Best Apartment Hotels in Queensland

Some travelers love temporarily waving goodbye to self-sufficiency and indulging in a full-blown hotel experience — dining out, daily maid and turndown services, the whole shebang. Others are happy to forgo typical hotel services and big-resort features and stay in an apartment-like accommodation where they can cook and even do laundry. Queensland-bound travelers who are okay with (or even prefer) a self-catering stay will do well at these eight aparthotels in Broadbeach, Cairns, Surfers Paradise, and Port Douglas.

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1

Peppers Broadbeach

Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia

Housed in a pair of towering high-rise buildings, Peppers is an upscale apartment-style hotel with chic, business-like interiors and more outdoor space than one might expect by looking at the corporate-style facade. It has a variety of elegant rooms and suites, all with full kitchens (complete with gas stoves) and many have Pacific Ocean views. Air-conditioning, minibars, and washing machines are all standard. Peppers' features include a beautiful pool deck with a whirlpool, a fitness center with a steam room and a sauna, and a movie room with easy chairs and bean bags. There are no on-site dining facilities, but guests can use the barbecue grills set throughout the gardens (including a teppanyaki barbecue) and, at a few local restaurants, bill their meals to their rooms. Wi-Fi is free throughout, but it's limited to one device.

2

Jack & Newell Cairns Holiday Apartments

Cairns, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia

There are plenty of self-catering options in Cairns, but most are designed either for hard-partying backpackers or families on budgets. Jack & Newell Cairns Holiday Apartments fills a different niche: it's upmarket (but not over-the-top) and entirely self-contained, so it attracts a grown-up clientele looking for independence and a bit of peace and quiet. A visit here feels more like house-sitting for a colleague who's away on business than staying in a hotel. Apartments come in various configurations (from one to three bedrooms), but all are spacious and contemporary. Every apartment has a balcony, laundry facilities, plus impressive kitchens. The usual creature comforts that you'd expect in an upmarket hotel are present, including air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs (with DVD players and cable access), free Wi-Fi, and daily housekeeping. An outdoor pool and a gym are pretty much the extent of communal features; Jack & Newell doesn't have Peppers' theater or lovely garden space.

3

Coconut Grove Apartments

Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia

Coconut Grove Apartments is a luxurious 33-unit hotel pick ideally located at the north end of Port Douglas' Four Mile Beach. The spotless and modern apartments feature Miele kitchens, bathrooms with jetted tubs and L'Occitane toiletries, and generously sized outdoor areas, many with plunge pools. The lack of resort-style features (no gym, unlike Jack & Newell, and no restaurant or spa) and fees for daily housekeeping and Wi-Fi may be a turn-off for some, but independent travelers who like to cook or barbecue for themselves by the pool will feel right at home.

4

Q1 Resort and Spa

Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia

The tallest residential building in Australia, the upscale Q1 offers 526 modern apartments, many of which have sweeping views of Surfers Paradise and the Pacific Ocean. While all apartments are serviced daily, many are privately owned and rented, so quality and upkeep can vary (Peppers, Jack & Newell, and Coconut Grove certainly beat out Q1 for elegance and consistency). Property features include an arcade room, spa, fitness center, and outdoor pool with adjacent bar, plus two on-site restaurants. Unfortunately, there is a fee for Wi-Fi.

5

Shantara Resort Port Douglas

Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia

From the street, Shantara Resort looks like a typical Port Douglas apartment complex, with white-and-cream walls and well-tended gardens with palm trees. But when guests enter the lobby, they will notice one big difference: The complex is exceptionally quiet. As one of the few adult-only accommodations in Port Douglas, Shantara attracts guests who are looking for tranquility -- primarily honeymooners and older couples. Bright and well-maintained apartments range from studios to two-bedroom apartments; all have balconies, microwaves, and mini-fridges (apartments have full-size refrigerators). DIY laundry facilities are shared with other guests. Daily housekeeping costs a fee (but is free for longer stays) and Wi-Fi is free for up to one gigabyte per day. Shantara lacks Q1's on-site dining, but it does feature two lagoon-style pools, a covered barbecue area, a fitness center, and a spa.

6

Mandalay & Shalimar Luxury Beachfront Apartments

Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia

Mandalay Apartments is a low-key but upmarket self-catering spot with direct beach access. The large and comfy apartments feature air-conditioning and ceiling fans, furnished balconies, washer/dryers, flat-screen TVs with cable and DVD players, and Wi-Fi (for a fee). Kitchens have black granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Mandalay has two pools, plus an enchanting private pathway through a nature reserve leading to a quiet stretch of Four Mile Beach. Wi-Fi isn't free like it is at Shantara (though it is limited there).

7

Wyndham Surfers Paradise

Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia

Just one block from the beach, Wyndham Surfers Paradise features 52 bright, spacious, and air-conditioned apartments with balconies overlooking the ocean or river. All include full kitchens with dishwashers and washer/dryers. 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. Wi-Fi costs a fee, but parking is free.

8

Ramada Resort by Wyndham Port Douglas

Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia

This large resort in a corner of the Melaleuca rainforest offers most of the amenities of its more upscale neighbors at a significantly lower price. Basic lodgings include full-service rooms and self-catering apartments with full kitchens (Deluxe Apartment kitchens feature stainless-steel appliances). Some apartments also have laundry facilities. Downsides here are a hefty fee for in-room Wi-Fi, a location far from Port Douglas' main attractions, and an overall lack of polish, but low rates and amenities like a restaurant and lagoon saltwater pool (with waterfall and swim-up bar) help make up for those shortcomings.