The Best Holiday Apartments to Rent in Surfers Paradise, Queensland

You are right in the heart of Surfers Paradise – and the clue is all in the name. At the Capricorn One Beachside, you are a mere 80m (262ft) from an uncrowded patrolled beach and a beautiful foreshore reserve to watch the sunrise from. Enjoy the indoor pool and sauna or the outdoor swimming pool surrounded by sun loungers in tropical gardens with a tennis court and BBQ area. Each two-bedroom apartment has a modern kitchen and two bathrooms. Sea World is just five minutes away.

Ding! Ding! Check into one of the best holiday apartments in Surfers Paradise, and you’re ready to board the handy tram for city escapades – this handy amenity, which passes outside the front door, can whisk you in just 10 minutes to Cavill Mall and Pacific Fair shopping centre. Or set your sights on HOTA, the arts and entertainment centre, hosting a range of comedy, theatre, film and exhibitions that’ll fill your days and evenings. The next day, take time to relax back at the ranch: make the most of the resort-style heated pool, spa, sauna and gym. Or watch the sunrise over the beautiful patrolled beach, moments away on foot.

There’s only really one option here, and that’s to stretch out in these appealingly oversized serviced apartments, all with expansive balconies, full-size kitchens, separate laundries, deluxe en-suites and Instagram-worthy views over the ocean. Everything you would expect from a top-class hotel is here: a tennis court, basketball shooting area, gym, sauna, heated spa, kids’ pool and lap pool. If you love space – the other kind, in the sky – we dare you to board the incredible slingshot ride just around the corner. Beware – it’ll launch you into the air with the force of six Gs.

These one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury apartments, with a heated pool, tennis court and all the expected mod cons, are base-central for exploring fine dining, fantastic nightlife and the region’s many pristine patrolled local beaches. It’s also the perfect place to stay if you fancy stepping back in time and exploring ancient Gondwana Rainforest in the World Heritage-listed Lamington and Springbrook National Parks. Just one hour’s drive inland, they are extraordinary oases – home to more bird and marsupial species than anywhere else in Australia. So pack your binoculars and put your best Attenborough foot forward.

It’ll be tough dragging yourself out of your rarefied in-room spa tub and forsaking the hypnotic ocean views to glam up in the gear you bought on your shopping trip to Cavill Mall. But believe us, it will be worth the effort. One of the best evenings out is a whizz by elevator up the 78 floors of Surfers Paradise’s supertall Q1 edifice, where your home is. It even delivers live footage as you ascend to the very top of the highest apartment tower in Australia. What awaits is a heavenly glittering galaxy of lights, and far below a gleam of rolling waves; feast your eyes while devouring burgers and nachos at the vertiginous SkyPoint Bistro & Bar.

Here’s another Surfers Paradise high: each of the three bedrooms in this 43rd floor apartment has uninterrupted views of the water and Springbrook National Park on the horizon. At night, the lights and the stars are dazzling. Staying here grants you full access to the ground-floor outdoor swimming pool, the gym and the bar. If life at this altitude isn’t giddying enough for you, head to Cavill Mall and buy a ticket for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum, full of fun facts, curios and exhibits.

Surfers Paradise is known as the hub of the movie industry in Australia, and part of the thrill of these comfortable one- to three-bedroom apartments is the option of booking a private cinema for your family or group. For more cinema action, Warner Brothers’ Movie World, just 25 minutes away, hosts a daily street parade of your favourite characters – eyes peeled for the human-size Bugs Bunny, Batman and Scooby Doo. You’ll also get an exhilarating insight into the world of stunt-driving. For a heart thumping thrill, try the DC Rivals Hypercoaster, the longest, fastest and tallest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

These beautifully presented one- to three-bedroom apartments give you plenty of incentive to never step out: there’s a private theatre, a heated swimming pool, spa, sauna and gym among the great amenities. But head out you should – the Friday and Saturday evening beachfront markets are a lovely walk away along the promenade. For something a little wilder, check out the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and get up close with some of Australia’s amazing native fauna, like koalas, eagles and even a crocodile.