Gold Coast Kids Resorts | Family accommodation on the Gold Coast

Looking for Gold Coast kids resorts? We’ve tested them and we’ve got the best list.

With so much for families of all ages to see and do, it is no wonder the Gold Coast is one of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations. Boasting tropical sunshine, endless kilometres of breathtaking coastline, unrivalled beaches, and a lush hinterland rich with native flora and fauna, the Gold Coast is bursting with fun-filled activities for families.

The world-famous Gold Coast is one of the best places in the WORLD for family-friendly holidays! If you’re looking for a fun, quality, memorable destination while you plan your next adventure then you’ve come to the right place! Take a look at our list of the best resorts on the Gold Coast for kids!

The famous theme parks need no introduction – just ask the kids. Between Dreamworld, Sea World, Wet‘n’Wild and Movie World, there are unlimited days to be spent lost in the enthralling sights and sounds, thrills and spills, and adrenaline-pumping experiences.

Marriott Resort and Spa with kids club

Our very own Families Magazine editor, Janine, had a staycation at the Marriott and wrote about it here (Some people get all the luck!)

Good luck getting your kids out of the pool here! This gorgeously landscaped area has waterfalls, caverns, chill-out caves and even non-stick sand. (That’s definitely got an appeal all of its own). The waterslide and salt-lagoon make sure your entertainment needs are covered no matter the age of your child. You can even SNORKLE in the salt-water lagoon and see tropical fish IN THE POOL.

Rooms at the Marriott Resort and Spa are an excellent choice for staying with kids on the Gold Coast. Rooms are quite large and can connect if you’d like to hire a few. Views are spectacular and you’ve got buffet service, a restaurant lounge, a Japanese steakhouse and a pool bar all onsite.

Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort

Situated at 71 Sea World Drive, it’s just a quick jaunt away from all the local hotspots. It’s a three-minute drive to Sea World and right across from the Marina Mirage shopping centre. Surfers Paradise is only seven minutes away by car, and there’s even a bus stop right outside the hotel if you want to hop around town.

The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort is grand, both in name and nature. From the moment you step into the lobby, you’re met with pure luxury. It’s the only hotel on the Gold Coast with direct beachfront access. I have stayed here for my family in a two-bedroom villa, and it was divine. The rooms are spacious, modern, and those beds? Absolute heaven. They even sell them if you’re as smitten with them as I was!

With lush tropical gardens, sparkling lagoons, and not one, but two gorgeous swimming pools, it is perfect for families. The Oasis Pool is massive and even has a swim-up bar (yes, please!), while the Villa Pool is perfect for a more intimate dip. And let’s not forget about the beach access—just open the back gate, and you’re toes in the sand.

Hungry? Terraces Restaurant has you covered with their incredible buffet spread. Seriously, seafood lovers rejoice—they’ve got everything from king prawns to Moreton Bay Bugs. Plus, they do an epic breakfast buffet too.

So, if you’re after a luxe family getaway on the Gold Coast, the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort is where it’s at. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

You can read our detailed review about this luxury stay here.

Big 4 Gold Coast Holiday Park

Family-friendly. Pet friendly. Across the road from the theme parks. Big 4 Gold Coast Holiday park is a great Gold Coast kids resorts option for kids and families. There is a wide variety of accommodation options (from super-low-key camping to surprisingly deluxe cabins and mini-villas) and a HUGE POOL with slides.

This Gold Coast accommodation offers shaded cabanas, brand new amenities and heaps of space to run around in a river-front park. This is a great option for bigger families or those wanting a family-holiday with old-fashioned community vibes.

The Star Grand at The Star Gold Coast

Broadbeach is the home to The Star (formally called Jupiters) – an amazing choice for a Gold Coast resort holiday with the kids. A wide variety of accommodation options, views of the Pacific and the Hinterland are the backdrop to the family holiday of a lifetime. The incredible pool, cabanas and bungalows offer the perfect Coast experience and there’s a gym for older kids to work off some energy.

The on-site restaurant has a kids’ menu and there are activities available as well. Make sure to ask when making a reservation! Check out their availability for your dates here

Novotel Surfers Paradise

A great choice for a Gold Coast holiday resort with kids! Right smack-bang in the middle of Surfers Paradise is a venue that has to be experienced. Private balconies with great views on every room provide relaxation while the full-sized tennis court, fitness centre and great-sized pool for active families.

Inside the rooms are floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of the amazing position and some rooms have a spa. Important! Accommodation and breakfast are FREE for two children under the age of 16 if they are sharing a room with their parents. There is a restaurant onsite and Hanlan’s Bar offers takeaways so you can eat on the go. Check out the best prices here.

Paradise Resort

Our Gold Coast Editor also stayed at Paradise Resort and created this detailed review for your reading pleasure – click here.

One of the most incredible Gold Coast resorts for kids you’re ever going to find! This is the venue of choice for many families. There are a wide variety of accommodation styles here to make sure that every type of family is catered for.

Every accommodation package includes a free four hour session in the (supervised!) Zone 4 Kids Club. Every. Day. This resort will make sure your kids are happy, safe and having the time of their lives for free. (Suited for children 0-12).

On site you’ll find the Zone 4 Kids club, an amazing water park, “Planet Chill” (a skating rink) and a rotating range of activities including Virtual Reality, Cliff Hanger (inflatable super steep slide), trampolines, dunk tanks and more! Holy guacamole! You can get the best price if you click here.

Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise

This Gold Coast resort venue is a great choice for families with kids. Choose from one, two or three bedroom apartments that offer every comfort you could think of. You have access to either restaurants or use of your own full kitchen facility. There is a spa, gym and swimming podium on site as well as the most striking beach views.

Seaduction Restaurant + Bar is hatted multi-award winning restaurant which must be experienced. There’s also a wine-tasting room and bar. A gorgeous choice. Check the family friendly room and facility options and prices – click here.

QT Gold Coast

The kids will love this Gold Coast resort with a vibrant beachside location that’ll entice parents as well. Stingray Lounge and marketplace dining at Bazaar set this venue apart from many others.

The outdoor spaces and awesome pool make this a great choice for families who like to stay active or who like to soak up the sun (safely). QT has made its mark on the Gold Coast accommodation scene – Compare prices by clicking here

Seaworld Resort

Sea World - family friendly hotels on the gold coast

What list of Gold Coast family resorts would be complete without Seaworld Resort? An absolute legend of the area, this venue offers accommodation packages that include unlimited entry to the park. The kids will go absolutely wild for not only the beautiful sea creatures who live in the park but the constantly rotating, fun displays and shows that they can see. From Nickelodoen to TMNT, there’s something for everyone!

We recommend the Family Premium Queen Room with an interconnecting Premium Queen Room and Premium Double Room. The room features two comfortable queen beds, 2 double beds, a range of fabulous amenities and a fresh new look. Plus, a 9th person can be accommodated for a small additional cost. You’ll have a patio or balcony attached too, so you can enjoy the beautiful Gold Coast Sun. Family Premium Queen View rooms overlooking the pool area are also available for a nightly upgrade fee.

Great room sizes, all amenities and world-class service are waiting for you at Seaworld Resort!

Turtle Beach Resort

This family friendly Mermaid Beach resort offers a choice of fully self-contained one, two, three and four bedroom apartments each featuring a private balcony or patio that overlooks 4.5 hectares of lush gardens. The combination of quality accommodation and exceptional guest facilities makes Turtle Beach Resort the ultimate choice for families looking for a memorable Gold Coast holiday experience.

Each apartment features:

Air-conditioned and heated living areas
40 Inch flat screen TV in living area, 28-inch flat screen TV in master bedroom
DVD player
Foxtel including complimentary movie channels
Ceiling fans in bedrooms
Full kitchen facilities including oven, cooktop, microwave, dishwasher and all crockery, cutlery and cookware
Laundry facilities including washing machine, dryer, clothes airer, iron and ironing board
Either a balcony or terraced courtyard
All bed and bathroom linen provided (pool towels available for hire)
Cots, high chairs, bed rails, strollers and prams available for hire (24 hours notice required)
All bathrooms with shower/bath combination
Complimentary in room safe
Complimentary Wi-Fi internet access is available in most areas of the resort (download limits apply)

The accommodation at Turtle Beach Resort is self-contained and unserviced. Initial provisions supplied include soaps; laundry, kitchen and bathroom, tea, coffee, milk, sugar and toilet paper. These are not replenished during the stay.

“Club Turtle” (for kids aged 4-12) means that this is a great resort choice for Gold Coast holidays with kids. This great initiative offers big screen interactive games, art and craft, movie screenings and dance parties! A chance for kids to make friendships that could last a lifetime!

This Mermaid Beach accommodation also boasts a great water park with slides, dumping buckets and water cannons or the more laid-back pool for a casual swim. There’s a putt-putt course and an award-winning restaurant on site or you can cook in your own fully-equipped kitchen. A great choice for families! Check out the photos and book here

Watermark Hotel and Spa

Ideally positioned with direct access to the G:link light rail, Watermark Hotel & Spa Gold Coast provides easy access to Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and Jupiters Casino. Featuring 2 outdoor pools and spas, it also offers a wide range of luxury treatments at Japanese-influenced Jills Hair Salon and the in-house day spa, L’Aqua Day Spa.

Watermark have lots of offerings that are family friendly. Restaurant discounts and special school holiday events plus access to some incredibly beautiful facilities makes this a top choice for families visiting the Gold Coast. You’ll find the best price on this link

Sanctuary Cove

For a guaranteed top-notch family holiday, check-in to the 5-star Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort located on Hope Island just ten kilometres from three of the four major theme parks. After a long day at the theme parks, mum and dad might just be in need of the luxurious comfort the Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort provides.

Staying at Main Beach or Surfers Paradise provides many accommodation options and you’re still an easy twenty kilometres or so from the theme parks but within walking distance of Sea World. The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort at Main Beach is definitely the place to relax and recharge your batteries. Boasting a spectacular lagoon, garden and ocean views from its beachfront position, staying at the Sheraton Grand Mirage is an escape in itself as you’ll discover when you relax on the Sheraton’s own private beach or in the blissful outdoor pool with fabulous restaurants and bars.

Best family hinterland hotels for families

Once the kids have had their fill of theme park thrills, a little time-out in a soothing natural environment might be in order (or craved by mum and dad at least!) The Gold Coast hinterland is home to endless kilometres of lush, heritage-listed rainforests and national parks, providing a welcome contrast to the hype of the Gold Coast beach and theme park scene.

Spend a day exploring the Lamington National Park with over 320kms of scenic trails in the sub-tropical forest. The kids will be thrilled by O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walkway consisting of nine bridges spanning 180 metres, suspended sixteen metres above ground amidst the leafy treetops. There are a few Lamington National Park accommodations options to choose from.

The ideal accommodation for families exploring Lamington National Park is the 4-star O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. In a picturesque rainforest setting, O’Reilly’s have rooms for couples and families offering soul-soothing views of the mountains, valleys and the rainforest creating the feeling that you have truly escaped to an enchanted forest.

Stay a few days as you explore waterfalls and walking trails, take the kids on guided bird walks or show off your skills on Segway tours of the local area. Enjoy a picnic by a waterfall, or a pizza in the Rainforest Bar, or simply relax on the deck of your one, two- or three-bedroom villa with a blissful outlook as you soak in the outdoor spa.