Surfer's Paradise
 

I'm looking for suggestions for a hotel on the beach anywhere around Surfer's Paradise. Doesn't have to be posh - just want the sand a few steps away. It'll be my last few days of my vacation and I just want to relax.

Jezbel - What time of the year is your vacation, it will have a bearing on the cost of your accommodation. Its expensive to stay in one of the larger complexes right on the beach, but if your happy to stay a few streets back from the beach, then the cost will be less. Also on weekends, Surfers tends to get crowded by people coming down from Brisbane. A friend of mine has a unit on Chevron Island, and he tells me that on the weekends, the Brisbane people park all over the island, looking for unrestricted parking, then they walk over the bridge and straight onto Surfers Beach.
Personally, if it was me, I would be looking a beach away from Surfers, somewhere like Palm Beach, a nice beach, but without the crowds that Surfers gets.
LizF should be able to give you good advice re the Gold Coast.

I'll be traveling around October 10th. Palm Beach sounds fine to me, as long as it's easy to get there from Brisbane, since that's where I'll be flying into.
Thanks tropo.

We've stayed a couple of times at Beach Lodge, an older style low-rise "Mom and Pop" motel, a few blocks north of the main Surfers action, but easy walking along the beach, which is just across the road, with delightful walking paths in both directions in front of the beach. It has a n outdoor pool and spa. Would stay there again, except that we now have a son living nearby!
The email I have is a few years old -
[email protected]
Lots of rooms have sideways ocean views,all with balconies, and the front units are full on to the east, the beach and the morning sun.
October is the international "Indy" Formula 1 Race, and this place has prime views over part of the course, so get in early.

When exactly is the Formula 1 race?
Good to know. Thanks for the heads up.

Indy is Oct 19th to 22nd.

Check out www.indy.com.au for more info.
Unless you love motor racing, crowds and loud noises, choose another date! Otherwise, buy tickets on line and have fun!

You may refer to be in Broadbeach instead of Surfer's Paradise as it has a much better infrastructure with hotels, eateries and the like. Also there will be traffic problems around Surfer's due to the Indy 500 setting up as they use the roads around for the race then traffic is diverted etc etc. NOT the place to be around Indy time unless you are a big fan of noise and chaos. Otherwise do what Tropo suggests and go down as far as Palm Beach or Burleigh. If you are using Public Transport then Broadbeach would be my pick. Anything around there would be fine.

Jezbel - have you thought about going north of Brisbane instead of south? If so, there is transport to Noosa from Brisbane available and it is a 'low rise' rather than 'high rise' resort (like Surfers). Nice beaches, National Park within walking distance and lots of places to stay of differing standard. We have just spent four days there and booked an apartment for our family through a local real estate agent which worked out really well www.rwnoosaholidays.com.au
Obviously the closer to the beach the more expensive your accomodation will be.

If it is Surfer's Paradise that you want, here is a possibility: Chateau Beachside
<http://www.strand.com.au/>. It is a moderately priced apartment resort that is somewhere between luxury and budget quality. I think its big advantage is its great location. It is on the Esplanade, directly facing the ocean. It is about 1 block from Cavill Mall and within 2-3 short blocks from a decent grocery store and several bottle shops.
We stayed there last year and found it very convenient to everything. You do not really have to have a car. Having said all this, it is in a very touristy area with many people and some street noise. One tip: If you do wish to make a reservation, phone them directly and give them your desired dates and credit card numbers. You will get a better rate. Do not book over their web site. How do I know this? They told me!

During our stay there, we explored some of the adjacent resorts and found one we liked even better. There was just a slight difference in price (upward). The
Grosvenor Beachfront Apartments has the same general location and also faces the ocean. We looked at one of the vacant units and thought is was a little nicer. We'll probably stay there next trip. Check them out at <http://www.grosvenorbeachfront.com.au/>.

The last time we stayed in Surfers we stayed at the Islander Resort - one block away from Cavill Avenue, one block away from the beach front. Bus stops across the road, or just down the street depending on where you are going. Very handy to everything, not expensive, very clean and tidy.
http://www.islander.com.au/

Surfers? Wouldn't be my first choice! Go north of Brisbane instead to Mooloolaba etc. Noosa would be nice. Surfers is tacky and overrated. A friend of mine was assaulted there on the street and had to run for her safety and that was the middle of the day! We used to go there Friday nights for the market but it attracts the worst sort of people now and hard to get in and out of. Go north or further south like Kingscliffe etc. would be my advice