WOW...Fantastic Stay

We had the absolutely best holiday ever at the Holiday Inn. The lobby/reception area has just been refurbished and looks beautiful. The rooms are progressively being refurbished too however we got a standard room on Floor 13 with fantastic views of the beach and Bungee rides. The room was huge with 2 double beds and plenty of space for 4 people. The balony was great and even though it is in one of the busiest areas of Surfers there was not a sound to be heard and we got great nights sleep.

The biggest bonus of this hotel (besides its location) was the staff. Every single staff member was friendly, happy .,highly trained and went out of their way to help us. That included front desk, pool/spa, housekeeping, maids and even staff we encountered in the lifts. The room had a fridge and Coles Supermarket is just across the road. Parking was free undercover and the restuarant seafood buffet was one of the best I have ever had. They even gave us great discount coupons for the restuarant and bars. The pool was big and had plenty of chairs and shade.There were 2 big pools and a smaller kids wading pool.I couldnt recommend this hotel highly enough and it will be even more spectacular once the rooms are refurbished (to be completed by Dember 2006 I think).We stayed for 6 nights and would liked to have stayed more.

Great location, More effort needed in Housekeeping and Staff attitude

My first sight of the lobby prepared me for condition of our inter-connecting rooms. Lobby looked unkept. Agreed renovation was in progess but arranging the sofas and cushions would have made a difference. Check in was fast but staff we not friendly.

Our rooms looked fine until we walked in. There was a musty smell coming from the toilets. So unbearable that we immediately requested for a room change. Request was granted and we moved up to the eleventh floor. This time there was no smell. Thank god! The rooms have been well used. Curtains, sheets and furniture have seen better days. Housekeeping needs to do a better job. Saw strands of hair on the toliet seat. Enough said.

The buffet breakfast was alright for the first day. But imagine having the same limited menu for 4 days in a row. We came to the conclusion that the chef was at fault for his limited capability. Glasses and plates looked like they needed another second good wash. Looks like cleanliness a big problem. Needs to be worked on.

Though out our stay staff were unfriendly. Nobody helped us with the luggage when checking out. The bell captain was busy having a conversation.

The location of the hotel was the only saving grace.

We enjoyed our stay!

We just came from Queensland and stayed at Holiday Inn for three nights as part of a package deal offered here. We chose this over the other which was along the main road, and it was a choice we did not regret. The location was good. Plenty of amentities with Coles just round the corner and a Chinese restauarant just opposite the road. There was also a bottle shop in the same building. Btw, parking was free throughout our stay, and I am not sure if the other hotels offer similar perks.

Unlike the other reviewers, I am very pleased with the house-keeping. Likewise with the buffet breakfast, which also includes rice/porridge with pickles as there were quite a number of Japanese tourists (popularity was due to the fact that it was previously ANA).

The only drawback was the rooms were a bit run-down, but I believe this would be improved as a refurbishment is on-going as seen in the renovation works at the lobby atrium. We stayed at level 10, and were not affected by the noise at all, but I would suggest anyone to request for a room at the high floor - just in case.

With plenty of restaurants and shops around, we would recommend this hotel to anyone keen to stay at Surfers Paradise.

Reasonable priced, lovely view, can improve on cleanliness and service

The rates for this hotel is very reasonable, got it at A$117 through the main hotel chain hotline. I think the rate also depends which day you are checking in as it varies. Thurs - Sun are the pricest days. Unless you take a cab, taking the surfside bus from Pacific Fair shopping center to the hotel can get you lost. Bus drivers wouldn't know where the hotel is, so suggest checking with the concierge where to tell the driver to stop, and how to walk there is important.

Receptionists helpful but not warm. Was upgraded to a high floor with seaview! The view of the sea is spectacular!! You can see the sunrise in the morning from the balcony. Was great as could see the sea from even sitting on the bed. What's not good is when I was in the room, I saw empty mineral water bottles, open and used soap... housekeeping needs to improve on this aspect. But on the whole its still clean. Big room, clean, basic fittings. Will be able to rest comfortably in the room without squirming. Walls are quite thin, so you may hear people talking when they walk down the corridor.

3 min walk to beach from hotel. 15 min lovely walk to the main street of surfers. Try this restaurant called Rusty Pelican tel: (--) - crn elkhorn ave & orchid ave. Lovely seafood at reasonable prices. In terms of shopping at surfers, don't expect to find much stuff, except maybe sovenirs. Shopping best at Pacific Fair Shopping Center or the Harbour Town.

Great Hotel - Great Location

Myself and my wife stayed in a deluxe ocean view room on the 21st floor. Our room was at right angles to the ocean so we could see the sea if we looked right over our balcony.

The hotel is situated just at the edge of the of all the restaurants and nightclubs which is perfect - far enough away from it to escape the noise and a 5 minute walk round the corner to get to it. Also it was a two minute walk to the sea front.

Compared to UK hotel prices the hotel was very reasonable (in think we ended up paying round £65 per night). The hotel is a little out dated but clean and comfortable and tidy. There is a lot of redevelopment going on at surfers paradise so it is probably a matter of time until this hotel is revamped.

We had been travelling for about 36 hours by the time we arrived to check in and all the staff we encountered were very helpful and efficient.

Location, Location, Location

We stayed 7 nights in a Deluxe Ocean View Room on the 20th level. Right from the beginning we were treated in a good manner and checked in immediately which was a delight as we were about 3 hours early. The reception staff were very professional. Rooms were very good however would be delighted if a renovation commenced. The housekeeping staff did a great job with the room everyday and were available to help out with any requests. The facilities were also excellent. The Hotel has a great large pool that many hours were spent in. The ambience in the pool and spa area was very calming and relaxing. We would consider staying here again next year as it is money well spent.

They are working on it

Hi, First let me say the Staff are the Star's here. They made the stay!

The hotel itself has began a renovation.

The rooms are in need of renovation which they have started doing at the top of the hotel working their way down. My room was OK but some of the other guests we spoke to were not pleased with theirs.

They are adding a new restaurant . The seafood buffet restaurant smelled of fish so bad the night we went in to dine that we turned around and left before we were seated. All the locals we spoke to loved this seafood buffet so we may have been there on an off night.

The pools are nice. The jacuzzi is more like a fountain than a whirlpool.

The business center is a joke. 1 very slow computer in an unventilated closet.

The balcony is full sized with table and chairs.

This hotel in it's present condition is adequate but until the renovation is done you may want to consider the Marriott (although it is not as near to the beach)

Great View and Balcony

From the moment that my boyfriend and I arrived at this hotel we were greeted by friendly and efficient staff. We were upmost impressed with the location and enjoyed a nice view of the ocean from our room. The only issue being that this hotel seemed to be mostly enjoyed by tour groups and therefore always seemed overly busy- especially the lobby!

We neglected to request a non smoking room and the smell of cigarette smoke was almost unbearable. The blanket that was on our bed had cigarette burn holes in it (very unimpressed). Where our room was situated was at the end of the floor and it seemed that noone was around us.

We did request a single room with one queen size bed and again were not very happy to find that instead of this we'd been put in a room with twin beds with a very unattractive and old beside table between them.

We used the room service facilities on this occasion and were impressed with both the speed of the service and the beverages recieved.

The bathoom appeared to be old and the facilities were a little outdated. They weren't a major issue and could be lived with.

The highlight of this room was the balcony, we enjoyed our breakfast and dinner sitting there glued to the horizon!!

Overall I would recommend that you definitely request a NON smokers area (hopefully the room is a little better!)

Perfect hotel location in Gold Coast

This hotel is located right on Surfers Paradise city center with many stores and rows of restaurants right outside the hotel. Great view of the ocean and the beach is only less than a 5 minute walk from the hotel. We stayed in a deluxe room on the top floor (22nd floor) and had a great view of the ocean and the city. We even had our breakfast at the balcony because the view was so wonderful. The weather was great even though it was beginning of winter. They only have dial up internet access unfortunately. There are few internet places with broad band access along the shopping areas for only $2.50AUD or less than US$2 per hour. The bathroom is kinda old but very clean. That's probably why Expedia.com only gave this hotel a 3 star rating.There are other 4 and 5 star hotels on the main beach in Gold Coast area such as the Sheraton and Pallazo Versace but they are far from the center of activities. They are more like a resort type of a hotel. If that is what you are looking for, this is not that kind of a hotel. I gave this hotel a 3.5 star because of the dial up internet access and the old bathroom.

Convenient

The rooms are spacious, and clean. Good location, the hotel is not new, but well kept. Service is good. The restaurant on the lobby level is above average. Good hotel for families.