Gold Coast serviced apartments for a taste of the Sunshine State lifestyle

In the heart of Surfers Paradise, Palazzo Colonnades offers easy access to a dreamy stretch of sandy beach and the Nerang River. The tropical landscape continues around the pool, where holiday mode begins in the terracotta-tiled spa or on a sunlounger beneath a wide umbrella. Kids can keep busy in the on-site recreation room, where they’ll find table tennis, air hockey and arcade games.

In the evening, light up the communal barbecue for an alfresco family meal of fresh prawns and charred salad. Afterwards, it’s worth turning in early so you can wake in time to watch the sunrise over the ocean from your apartment’s private balcony. If you don’t fancy making brunch at home, head to the BMD Northcliffe Surf Club a few hundred metres away to tuck into bistro classics like salt and pepper calamari served up with sea views.

Just moments from buzzing Cavill Avenue, Trickett Gardens Holiday Inn is a quiet oasis of calm on a tree-lined street in Surfers Paradise. This low-rise building features one- and two-bedroom apartments fully set up for family vacations. Kick off your shoes in the comfortable living space, or sit down to a shared meal in air-conditioned dining areas for some relief from the heat.

The outdoor pool is heated for year-round enjoyment, while the hot tub offers vacationing couples a romantic setting when the stars come out. If you’d like to head off-site, chat to staff at the tour desk to arrange tickets for a day cruise. They can also recommend popular local eateries, like pizza emporium and deli Salt Meats Cheese just a 5-minute walk away.

Offering ocean views across Surfers Paradise Beach, View Pacific Holiday Apartments lives up to its name. Check into a stylish, contemporary apartment where you can spread out across two bedrooms and large living areas. Designer kitchens are ideal for whipping up buttermilk pancakes while gazing over the turquoise sea.

If you feel like a change of scene from your room, you can recline beside the outdoor pool or head straight out to the beach for a swim or surf. The nightlife of Cavill Avenue is a short stroll from the complex, and you can hit the shops on Orchid Avenue just a few streets away. When you need to refuel, choose from 32 beers on tap at House of Brews and stay on for a plate of sticky chicken wings or Baja fish tacos.

You get the best of two worlds at Biarritz Apartments, located halfway between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. Close to all the action of Cavill Avenue, you’ll also be right on the doorstep of more low-key options like Broadbeach’s Surf Club and Park. Drop your bags in your serviced space, throw on your thongs and head straight for the sand.

Back in your elegant apartment, you’ll find plenty of room for the whole family. Options include modern, tastefully designed three-bedroom setups with spacious outdoor seating areas. When you’re not grilling up a feast on the barbecue under a covered patio, take a steam in the sauna or opt for a round of tennis on the full-sized court.

At Soul Surfers Paradise, you’ll enter into a luxury apartment built around uninterrupted ocean views. Begin your day by frying up an omelette in the high-end kitchen, or perhaps with a bubbly soak in your own spa bath. Furnished balconies invite lazy days under the Gold Coast breeze, from morning coffees all the way to twilight sundowners.

With premium on-site facilities, you can lounge by the pool or work up a sweat in the fitness centre complete with a soothing Jacuzzi spa and sauna. Come dinner, it’s your choice to sit down for catered meals at the on-site restaurant Hyde Paradiso or have a homely barbecue within landscaped gardens. Your sumptuous bed will be waiting at the end of the evening, whether you’ve booked a one-bedroom apartment or the plush four-bedroom penthouse split over two floors.

In the bustling centre of Surfers Paradise, Pacific Plaza Apartments has fully self-contained one- and two-bedroom accommodation options. With ocean views from every apartment, you might just spend much of your day watching the waves crash onto the shore from your private balcony. Indoors, feel at home in an expansive living room with floor-to-ceiling windows and amenities like a clothes dryer to revive beach towels after a day in the surf.

Outside, watch the kids race to the pool while you take it easy in the Jacuzzi. When you’re through with sunbathing on a poolside lounger, gather for an alfresco meal of spicy meats and veggie kebabs around the communal barbecue set in tropical gardens.

Paradise Isles Resort is what the name suggests: a tranquil escape just moments from the sights and sounds of downtown Surfers Paradise. You’ll be able to walk to the beach in 15 minutes for a bit of sea and sand before retreating back across the bridge to your urban island.

Housed in an attractive 3-storey building, your one-bedroom apartment comes with air con so you stay comfortable on sticky summer nights. Prepare a fresh yogurt bowl in your full kitchen in the morning, then dine outdoors on your expansive balcony overlooking the pool or gardens. The tour desk can help you book tickets to theme parks and other local attractions, or reserve you a table at nearby Tribeca NYC for slow-cooked ribs or a hearty family brunch.

A two-minute stroll from the sand and surf of some of Australia’s most renowned beaches, Wharf Boutique Apartments offers well-equipped spaces with all the mod cons. In a one-bedroom, you’ll enjoy a separate lounge and dining area plus full kitchen for homecooked meals by moonlight. Come morning, throw open large windows to let in the light and step out onto the balcony to breathe in the ocean air.

If you’ve come with kids or a larger group, book a two-bedroom apartment for extra space to sprawl out in. You’ll be able to see the waves from your balcony, which makes for a great spot for toasting your trip with an icy tipple. In the landscaped gardens below, dip your toes in the heated pool and spa before firing up the barbecue for an evening meal.

Artique Surfers Paradise offers well-appointed apartments with all the facilities of a resort. You can choose from one or two-bedroom units or splash out on a three-bedroom penthouse with sweeping views along the coastline. All come with sleek kitchens fitted with premium appliances, so you can rustle up a gourmet meal while keeping an eye on the kids thanks to the open-plan design.

Wake early to welcome the dawn with a coffee on your furnished balcony, or stretch out with a book on a sunlounger to make the most of the ocean air. Throughout the complex, you’ll find shared facilities like a gold-class private cinema where your whole group can enjoy a movie, as well as a virtual golf simulator so you can practice your swing.