Looking for the most luxurious, fun hotel on the Gold Coast with one of the best pools in the world? Look no further than the brand new, super lavish, JW Marriott. We aren’t joking either, the saltwater lagoon pool even has waterfalls, a reef and tropical fish that you can snorkel with – or maybe step things up with a sea scooter! With some of the best dining on the Gold Coast, we didn’t even leave the hotel during our stay. Hot Tip: Even if you are not staying, you NEED to try the Teppanyaki restaurant Misono and the Tomahawk Wagyu at Citrique.
The JW Marriott Gold Coast is enormous and full of winding walkways through tropical gardens, you will constantly stumble upon cool features you had no idea about (like the hot tub built into the waterfall). This hotel is without a doubt the perfect spot to come for a romantic escape or a family fun holiday.
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JW Marriott Gold Coast
The JW Marriott Gold Coast is built upon the bones of the iconic Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort but recently transformed with a $35 million rebrand, lifting it even higher to JW Marriott standards. This is also the first JW Marriott in Australia and fills the previous void of high-end luxury for travellers to the Gold Coast. It’s exclusive meets tropical, you will instantly feel miles away from the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise.
The 223 lavish rooms and suites start from a spacious 42 square metres and feature sweeping views of the Gold Coast Hinterland, Surfers Paradise skyline or the Pacific Ocean. These bright and airy rooms are all decked out with the creature comforts you would expect like private balconies, separate shower and baths and even TV’s with chromecasts for streaming.
Location wise, the JW Marriott is pretty hard to beat. Set just to the side of Surfers Paradise, the hotel is just 200m from the beach and minutes walk to the major shopping precincts, activities and restaurants that the Gold Coast is famous for. For those flying into Gold Coast airport, you can be at the hotel within half an hour and under an hour from Brisbane.
Inside Our Ocean View Junior Suite
Our Junior Suite was on level 26, one of the highest floors in the building, so we knew we were in for a treat. Immediately upon opening the door we could see the views of the ocean from the panoramic windows. Being recently renovated, the suite felt as if we were the first guests to use it! With fancy artwork on the walls and bright contemporary tones, the suite had a modern coastal vibe, immediately putting us in holiday relaxation mode. The suite itself was open plan and each room seamlessly weaved into one another. It was also decked out with the latest mod-cons such as mood control light switches and climate control.
Living Room
Straight away Ollie ran up to the large sofa and plonked himself down getting to work on his activity booklet that he was given at check-in. There was a large flatscreen television with a built-in directory and Chromecast so we could easily stream our own Netflix etc. To the side was a built-in side table hiding away the minibar and all of the cups. Sitting on-top was our must-have these days… a Nespresso coffee machine and a variety of pods.
Bedroom
Every time we sleep in a King size bed, we complain about our Queen size one and home. And the bed here made us even more envious! It seemed to embrace you like a nice soft smooth hug. The bedside was lit up by chic lighting and equipped with wireless charging facilities as well as USB power ports. Then there was another TV on the exact reverse of the one in the living room again set up with the same streaming abilities. Our favourite part though could be the balcony accessible from the bedroom. Our large private balcony had epic views of the stunning lagoon pool below as well as the skyline and out to the ocean. It was definitely a major highlight of our stay!
Bathroom
The bathroom was a bright and spacious room able to be closed off from the bedroom was a solid sliding door. Inside was an oversized walk-in wardrobe with plenty of space for all of our bags (trust us we brought way too many!), as well as housing the safe and robes. Dual vanities, as well as a separate shower and bathtub, meant there was space for everyone. Ollie (and Paige for that matter) were big fans of the oversized bathtub and made good use of it after our stint without one caravanning up Australia. There was also a large selection of luxurious soaps and amenities of which we are actually still using and constantly reminding us of our trip.
The JW Marriott Gold Coast Experience
Checking In
As we were driving ourselves we drove right up to the entrance. Straight away a smiley staff member walked over to help with the doors and baggage and offered to valet the car. Immediately we were wowed by the grandiose lobby with its towering ceilings, grand staircase and unique large wooden fans. During check-in, we were treated to a welcome drink a bit different to the usual you come to expect. A unique lavender drink that changed colour from purple to blue as locally sourced lemon juice was poured in. Meanwhile, Ollie was given his own little kids package which included an activity book and schedule of family activities. By the time we got to our room, our bags were all waiting for us.
Swim
Whilst the hotel is basically on the beach, we didn’t even visit it. I mean why would you when you have an aquatic paradise at your fingertips. Spreading out over a hectare are various pools amongst a mass of gardens, rocky grottos and even waterfalls.
The 4m deep saltwater lagoon pool features a sandy floor and is filtered by the large cascading waterfalls. Swimming around you will often spot the many tropical fish that share the pool with you. Naturally, the Marriott also offer snorkel and sea scooter hire to zip around the pool and check them out properly. The sand on the edge even has a super cool silicone-base that prevents it from sticking to you and your towel, how’s that for service! We spent all our time right here in one of the large covered cabanas as Ollie swam his heart out making friends all day long. Behind the lagoon is a separate waterslide, large winding freshwater pool and even a hot tub built-in behind a waterfall that you could easily miss!
Get Fit
I made use of the Fitness Centre and it was clean and modern with a variety of machines and free weights. It could’ve done with a bit more equipment but you should easily be able to adjust a workout here to what’s available. The hotel also has a sports court that offers tennis, basketball, soccer, and hopscotch
Dining at JW Marriott
Dinner @ Citrique
Our first night we ate at Citrique, which has also undergone an extensive upgrade. The restaurant itself is massive doubling up as the breakfast area and features a huge walk-through an interactive open show kitchen. Ollie loved hanging out up there watching what all the chefs were making and saying hello. Citrique prides itself on its seafood and fresh produce, with much of the fresh herbs coming from the properties large garden. Meanwhile, seafood lovers can indulge in an insane spread of seafood with one of the seafood towers (they look incredible and could easily feed multiple people).
Because James doesn’t eat seafood, much to Paige’s dismay, sharing a Seafood Tower was not going to happen. So instead the awesome chefs let her pick some of the best bits (oysters and bugs) for an entree.
Instead for the main, we chose the super-indulgent 1.2kg Tomahawk Wagyu steak. It came out in its own large crate and billowed smoke out after the chef removed the lid, it was honestly a masterpiece. Cooked perfectly at medium rare (of which must be difficult with such a large piece of meat), this was the best steak we have ever eaten and probably ever will eat!
Because we were well and truly stuffed but with enough room for dessert… we had ours sent to the room for a cheeky midnight snack later. The decadent gold flake covered chocolate was next level and the banoffee was a big hit with Ollie.
Dinner @ Misono
Misono (formerly Benihanas) is one of the best places to eat on the Gold Coast and combines incredible Japanese with theatrical cooking. It’s actually Australia’s largest Teppanyaki restaurant and has 19 grills spread amongst various dining areas. Seriously you have to visit here at least once in your life, the chefs are hilarious and absolute masters of the grill. The bursts of flame, juggling with utensils and throwing food was incredible and we all managed to somehow catch some in our mouths!
We both ordered off the banquet menu which provided us with a whole spread of different meats and seafood. James obviously chose the land based package and upgraded to the Wagyu which is an absolute MUST, just do it it was melt in your mouth delicious. There is even a kids teppanyaki menu of which Ollie chose had the teryaki chicken along with all the usual Japanese extras like miso which he loves.
Buffet Breakfast @ Citrique
The JW Marriott has always been renowned for its buffets and the breakfast does not disappoint. Ok, so it’s a bit different in a Covid world and you can’t pile your plate up yourself, rather you just point to the items you want and a server will do it for you.
To one side they have a range of the usual hot items such as pancakes bacon, eggs sausages but also premade eggs benedict. On the other side is the fresher, healthier items and yummy pastries and bread. There are also several Asian breakfast foods that were always delicious. Ollie being Ollie was happy because they had Weet-Bix and bananas so he didn’t have to change up his routine, even though we did try to entice him otherwise…
Lunch @ The Pool Bar
The Pool Bar serves you to your cabana or chair around the pool. Whilst the menu here isn’t huge, the few things they do were all delish and filling. James got a Wagyu Burger, Paige an assortment of sushi and Ollie a kids fish and chips. Just what you need to recharge your batteries for a big afternoon swimming.
How Kid-Friendly is JW Marriott Gold Coast?
The JW Marriott Gold Coast is definitely up there in the most family-friendly properties we have stayed, with a whole lot of things to keep kids of all ages entertained! We know for a fact you and the entire family will love every second here and not want to leave! The little things here go a long way and you can tell a lot of thought has gone into the tiny travellers.
Amenities
Upon check-in, little ones are given a kids package with an activity book and some crayons along with a schedule of all of the family activities that week. The rooms themselves are spacious and the furniture nice and heavy so you don’t have to worry about them pushing it all over the room. A cot or rollaway bed can be set up upon request depending on your child’s age. Each room has a large standalone bathtub so you won’t miss out on your bathtime routines. When dining all restaurants are equipped with children’s utensils and high chairs as well as carefully thought out kids menus.
FUN!
No kid will ever complain of being bored here. The pools are incredible and they will especially love the sandy lagoon. With a gradual slope and plenty of fun spots to play it’s great for beginner swimmers. However, due to the middle being 4m deep, it’s also amazing for the bigger kids too. Plus what pool have they ever been in that also has tropical fish in it too?? They even have snorkels for rent so you can check them out up close and personal.
Chasing a bit of thrill? You can hire these things called Sea Scooters which are kind of like a giant fan that rockets you through the water. Ollie fell in love with his and was zipping around the pool by himself in no time, as were quite a few other kids! Around the corner, there is also a separate winding waterslide that goes through the rocky mountain!
If the kids are over swimming, there is also a sports court where they can fine-tune their tennis, basketball, soccer and hopscotch. Items can be hired from the pool area. There is also an indoor Games Room with a few arcade type games and a ping pong table. This room could be a lot better, but who wants to be indoors in sunny Queensland anyway??
And when its time for some wind down time, the TV’s in the rooms have built in Chromecast so you can stream whatever their heart desires!
Family by JW
The JW Marriott Gold Coast operate an activity program called Family by JW. The schedule of which your kid will receive upon check-in. Activities include Fish Feeding, Pizza & Sushi Making and more ensuring there’s something for everyone. These range in cost from free to about $20. These will definitely have the kids entertained and talking about your trip for years to come.
Book Your Stay at the JW Marriott Gold Coast
Address: 158 Ferny Avenue, Surfers Paradise 4217 Australia
Website: JW Marriott Gold Coast
Have any questions or comments about our stay at JW Marriott Gold Coast? Let us know in the comments below…
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Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with JW Marriott Gold Coast. As always, all the reviews and opinions expressed are based on our personal view and experience.