound corner windows and ocean views. Hotel facilities include a heated outdoor pool and barbecue area, a modest fitness center and spa with a sauna and steam room, a theater room for watching movies, and a virtual golf area open to golf club members. Unlike Xanadu, there is a fee for Wi-Fi, and note that we noticed some plumbing-related odors on our visit here. And while Xanadu's front desk is open around the clock, Artique's reception closes by mid-afternoon.

One of the longest operating hotels in Surfers Paradise, Chateau Beachside is a mid-range, low-key property right across the street from the beach. The hotel offers 100 bright rooms and apartments with microwaves, flat-screen TVs, and DVD players. Apartments also have full kitchens. Features include a huge pool, a well-furnished game room with a pool table, foosball, and arcade games, and coin-operated laundry facilities. While there are no on-site dining options, the hotel does have a couple of barbecue grills that guests can use. 

The Moorings on Cavill Avenue offers mid-range apartments overlooking the Nerang River, three blocks from Surfers Paradise's main drag. Units are somewhat outdated and mismatched, with decor that varies from one room to the next (Artique's are much more modern, and Chateau's far more consistent). However, all rooms at Moorings on Cavill have full kitchens, washers, dryers, and balconies with patio furniture. On-site amenities include an outdoor saltwater pool with a barbecue area, a hot tub, and a kids' pool. Weekly housekeeping is included in the rates, but Wi-Fi is extra.