Novotel Surfers Paradise Hotel in Brisbane, Australia

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Updated: January 3, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Surfers Paradise Boulevard.
• Hotel website: novotelsurfersparadise.com.au
• Hotel phone: +61 (0)7 5579 3499
• Check prices for Novotel Surfers Paradise

Review of Novotel Surfers Paradise Hotel

The affordable and family-friendly Novotel Surfers Paradise offers spacious and comfortable rooms, a large outdoor pool, and a tennis court.

Novotel Surfers Paradise – Unassuming, great value, and prime position; also superb for families.

Modern, unpretentious, and affordable, the Novotel is in a first-class location in Surfers Paradise, the most renowned and popular area along the Gold Coast. The impressive amenities include a tennis court (rare among similar hotels) and large pool alongside a garden and barbecue area. The spacious rooms feature a beach-inspired décor and many have been recently upgraded. Those on the higher floors offer ocean views, though at a distance and partially blocked. Since four people can fit into most rooms, and special rooms accommodating five are also available, the Novotel caters very nicely for families. What’s more, it’s so convenient: a minute or two on foot from all the amenities along Cavill Avenue which leads to the beach close by, and from a tram stop for connections along the Gold Coast and to Brisbane and the Brisbane airports.

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Novotel Surfers Paradise – The Location

  • Address: 3105 Surfers Paradise Boulevard (the main road) and on the corner of Hanlan Street. In Surfers Paradise, the prime tourist area along the Gold Coast. About 80 km southeast of downtown Brisbane.
  • Area: Surrounded by amenities, but the immediate area doesn’t feel nearly as built-up and overcrowded as other parts of Surfers Paradise. 300m to the beach.
  • How to Get There: From the Brisbane international and domestic airports, the best options are (1) the Airtrain, every 15-30 minutes (with a Brisbane connection) that stops very near the hotel or (2) Con-X-ion shuttle buses directly to/from the hotel. More convenient, but with fewer international and domestic services, is the Gold Coast Airport in Coolangatta, about 22 km south of the hotel. The best options for this airport are SkyBus with direct connections to the hotel or door-to-door shuttle buses with Con-X-ion. (See Local Transport below for more information.)
  • Nearest Transport: Bus – Surfers Paradise (300m), Ferry – Surfers Paradise (500m), Tram – Cavill Avenue (150m).
  • Handy to: Surfers Paradise Beach.

Novotel Surfers Paradise – The Basics

  • Guests: Mostly those on holidays – from couples to families.
  • Pets: Only service animals allowed (e.g. guide dogs).
  • Views: With comparatively fewer high-rises nearby, views are decent. The street views are expansive, though views of the sea, about 300m away, are partially blocked.
  • Kitchen: The (single) Penthouse has a fully-equipped kitchen.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: The Penthouse and some Executive Rooms feature spa baths which are not really jacuzzis.
  • Parking: Secure indoor and outdoor parking for a daily fee.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: +61 (0)7 5579 3499
  • Email: HA7P0@accor.com
  • Website: novotelsurfersparadise.com.au

Novotel Surfers Paradise – Amenities

  • Pool: Large and outdoors, the pool is particularly inviting. Part of a leisure area with a tennis court, garden, and free use of barbecue facilities.
  • Spa: Not provided (or really expected) at a hotel of this standard.
  • Fitness Center: Decent size and faces the garden/pool area.
  • For Families: Baby-sitting.
  • Other Facilities: Laundry/dry-cleaning. Currency exchange. Tennis court. Business services. Free barbecue facilities.

Novotel Surfers Paradise – Food and Drink

  • Restaurants & Bars: Hanlan’s Restaurant – for breakfast and mouth-watering seafood buffets each evening. Menu also terrific for vegetarians and children. Not open for lunch. • Blvd Café & Bar – at the lobby and street level for coffee, cocktails, cakes, and casual meals at lunch and dinner. • Poolside Oasis (Pop-up Bar) – colorful setting and light meals available, but only open weekends, in the summer (December to February), and during school holidays.
  • Breakfast: Buffet breakfast available for an extra cost.
  • Room Service: Available daily 6 am to 10 pm.

Novotel Surfers Paradise – Rooms

  • Room Types: Superior Rooms • Deluxe Rooms • Executive Rooms with Spa and Ocean Views • Executive Rooms, Ocean View • The Penthouse (one only) • List of all Rooms
  • Smoking Rooms: No smoking allowed anywhere on the premises.
  • Best Room: The opulent Penthouse features 4 bedrooms, each with a separate bathroom. On 3 levels, in a corner, and on the top floor (36th) for maximum views from full-length windows. Also, a full-sized kitchen, dining/living area, spa bath, and private rooftop terrace.
  • For Families: All rooms can easily fit 3 or 4 people, while some are designed for 5. The Penthouse can accommodate 8.

Novotel Surfers Paradise – Local Transport

  • Walking & Cycling: With about 2,400 km of special paths, the Gold Coast is heaven for cyclists. Unfortunately, the shared-bike rental company recently stopped operating, so check for latest updates.
  • Trams: The very useful G:Link tram stretches along the Gold Coast from Southport to Broadbeach via Surfers Paradise. It also connects to trains at Helensvale for downtown Brisbane and the Brisbane airports. The ‘Cavill Avenue’ tram stop is only 150m from the hotel.
  • Taxis & Ride-shares: Taxis run by 13cabs are not that common along the streets, so arrange through the website. Uber also operates along the Gold Coast.

Novotel Surfers Paradise – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants

  • Hard Rock Café – Almost next to the hotel (look for the huge guitar in the air). Offering the usual burgers, beers, and live bands, as well as balcony seating, it’s always popular with families.
    Often more fun to eat and drink along the Esplanade. Within a row 500m from the Novotel are:

  • The Surfers Paradise Beach Café Pizzeria and Bar – Bright and cheery, with live music, happy hours, and plenty of outdoor seating.
  • Gringo Loco Cantina – Mexican-inspired décor and menu offering tacos, margaritas, and everything in between.
  • Soul Boardwalk – Shopping/dining complex, which has entrances at the beach and along Cavill Avenue, with several more classy places. These include Vapiano Soul Boardwalk, an unusual self-service but classy cafeteria for inexpensive pasta and pizza.
  • Cavill Lane – Undercover arcade 200m up Surfers Paradise Boulevard, with a dozen (mostly) Asian cafés that are simple, cheap, and cheerful.

Best Nearby Bars

  • Gilley’s Bar & Grill – Always popular for its street-side setting ideal for people-watching, extended menu (with meals for children), and wine/cocktail lists. Just 300m around the corner on Orchid Avenue.
  • The Avenue – Surfers Paradise – Plush bar with wilder than normal nightlife that includes stand-up comedy, DJs, bands, drag queen shows, and, um, karaoke. Virtually opposite Gilley’s.

Nearby Shops

    Plenty of shops along the streets, especially Cavill Avenue (the pedestrian street leading to the beach). Also, Paradise Centre is an undercover shopping mall with plenty for the kids, such as the Time Zone games arcade and a 10-pin bowling alley.

Nearby Attractions

    The number one attraction is, of course, the wide and white beach, which is about 300m down Hanlan Street. And it’s called Surfers Paradise for a reason: waves can be very rough for the inexperienced, so always swim between the flags where professional lifeguards operate every day during daylight hours.

Novotel Surfers Paradise – The Hotel

Most rooms have balconies.

The design of the impressive high-rise Novotel Surfers Paradise hotel ensures that most rooms have a balcony.

The hotel is located in a prime area of the Gold Coast.

The Novotel is on a prime corner within the most renowned and popular part of the Gold Coast.

The spacious guest lounge is by the reception.

The reception area and guest lounge are spacious and sunny.

Blvd Café & Bar is next to the reception.

Just across from the reception desks is the Blvd Café & Bar, ideal for coffee, cakes, and cocktails.

Blvd Café & Bar offers affordable meals.

The Blvd Café & Bar (also called ‘Boulevard’) offers casual and well-priced meals throughout the day.

Hanlan’s Restauran offers buffet breakfasts.

Inside the Novotel, Hanlan’s Restaurant serves extensive buffets for breakfast at an extra cost.

The pool is large.

The pool is especially large and inviting.

The Novotel has beautiful gardens with barbecues.

Unlike some hotels in the immediate area, the Novotel has space for a garden and barbecues that guests can use for free.

The hotel has a tennis court.

Rare among competing hotels in Surfers Paradise is the tennis court.

Rooms are very spacious.

Rooms at the Novotel are very spacious.

Rooms have a beach-themed decor.

All rooms feature the sort of beach-themed décor surprisingly absent in most other hotels in the area.

Some rooms offer distant sea views.

Rooms facing the ocean do provide sea views, but these are distant and partially blocked.

Rooms are good value.

Rooms at the Novotel are unfussy and especially good value.

Hard Rock Café is very popular.

The hotel soars above the sign for the Hard Rock Café, which is always popular with families.

Cavill Lane has several Asian cafes.

In Cavill Lane, about 200m away, are a number of cheap and cheerful cafés serving mostly Asian food.

Surfers Paradise Beach Café is bright and breezy.

One of several in a row along the Esplanade is the Surfers Paradise Beach Café.

Gringo Loco Cantina is funky.

Next to the Beach Café along the Esplanade is the funky Gringo Loco Cantina.

Vapiano specializes in Italian fare.

Also within a short walk of the hotel is the cafeteria-style, yet classy, Vapiano bistro.

Gilley’s Bar & Grill is very popular.

Just around the corner from the Novotel is the popular Gilley’s Bar & Grill.

The Avenue is a popular bar with live entertainment.

The Avenue bar offers all sorts of entertainment most nights.

Surfers Beach Paradise has several amenities.

The hotel faces Surfers Paradise Boulevard, the main road which is packed with amenities.

Paradise Centre shopping mall has a games arcade.

Also close to the hotel, the Paradise Centre shopping mall has a Time Zone games arcade.

The hotel is away from the city center.

The Novotel is nicely distant from the more developed parts of Surfers Paradise.

The beach is world-renowned.

Only a few minutes’ walk from the hotel is one of the finest beaches in the world.

Flags are put up to mark safe swimming spots.

Always swim between the flags, especially on windy days when the waves can be potentially dangerous.

There is a walking and cycling path by the beach.

The path alongside Surfers Paradise Beach is ideal for walking and cycling.

G:link tram goes to downtown Brisbane and the airports.

The G:link tram connects the hotel with other beaches along the Gold Coast as well as downtown Brisbane and the Brisbane airports. Check rates and availability: Novotel Surfers Paradise

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