Meriton Suites Surfers Paradise

Meriton Suites Surfers Paradise stands on The Esplanade with the sand of Surfers Paradise Beach directly in front of it, one of the tallest towers on the Gold Coast. Like the rest of the Meriton group, it is built as serviced apartment suites rather than hotel rooms, so every suite has a kitchen, an internal laundry and generous living space, with private balconies and unobstructed views along the coastline.

What sets this one apart from the group's city hotels is what it is for. This is a beach stay rather than a business one. Days start with a lift ride to the ground floor and a short walk to the water, and the subtropical Queensland climate makes the balcony and the pool deck as much a part of the stay as the suite itself.

The recovery facilities are genuine and easily reached. There is a sauna, a well-equipped fitness centre with cardio machines, free weights and strength equipment, an indoor pool with a spa, and an outdoor pool with a sundeck. Guests arriving before check-in can use the recreational facilities while they wait, which is a small thing that says a lot about how the building is run.

Dining is on site and casual, with a ground-floor coffee bar, an Italian restaurant on the first floor, and a beach bar and kitchen with a rooftop terrace. The full kitchens mean self-catering is equally easy, and a supermarket sits a few hundred metres away.

Suites run from studios to three bedrooms and penthouses, sleeping two to six, with coastal-toned interiors, opening windows and ocean or city outlooks depending on the aspect.

This is a strong Verisa stay for travellers who want a beach holiday with the space of an apartment and dependable wellness facilities on site. It is not a wellness retreat, it is a well-run beachfront base with a sauna, a gym and pools, and the sand across the road.