From the exterior, QT Hotel looks like a normal building: plain, ordinary and boring – a place that you will not pay much attention to. But once you step inside, you are greeted by the bright and funky lobby, and chances are, you will be “oohing” and “aahing” at everything, just like we did when we stayed there during our trip to Gold Coast organised by Scoot and Queensland Tourism Board.

QT Hotel at Gold Coast stands out for its bold and innovative design, and given that it is reasonably priced at A$160/night (depends on availability and season), I dare say that you will love the experience. If you are going to Gold Coast for a holiday, you must stay with them.

QT Hotel describes itself as nostalgic surfer chic meets Miami catwalk cool. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

QT Hotel has 297 rooms – with stunning views of the ocean or mountain and river – and they offer a private balcony, flat screen HD TV, bespoke bathroom, amenities, iPod dock, mini bar and designer furnishings.

In particular, the mini bar is well-stocked. From wines like Bellariva Merlot and Bellariva King Valley Pinot Grigio, to nibbles like chocolate bar, and chips – you can be sure that there is something to snack on when you are feeling hungry at night.

Considering that dining out is an expensive affair in Australia, I was pleasantly surprised to see that QT Hotel has a rather affordable in-room quick bite service. You can get pizzas for A$15, while desserts are available at A$13 each.

Visiting Stingray (the hotel’s bar) on a Friday night was an experience. There’s only one word to describe it: wow(!!). Mixing industrial chic with splashes of pop art, Stingray has an incredible vibe – a term people don’t usually associate with “hotel bars”. Saturday night is very popular as the ladies dress up to kill, and you can find the coolest people hanging out. Like what they say: be there or be square.

We didn’t get to eat at Yamagen restaurant, but if you are craving for Japanese food, it offers traditional teppanyaki, sushi bar and ala carte dining.

Another interesting F&B option is Bazaar, an interactive marketplace kitchen with a twist. Enjoy an array of food from Morocco, the Mediterranean, Asia and Middle East. I will be writing a separate post on it – all you need to know that it is one of the best, if not the best buffet restaurant that I’ve been to.

And oh, did I mention that the beach is only two minutes away, while the central area of Surfers Paradise is ten minutes walk?

It might seem that I gush too much about the hotel. But this place, to me, is perfect for what it is. A good 4.5 star boutique hotel that is not too pretentious, staying at QT Hotel is a no-brainer. It is definitely my top-choice when I am having a beach getaway in Gold Coast.

QT Hotel Gold Coast
7 Staghorn Avenue Surfers Paradise
QLD 4217, Australia
Tel: (07) 5584 1200

Full Disclosure & Fine Print: I travelled to Gold Coast as a guest of Scoot Airlines and Queensland Tourism Board. No monetary benefits were received, only air tickets and hotel accommodations were sponsored.