2 Best Hotels in The Gold Coast, Queensland

With its central location right on Cavill Avenue and across the road from a patrolled beach, the 77-story Peppers Soul offers some of the most stunning views on the Gold Coast. One- to three-bedroom luxury apartments are stylish yet home-y, all with full kitchen and laundry facilities, spa bath, private balcony, and uninterrupted ocean views. Some also have a private plunge pool. Facilities include 24-hour room service, an outdoor pool, a 25-meter indoor lap pool, state-of-the-art gymnasium, and free parking. The award-winning Seaduction restaurant offers seasonal fine-dining menus for lunch and dinner, and an above-average breakfast—all with ocean views.

One thousand meters (3,280 feet) above sea level and immersed in the subtropical rain forests of World Heritage–listed Lamington National Park, the eco-certified O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat boasts a range of accommodation options, from simple garden- and mountain-view rooms, to one- and two-bedroom canopy suites, and luxury, multiroom mountain villas (complete with balcony Jacuzzis). Daily activities include wildlife presentations, bird-watching walks, Segway tours, and the famous after-dark glowworm walk. Packages are available, which include breakfast, morning and afternoon tea, and a free wine tasting at the property's nearby vineyard.