To attend a two day work conference at the Grand Chancellor, I arrived in the early morning to a surprisingly fresh and modern hotel (worlds apart from the Grand Chancellor I stayed at in Melbourne). I was impressed that my room was available for me to check into and was delighted to see that I had been given a room with a separate study/lounge! Rushing to register for the conference, I waited for what seemed like forever for the lift to arrive...
The day filled my head full of information and by the end, all the attendees (myself included) wanted to do was to return to their rooms for a rest before we met up for dinner. We all waited for the lift again and for what seemed like 10-15 minutes, and on arrival at my door, I discovered that my key didn't work so I had to return to reception after waiting for the lift to arrive again. It turns out that somebody else had been booked into my room so I had been moved to another room. They had called me and left a message but my phone had been on silent from the conference. Feeling a bit uncomfortable at being told that my luggage and items had been moved to the new room, I was presented with a packet of Ferraro Rocher and the promise of a nicer room.
Eventually, when I arrived at my new room, I was greeted with a lovely spa in the bathroom amongst the marble and soft white towelling. My luggage was there, along with my jacket but amusingly, someone had been left with a huge stack of my business cards in front of the tv. When I tried to switch on my own though, it didn't work well, and the buttons of the remote were unreadable so I had to call Reception to have someone come up and sort that out. Luckily, they arrived quickly enough that I still had a bit of time to unwind.
Later that night, when I returned from dinner, drink and a walk (at one of the many nearby restaurants and bars), I made sure to take advantage of the big spa that overlooked the television in the lounge, separated by a pane of glass. I think it's a great idea for people but something needs to be done to get the sound in the bathroom so they can actually watch movies from the comfort of the spa.
The views from the balcony were amazing at night, sunrise and at daylight. I loved the way the room and bathroom had been equipped and furnished, and the large roomy hallway and full-length mirrors away from the bed. I woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, ready for another jam-packed day. Be sure to stay at the Grand Chancellor if you're in town, but remember to bring your own shower cap and practice that patience when waiting for the lift!
Compare it to other Places I've Stayed at?
Setting up base camp at Frisco Serviced Apartments;
Docking at the Ridge on Leichhardt Hotel;
On an Easter Getaway at the Royal Pines Resort.
The last time I visited Sea World was in 2005 so I took the planned outing as a refresher course! Not a lot had changed from what I remember... We fed the stingrays at the touchpool, watched the Dolphin show (and was astounded by how amazingly well-trained and friendly they are), then visited the Aquariums and the Polar Bears before finding some lunch at Dockside Tavern. We watched Fish Detectives for some humour and the jetski stunt show was fun! I don't remember if I'd seen the Penguins in Antartica display before but it was freezing cold in there and I loved the replica background! We finished the day off avoiding the burger patties thrown at us during the Sponge Bob 3D film and having a play-around at the gift store.
I've cottoned on to how Queenslanders usually have a yearly pass to these theme parks but I'm not that big of a fan. I think once every few years is plenty. It's probably just about spending time together and I had a great day, enjoying the company of three others.
Remember when you came down to see me in Sydney and we went to the Aquarium at Darling Harbour? :D You said a few months ago that you remembered it was raining that day :) ...I remember how your brother(3) asked me to go with you on your diving trip up at the Whitsundays and how all your diving buddies teased you for being crazy in love with me when they met me afterwards. We just blushed and laughed Xo.
Another Recreational Activities for Gold Coast would be:
On the way up to O'Reilly's in the Hinterland, Gold Coast
After the delirium of giggles we drummed up from taking silly photos, our tummies told us it was time for food. The menu at the Burleigh Heads Surf Club was large in range and it meant that we could keep enjoying views of the beach and continue to breathe in that sea air. As we ordered from a short-tempered girl behind the counter, I noticed that the place could do with a bit of a clean - a few sticky tables and cutlery and water stations in need of restocking and polishing. The club saw an increase of visitors as 5pm rolled in, particularly the ones that had reserved the outdoor tables. The food turned out to be of great quality - my Spaghetti Marinara was generous both in proportions and amounts of seafood, and my friend enjoyed a juicy Steak.
Where else could I have eaten up at the Gold Coast?
Lust in Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast;
At the many restaurants at the RACV Royal Pines Resort; and
To Fishy Adventures at Sea World.
The Royal Pines Resort is a very impressive place to stay at, set on a world-class golf course. We had an Executive room on level 18, overlooking numerous trees and beautiful lakes set throughout the lush green lawns. Squeals of delight and laughter came from the pool and spas below and we pondered when we should join them. There were those huge air bubbles that people could climb in, and roll across the water but I think I would prefer the delight of warm jets of water in the luxurious large shower in the room later. Perhaps it was because of the Easter holidays, but the stand introducing the restaurants didn’t have the menus on hand so we waited for a long time for the staff to find and print the current menus. With a seafood buffet at Kalinda, Italian food at Trattoria Amici, Japanese at Arakawa, Fine Dining at Videre, and food and drinks at Tee’s Clubhouse and a few other bars, we had more than enough options to explore. The lifts even featured contemporary leather seating, placed at the right height just to lean against, and delicious green apples in a glass bowl can be located near the lift entrances! We only got to try some of the items on the Trattoria menu which we ate in our room one night and we never got a chance to enjoy all the lovely places to lounge at. This is definitely a place I would love to come back to stay at again.
State of confusion - I'm still trying to process it...Could I have gotten it all wrong? It just doesn't make sense. You brought up our past, You told me your plans for us and You were so nervous, waiting for hours just to hold my hand...
Read about past Hotels I've stayed at:
Setting up base camp at Frisco Serviced Apartment Hotel; and
Docking at the Ridge on Leichhardt Apartment Hotel, Brisbane.
When colleagues find out I live in the city, their first
reaction is to say “Wow! You’re in amongst it all!” It’s really amusing to me
because, unlike Sydney and Melbourne, nothing much is open on weeknights or
even on the weekends (even most gyms!). Intrigued, I found out from many locals that most people
go to the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast on the weekends. Many even live out
that way and commute to Brisbane for work.
Easter was a four day holiday so I took up an invitation to
have a little break by going to the Gold Coast. A honk from a cruising car welcomed
us, along with the fresh breezes from the sea air nearby. Tourists had already
found their place at the cafes on the main strip of Broadbeach, Surf Parade, but we managed to find a cosy little table for brunch at Lust Cafe and
Restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed my food despite a little mistake the
waitstaff made in their ordering but the owner rectified it and I walked away
happy.
What else can I do on the Gold Coast? Head to:
Seafood and Sea Breezes at the Burleigh Heads Surf Club;
To Fishy Adventures at Sea World! and;
On the way up to O'Reilly's on the Gold Coast Hinterland.
