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REVIEW: JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa is a Dream Holiday

Families Magazine – Brisbane Editor, Janine and her family stayed as guests of the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa in February 2021.

Disclaimer: We have written this review about our stay at this gorgeous hotel on the Gold Coast. We have not been paid to write this review, however we did receive two nights stay free of charge. As always, the views in this article are our own and completely honest. You can see what our kids thought about their stay in our Facebook Live post here. And you can watch our video review below.

Smack bang in the heart of Surfers Paradise you’ll find one of the most incredible swimming pools you’re likely to find! And that’s just one of the exciting features on offer at the freshly refurbished JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa. It is, to say the least, simply breath-taking.

We checked out what’s on offer so we could tell you why you need to put this place on your travel bucket-list. Read on for more …

All in the bed!! The kids and the adults  LOVED the decadence of the huge comfy beds. 

Our staycation at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa …

Located on Ferny Avenue in Surfers Paradise, the 304 room Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa boasts incredible views. Floor to ceiling windows throughout let you soak in the ocean vistas right around to the hinterland beyond.

While the adults took in the glorious sights, the kids had just one thing on their mind … that pool!

Reserved exclusively for the use of guests, JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa pool boasts waterfalls, caverns, tropical flora, non-stick sand (that is ‘a thing’ … who knew?) and some pretty great nooks for chilling out making this pool one definitely worth your time to check out.

Going one step further than regular resort pools – although they have that covered too … waterslide anyone? – you can also enjoy the beach-like gradual dip into a naturally filtered salt water lagoon – perfect for toddlers to dip in their toes.

The beautiful waterfalls provide a natural filter for the lagoon, which means that it’s not a chlorine-fest and you can share your swim with an array of tropical fish. Yes, fish! The kids LOVED this feature, they could float along in their goggles to see who could they spot. The resort’s fish-feeding session will resume as soon as we can get closer than 1.5 metres to each other to watch! 😉

We hired snorkel gear and the kids had a blast swimming with the fish in the pool.

The rooms

The JW Marriott Gold Coast has recently been refurbished and improved upon (if that is possible?) their elegant and stylish decor and facilities. Luxury is the best way to describe what we found upon entering the hotel and our rooms – we had two rooms – interconnecting: 1 King + 2 Doubles.

We loved the view from the balcony.

I adored the divine bathroom.

The kids were bang up for the pillow-top mattresses!

There was plenty of space for all of us and our gear, and even as a large family we were not tripping over each other.

It was my birthday and I was delighted when management sent up a special treat for me to share! #thoughtful

Dining at JW Marriott Gold Coast

The JW Marriott Gold Coast still offers a buffet and I would argue it is one of the best buffets on the Gold Coast. However, in these changing times, instead of self service, you are served by their staff. You can just tell them (or point to) what you would like and they pop it on your plate.

And trust me, their breakfast buffet *drools* is something to behold. You could almost spend the entire morning indulging in the fine foods on offer. For the kids they provided a great selection of fruits, cereals, juices, pastries and more. And for us, well you name it – they had it!

Breakfast

Buffet breakfast consisting of:

  • Continental breakfast foods
  • Hot breakfast foods
  • Asian breakfast foods

Chapter & Verse Bar And Lounge International

Lounge amongst the palms. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Citrique Restaurant International

Reservations required.

We were able to enjoy the renowned seafood buffet! Enjoy the freshest seafood, sourced locally on the Gold Coast, at this award-winning restaurant. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Misono Japanese

Reservations required.

Misono showcases expert chefs preparing Japanese feasts on a teppan hot plate built into your table. It’s the ultimate in dining and entertainment. You may have to share a table with other guests, but it is a super-fun way to make new friends. Open for dinner.

Poolside with service from the Pavilion

Serving guest’s poolside, is the Pool Pavilion along with its eye-catching, retro food van. Vibrant street food created using local produce will be on the menu here, bringing a touch of dynamic Asia to the outdoor pool environment.

JW Market

Citrique’s elevation under the JW Marriott brand includes the addition of a signature JW Market; a café and marketplace that fosters authentic connections to locally crafted products and produce.

Savor by JW In-Room Dining

Savor by JW In-Room Dining is available to all hotel guests throughout the day, featuring a breakfast, day long dining and kids menu. Heroing local fresh produce, the in-room dining offerings are based on the Citrique and Chapter & Verse menus.

The final verdict

There’s just so much for families to see and do on the Gold Coast, having a home-base allowed us to really explore all that was on offer. And of course, that pool!

We loved our stay at the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa and we’ll definitely be back for a longer staycation!

The nitty gritty

Family by JW

  • Interactive program for kids and adults to promote engagement with guests
  • A selection of activities pull from the themes of culinary, activeness and creativity
  • Games Room/Activities centre
  • Bookings essential, charges apply.

Parking:

  • On-site parking – charges may apply
  • Valet parking
  • Off-site parking
  • No parking for camper vans, marine craft, trailers and other large-size vehicles.

Accessibility:

  • Accessible guest rooms have a 32 inch wide opening
  • Fitness center entrance is accessible
  • Main entrance is accessible
  • Pathway to registration desk is accessible
  • Registration desk is accessible
  • Route to accessible guest rooms is accessible
  • Spa entrance is accessible
  • Business center entrance is accessible
  • Hotel has on site accessible self-parking
  • Meeting spaces are all accessible
  • Pool entrances are all accessible
  • Restaurants and lounges are all accessible
  • Self-operating lifts or sloped entry are not available for pools

Internet Access:

  • Guest rooms Wireless, Wired
  • Complimentary High Speed: Check email + browse the Web
  • Enhanced High Speed: Video chat, download large files + stream video for a fee
  • Lobby and public areas: Complimentary Wireless, Wired
  • Meeting rooms: Wireless, Wired

Services & Amenities

  • All public areas non-smoking
  • Babysitting
  • Barber/Beauty shop
  • Buffet breakfast,
  • Cash machine/ATM
  • Coffee/tea in-room
  • Concierge desk=
  • Continental breakfast, fee from: 35.00 AUD
  • Evening turndown service
  • Florist
  • Foreign exchange
  • Full American breakfast, fee from: 49.00 AUD
  • Gift/newsstand
  • Grab-n-Go breakfast, fee from: 4.50 AUD
  • Hot breakfast, fee from: 49.00 AUD
  • Housekeeping service daily
  • Laundry on-site
  • Laundry on-site, coin operated
  • Mobility accessible rooms
  • Newspaper delivered to room, on request
  • Newspaper in lobby
  • Room service
  • Room service, 24-hour
  • Valet dry-cleaning
  • Virtual Concierge Available

To find out about JW Marriott’s Gold Coast upcoming family discount offers and promo code  click here.

Photo of author

Janine Mergler

Janine Mergler is a veteran Queensland teacher, graduating from QUT with a BEd majoring in Social Sciences. After many years in the classroom, Janine moved on to academia. She has proudly trained new generations of teachers in her role as a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education. She has also worked in the Queensland Government as an education specialist, developing education resources and delivering community awareness programs to help families conserve water. Currently she is the owner and editor of Families Magazine, a publication specifically targeted at parents who value a quality education for children.  Janine leads a team of professionals who write about family lifestyle, early childhood, schools and education information and family-friendly events.

24 thoughts on “REVIEW: JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa is a Dream Holiday”

    • It was a bit odd at first, I was worried about my toddler hurting one of them, but they are pretty quick!

      Reply
  1. That looks like a lot of fun! The highlight for me to visit the place would probably be the beach/pool! 🙂 So gorgeous. xx

    Jacq
    jacqwritesworld.com

    Reply
  2. Hi Cheri,

    Thank you for your enquiry. We most definitely do have Christmas lunch at our in-house seafood restaurant, Citrique.

    Our Christmas Day lunch includes a buffet lunch featuring additional Christmas delicacies with a three hour premium beverage package and live entertainment. This is priced at $339 per person.

    Should you have any further questions please feel free to contact the Resort on 07 5592 9800.

    Best regards,

    Reply

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