Novotel Surfers Paradise Review: What It’s Like Staying At The 4-Star Hotel.
WANT AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE GOLD COAST’S NOVOTEL SURFERS PARADISE HOTEL?
At the heart of the Gold Coast lies Surfers Paradise. Jammed packed with shops, attractions and thrills wedged between an iconic beach and a snaking waterway, this tourist mecca will keep you entertained for days on end. And with Valentine’s Day coming up, my boyfriend booked a hotel so we could enjoy this buzzing place for the weekend for the year’s most romantic day. But it wasn’t Novotel Surfers Paradise.
Disclosure: This review is a non-sponsored post based on my stay at Novotel Surfers Paradise in February 2022. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Why Novotel Surfers Paradise?
My boyfriend booked the Garden Room at the Mercure Gold Coast Resort with his accumulated Accor Plus member points, where we’d hop aboard a tram and discover Surfers Paradise in between our other planned activities. But he received a call a few weeks prior telling him we were getting transferred to Novotel Surfers Paradise due to them getting re-contracted to accommodate the stars and crew of a movie postponed due to COVID-19.
Novotel Surfers Paradise Room.
Deluxe Room. – 2412.
Main Bedroom.
The Deluxe Room assigned to us on the 24th floor of Novotel Surfers Paradise was beautiful, modern, clean and spacious. Outfitted generously with a king-sized bed, an oversized bedboard with in-built bedside tables against a feature wall, the contemporary styling exuded luxury. Rounding out the elegant decor was a sleek mini-bar/table setup, a soft couch and a large wardrobe with full-length mirrors. It was a lovely space to be in and to come back to after a day exploring the Gold Coast.
Extra Bedroom.
But it was also, oddly for us, a family room, which meant it had an additional room with two king singles for more guests. While we didn’t utilize it for our personal needs, it’s not a well-outfitted space for anyone staying there. It was ultra-basic and spare, and there was no colour or tonality to the room. It was completely white, save for the bedside tables and only had a small window with some lovely views and a large TV, which was good, but it was on the wall above one of the beds.
And because the beds were facing opposite each other, only one person could lay in the comfort of their bed while the other was either had to face it from the other end of their mattress or join the other person in their bed, which they may not want to do, especially if it’s kids. They might not want to do that because they think their sibling or whoever might have cooties.
There was also no door separating the bedrooms, which might also be an issue depending on who else stays with you. The main bedroom area is a very romantic space. It might not be one you want to share with others. If young kids were staying with you, it might suffice. But older children and other adults might find a problem not having a private space.
Bathroom.
The bathroom in Room 2412 was a functional, two-part deal situated between the two bedrooms. The sink was seamlessly and conveniently woven into the room’s layout, while the toilet and the shower/bath combination were behind the only interior door.
The former had an elegant design with glamourous soft Hollywood lighting around the mirror. But the open cabinet space under the generously sized sink bowl was an odd design that was more about looks than functionality. It was a bizarre choice of fitting, but the whole set-up sitting separately to the wet areas it’s typically combined with was excellent because it was available any time anyone needed it. No one had to wait until the bathroom was vacated or take off any socks one may have worn to use it either.
Opposite the sink was another convenient feature as part of the bathroom. A “mini-bench” is the best way I can describe the white block of furniture that also sat outside the wet facilities. It’s a great, easy-to-access place to put wet and dry clothes while you are changing while also serving as a more bench space for the sink without cluttering it.
With the sink and the “mini-bench” occupying space outside, the toilet and bathroom suffered and felt cramped. Moving around required shuffling about so doors could open and close. At first glance, the shower/bath window appeared fixed, but it was a swinging door to get into the tub and a glass panel to stop the water from splashing into the rest of the bathroom. It was an odd placement choice that would have benefitted if the set-up was on the opposite side.
View.
Moving outside, our particular Deluxe Room came with a hinterland view. Only that wasn’t what was noticeable when standing on the private balcony. The scenery from the northwest-facing room was a spectacular visual of downtown Surfers Paradise. Glorious skyrises, crisscrossing roads, and luxurious swimming pools were incredible to gaze upon, particularly during the golden hours and at night when all the lights illuminated the city. It was very romantic.
Location.
Novotel Surfers Paradise sits in a sweet spot right in the heart of Surfers Paradise. Its best feature is being a street away from the tourist haven, Cavill Mall. This street and the surrounding areas are where all the city action happens and is the definition of a tourist strip.
Everything is super accessible. Attractions, shows, nightclubs, restaurants, the waterways and the beachfront are all within walking distance. You can easily spend days here without requiring any hire vehicles or public transport. But for those wanting to explore the Gold Coast further afield, the Cavill Avenue Tram Station is a couple of minutes walk down the road. From there, it makes stops near the Dracula’s Cabaret, The Star Casino, the Gold Coast Exhibition and Convention Centre, Gold Coast Wax Museum, or go to the end of the line and take the train to Brisbane for the day.
👉 Novotel Surfers Paradise.
Tel: +61 7 5579 3499, Email: HA7P0@accor.com
Novotel Surfers Paradise‘s Facilities.
Reception.
As the gateway to the rest of the hotel, the reception of Novotel Surfers Paradise was crisp and clean with modern styling. It was a beautiful and refreshing introduction to the skyrise, and it exuded class and luxury.
BVLD Cafe.
Within the same space as the reception was the BVLD Bar & Cafe. It also felt in trend, stylish and on point with modern design. The friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and warm furniture and decor made it a great place to hang out and relax for a while.
The Restaurant.
Despite the lack of original naming, the restaurant named The Restaurant was a lovely setting to enjoy our buffet breakfast, although the tables didn’t reflect the elegance of the rest of the room. They had more of a food court feel. Nevertheless, it was nice and quiet, even if hidden and hard to find. The food on offer was continental, and there was a good selection. And thanks to a kind worker, there were also plenty of options for me as a vegan. (see staff section for more.)
Novotel Surfers Paradise Hotel Pool & Spa.
Novotel’s outdoor swimming pool felt the most dated out of all the spaces the hotel had to offer, but not by too much. It still felt like it belonged in the vicinity of this period, but signs of use and wear were more noticeable in the pool and spa than anywhere else, though the stylish furniture helped make it less noticeable.
The elevated spa above the pool was very hot. For me, uncomfortably so, but my partner didn’t mind. There were also no bubbles. The swimming pool, on the other hand, was a beautiful temperature. Refreshingly cool but never cold thanks to the warm February weather making it a nice time of year to enjoy the water. And there was plenty of space to play around.
The space around the pool was decorated beautifully with contemporary stylings, bringing the older-looking pool/spa into the modern age, and the view of the surrounding skyscrapers also enhanced the upscale feel of the area.
Lift.
After a brief blackout during our first night out, 4 of the five lifts were out of commission. At first, we didn’t know what was happening, and certainly not to the extent they were affected. They ended up being out for the rest of our stay across the weekend.
While we didn’t have to wait too long for the remaining working lift to go up thanks to a fellow guest letting us in on a great tip, we got impatient with waiting for it to go down from our room level. We did 24 stories of stairs twice because of it.
But when we were leaving the hotel with our bags, there was a bit of a hold-up. We thought the last lift broke too as an indicator light went off, but it was a staff member controlling it to aid us at a busy time. It was highly inconvenient and affected our stay, but it was also an exceptional circumstance, so I won’t add it to the overall score.
Other Services & Facilities.
- Wi-fi.
- Gym.
- Well-being spas.
- Shuttle Services.
- Meeting Rooms.
Novotel Surfers Paradise Parking. $18/day
At the front of the hotel, parking at the porte-cochere to check-in is a bit awkward because it’s a small space at a busy hotel in a chaotic part of the city. If it’s clear, it’s okay, but if not, you’re either sitting in there awkwardly or holding people up. If you can’t get in, you have to go around the block because the hotel is on a corner of a one-way street, and parking on Hanlan Street can be a hit or miss.
Parking underneath in the secure underground car park is very expensive at $18 per car per day. It’s not a space exclusively for Novotel guests and is shared with the rest of the block, but once in, parking is a breeze. Every time we came in, we found one in less than a minute.
Staff.
Points Fiasco.
The staff at Novotel Surfers Paradise were friendly, patient and understanding, but man, there was a big, drawn-out fiasco with my boyfriend’s Accor Plus Membership points. They were calm and collected about it, but because of the changeover with the initial hotel cancelling our booking to house a film crew, the crossover with the points payment from that one to this place was a mess.
There were lots of calls and running around the Novotel staff made to try and resolve the issue. Not only were they unable to fix it while we were there, but my boyfriend also kept having to call and go back to ask about it when they still hadn’t cleared up the bungle, which ate into our holiday time here. Eventually, he got it straightened out when he phoned them up several days after we went home.
Lift Situation.
As for the situation with the lifts where 4 of the 5 of them were out of commission due to a blackout, they all handled it in a patient and courteous manner. It was frustrating for everyone to have only one of the five lifts working after the power outage. I could tell they were doing their best to resolve the issue and working to keep things moving as smoothly as possible despite the disruption.
Food Kindness.
A staff member that was particularly notable for her work ethic was the lady in the in-house restaurant, The Restaurant. We went there for a buffet-style breakfast. After I couldn’t get answers from a guy about the food, my significant other asked a lady the same questions.
She not only went to ask the chef which options were suitable for me but came back to our table with coconut yoghurt to eat now and a box of soy milk for me to have for coffee in my room. I don’t drink coffee, but her going out of her way for me was much appreciated. And the coconut yoghurt was incredible, especially when I dipped hash browns into it, although my boyfriend would digress.
Who Would Novotel Surfers Paradise Appeal To?
Novotel Surfers Paradise is a beautiful, modern and elegant hotel located in the heart of Surfers Paradise. It’s an easy walk to Cavill Mall, the tourist heart of the Gold Coast, so for short stays where people want to get a feel for this stunning coastal city, it’s a perfect place to hole up if you’re looking for somewhere luxurious to stay close to the action.
The different rooms can cater to numerous adults and families for a great getaway. But with its incredible views of the bustling city, it also shines as a romantic weekend destination for couples.
Would We Stay At Novotel Surfers Paradise Again?
My boyfriend and I enjoyed our stay at Novotel Surfers Paradise. Although our transfer across to this hotel was to a family room where there were two extra beds we didn’t require, the rest of our stay in 2412 was incredible. It had many hallmarks of a great hotel room. Except for the cramped bathroom, it was clean, modern, functional and generous with space. And that view was exceptional.
There were a couple of other things that also affected our stay. The first was the mess with my boyfriend’s Accor Plus Membership was a bit of a downer. It took way too long to rectify. There was also the issue with 4 out of the five elevators not working after the hotel lost power. Walking down 24 levels worth of stairs and waiting so long for a lift because we didn’t want to walk back up upon returning to the hotel was a hassle. But it was an exceptional circumstance, and I don’t blame Novotel for it. I know they were working very hard to fix it.
Ultimately, our stay here was enjoyable, and we would stay here again.
Conclusion.
Novotel Surfers Paradise is a classy and luxurious hotel right in the heart of Surfers Paradise. Its ideal location to numerous natural and tourist attractions and public transport to discover places further afield makes it the perfect place to plant your holiday roots. It’s an especially great place to hold up if your stay is short or you don’t want to hire a car.
If you plan to visit the Gold Coast, consider looking at these other posts.
- Best Gold Coast Beaches To Discover. (Family, Hidden & Dog Friendly.)
- Best Gold Coast Lookouts In The City & Hinterland.
- Best Springbrook National Park Walks, Lookouts & Waterfalls.
- Best Things To Do On The Gold Coast.
- Best Gold Coast Adrenaline Adventures.
- When Is The Best Time To Visit The Gold Coast?
- Tallebudgera Creek Beach: Everything About The Gold Coast’s Favourite Beach.
