The Bed Report 5: Vibe Hotel Gold Coast Accommodation Review

On my way from Gold Coast Airport to Surfers Paradise on a local bus last week, I passed under a monorail that linked a casino to shopping and dining attractions.

Though on a smaller scale, it reminded me immediately of the monorail linking several casinos in Las Vegas, which I'd seen in action earlier in the year.

It was a reminder - if I needed one - that the Gold Coast is Australia's answer to the attractions of Vegas.

It's not that similar of course - the Gold Coast is less overtly given to insane architecture and in-your-face vice. But there are some parallels between the big-ticket extravaganzas and plentiful partying options of the two places.

So was I going to get that wild party-town gambling-spree vibe at Vibe? Well no, as it turned out, and that was all to the good. On the western edge of the nightlife hub that is central Surfers, it was a peaceful haven to retreat to at the end of a day out.

The Vibe chain makes a virtue of necessity, in that it takes old accommodation buildings and refreshes them via its vaguely retro decor. This works quite well, as I remarked of the Vibe Hotel Sydney in a previous review.

In Vibe stays in Sydney and Melbourne, I'd noticed the chain's preference for lime green. Here in Surfers however, the dominant shade was aquamarine, perhaps a nod to the nearby Pacific Ocean:

There were also splashes of the colour here and there through the room, along with some burnt orange cushions and a spot of abstract art:

The other blue-green that could be seen was best viewed from here, my 20th floor balcony:

As far as comfort levels go, the room was spacious and full of natural light, though the bathroom was relatively small.

I did arch an eyebrow at the pricing for the mini-bar. Some items were priced perfectly reasonably, eg orange juice for $3; others were quite ambitious, ie a bag of jelly snakes for $7.50 (an item which, curiously, you could buy for half the price at the hotel's own vending machine on the ground floor).

Also, wifi access was only available on the ground floor, and was only free for 30 minutes before charges applied.

In the evening I headed poolside, where the bar served food. It was very reasonably priced (eg fish and chips $12), and I scored a chicken parma and beer for a happy hour special price of $15. The parma was made without ham, which seemed to me as odd as a capricciosa pizza missing anchovies, but otherwise it was good, straightforward bar food.

And the setting, as you can see, was very pleasant indeed:

Just the Facts:

Vibe Hotel Gold Coast
42 Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217, Australia
Phone: 07 5539 0444 (International +61 7 5539 0444)
Web: www.vibehotels.com.au
Rates: From $120 per night

Disclosure time... for this stay I was hosted by the Toga Group. To read previous accommodation reviews, click on The Bed Report label below.