Revealed: The backyard bliss at revamped Gold Coast hotspot

TO locals, it has long been the popular neighbour offering pool perks and a trusty seafood buffet. Now it's much more. FIND OUT THE DETAILS >>>

TO locals, the Surfers Paradise Marriott has long been the popular neighbour offering pool perks and a trusty seafood buffet.

While its fish-filled lagoon and spiralling staircase will still spark nostalgia for a generation of Gold Coasters, its $35 million renovation and rebrand to the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa returns it to the forefront for five-star travellers.

Residents benefit from a revamped restaurant offering in their backyard, but will need to check in to check out the scope of its transformation.

Junior suite at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa

As the Pacific region debut of the JW Marriott brand, it has all the high-end hallmarks of the global portfolio with a Gold Coast flavour.

Welcome drinks are made with Scenic Rim lavender and gift shops are stocked with homegrown produce.

The resort’s 223 rooms and suites are modern and airy, freshened in a coastal cool palette and peppered with little luxuries.

Executive suite at the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa

There’s no need to choose between an ocean and hinterland view in the generously portioned executive suites, which bridge both aspects.

Sunrise sneaks over the waves to flood floor-to-ceiling windows with golden light – and you can catch it while cocooned in crisp white linen on the cloud of a king bed.

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Sunset is better appreciated from the bath, a round and infinitely Instagrammable tub for two.

The bath is ringed by windows that take in a city vista stretching from Crayola-coloured art gallery to rainforest-blanketed mountains.

The spectacle is mirrored in the Nerang River, which runs behind the resort and expands the activity options for water babies.

Pool at the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa

That’s if they can tear themselves away from what remains the property’s showpiece, a saltwater lagoon at the heart of a private paradise of waterfall and spas, rock grottos and tropical gardens.

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Poolside cocktail delivery complements deckchair dining for those who don’t want to budge, or upgrade to a cabana for behind-the-ropes VIP treatment.

Sea scooters and snorkels can be hired from the recreation centre, but the morning fish feed provides a guaranteed sighting of the lagoon’s permanent residents.

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The throng of kids that follow a team member bearing breakfast (chopped up prawn bits) are usually the first to spot the elusive “Nemos” hanging out in schools of less flashy bream.

The menu is more diverse for guests, although it still stars seafood.

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Chapter & Verse caters for a casual poolside meal with share plates (order the kingfish ceviche) and cocktails including the Mist and Fizz, a lavender and honey tinged tipple made with Husk Ink Gin and finger lime caviar.

Visiting Citrique for an a la carte meal is a chance to discover the talent of Paul Smart when he isn’t hiding his light behind a buffet bushel.

The respected executive chef – a repeat winner of the Iron Chef TV program – puts art on a plate, from delicate “snow fish” spliced with wood-fired cauliflower, dukkah crumble and white miso sauce to Moreton Bay bug dumplings.

The resort has managed to preserve the breadth of its buffet experience for breakfast, with chefs serving at every station to keep things COVID safe.

They offer mate’s rates for Gold Coasters – a buffet breakfast and espresso coffee for $35 if you have ID to show you live in a postcode starting with 42.

You’ll just need to plan a sleepover to play in this neighbour’s pool.

Splash out on a sleepover at these wineries and breweries

In the fourth instalment of our Gold Coast Getaways series, give your designated driver a night off and plan a vineyard or brewery sleepover.

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GRANITE BELT RETREAT & BREWERY

Stanthorpe

Keep the home fires burning on chilly Stanthorpe nights at Granite Belt Retreat and Brewery

Cedar cabins hidden in bushland provide a comfy base for beer buffs visiting Granite Belt Brewery, a 1000L micro brewery just five minutes from Stanthorpe.

Stay in one of the cosy cedar cabins, complete with log fires, at Granite Belt Retreat and Brewery

Keep the log fire crackling – there’s no need to budge on chilly nights with dine-in options to complement your ale appreciation. Rates include a breakfast hamper brimming with freshly baked bread and local produce and antipasto platters can be arranged for an extra cost. Granite Belt Brewery is open daily between 10am and 5pm for tastings and sales.

Order an antipasto platter from Granite Belt Retreat and Brewery.

There are seven craft beers on tap to wash down chef-prepared meals in the Granite Belt Retreat Restaurant. Pet-friendly cabins with a small yard are available.

Order an antipasto platter to enjoy in your cabin at Granite Belt Retreat and Brewery

 

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FLAME HILL WINERY

Montville

Symphony House is the newest self-contained accommodation option at Flame Hill Vineyard on the Sunshine Coast

Go straight to the source to savour wines that are estate grown and hand-picked from sprawling vineyards in Montville and the Granite Belt. Flame Hill Vineyard sets the scene for weddings, paddock-to-plate dining at an on-site restaurant and an annual Grape Stomp, but visitors can take the love affair further by staying at one of two accommodation options: Sinclair Cottage or Symphony House. Sinclair Cottage was built in the 1920s and lovingly resorted to retain its character and heritage. Symphony House, a three-bedroom period home with fireplace and a large veranda, captures views over the vines and down to the coastline.

 

Barney Creek Vineyard Cottages

Scenic Rim

This cosy cottage accommodation at the base of Mt Barney puts guests within a short stumble of cellar door. Petit verdot, shiraz, grenache and mourvèdre grapes are all grown at the on-site vineyard, with ample opportunity to sample the fruits of the winemaker’s labours. Cuddle up in front of the fire with a bottle of boutique red or plan a creekside picnic. Stay in Florrie’s Cottage, a 120-year-old workers’ cottage with a history of charming couples, or The Hill Station, a railway station reno with 360-degree views of Mount Lindesay, Mount Ernest, Mount Barney, Mount Gillies and Mount Maroon.

RIDGEMILL ESTATE CABINS

Severnlea

Ridgemill Estate Cabins.

Queensland wine lovers are spoiled for choice on the Granite Belt, but Ridgemill Estate is one of only a handful of wineries to also offer accommodation. Eight studio-style cabins, including a couple that are pet friendly, are tucked among the vineyards, alongside a three-bedroom Winery Escape House that’s great for groups.

Ridgemill Estate winemaker Peter McGlashan. Photo: Jessie Prince

The contemporary country cabins cater for couples with a kingsize bed, wood heaters, views across the valley and nearby Girraween National Park ranges, a breakfast hamper and a bottle of the house wine. Home to the oldest Tempranillo vines in the Severn River valley, the estate can also arrange tastings with winemaker Peter McGlashan, vineyard walks and picnic hampers.