{"id":34548,"date":"2014-09-08T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2014-09-08T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lastminute.co.nz\/blog\/?p=34548"},"modified":"2015-01-21T16:18:06","modified_gmt":"2015-01-21T06:18:06","slug":"gold-coast-for-the-girls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.co.nz\/vc\/blog\/gold-coast-for-the-girls\/","title":{"rendered":"Gold Coast for the girls"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s no denying a girls’ weekend is good for the spirit. All that eating, drinking and pampering. Reminiscing about old memories and creating new ones. And laughing so hard your stomach hurts.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Queensland\u2019s Gold Coast<\/a> might not be the obvious pick when planning an elegant weekend sojourn for the ladies, but my BFFs and I recently discovered it was a fun, affordable spot for our much needed annual bonding getaway.
\nThis is how we did it.
\nWhere to stay:<\/strong><\/p>\n

QT Gold Coast<\/a> is a relatively new player on the local hotel scene, but it\u2019s certainly making waves. From the moment you arrive, the hotel has a trendy, relaxed LA vibe. All modern d\u00e9cor and lots of fun little touches that make you feel like you\u2019ve stepped out of the ordinary routine of life for a moment.<\/p>\n

\"Fun<\/a>

Fun and fresh \u2013 the QT Gold Coast lobby<\/p><\/div>\n

The massive pitcher of complimentary homemade lemonade and iced tea in the lobby is a welcome treat. As is the chocolate tasting tray delivered to my room by a cute bellboy moments after I arrive. It certainly is a great way to get a girl in the mood for 48 hours of oestregen overload (the chocolate, I mean\u2026 not the bellboy!).<\/p>\n

\"Yum!\"<\/a>

Yum!<\/p><\/div>\n

You can literally walk across the road to the beach. And ask for a room on the water side and you\u2019ll enjoy stunning sunsets over that world-famous 42km strip of golden sand. Mad if you don\u2019t pop a bottle of champers for this one!<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A view worth admiring<\/p><\/div>\n

Make sure you leave the diet at home, because the best thing about this hotel is the buffet breakfast. It\u2019s set out like a giant marketplace with endless counters of brekkie treats. There\u2019s no limit to how much you can eat, so you can\u2019t help trying a little bit of everything. They even serve a good espresso. It\u2019s no wonder they just won Best Hotel Breakfast<\/a> at the 2014 Gourmet Traveller Awards.
\nStingray Lounge<\/a>, just off the hotel lobby, is a handy little spot for a drink and a dance. There\u2019s a great vibe on Friday and Saturday nights until midnight. Sure, you\u2019ll see plenty of fake boobs, tans & tube dresses, but it\u2019s a fun crowd with good music and some awesome people-watching. And you probably won\u2019t be the oldest person on the dance floor. But best of all, it\u2019s only an elevator-ride to your room when you\u2019re ready to retire!
\nEntertainment:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For a little old-school GC razzle-dazzle, head over to Jupiters Hotel and Casino<\/a>. We saw The Ultimate Vegas Tribute show \u2013 complete with Elvis impersonator, professional juggler, and sexy showgirls wearing massive feathered headpieces (and not much else). Throw in a few strawberry daiquiris in LED flashing cocktail glasses and you\u2019ve got a truly hilarious girls’ night out that doesn\u2019t<\/em> include male strippers.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The professionals<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Our<\/a>

Our own interpretation<\/p><\/div>\n

You\u2019ll also have your choice of bars and restaurants, each with a different flavour. Atrium Bar downstairs is always buzzing \u2013 great for some pre-show bubbles. And for a post-show bite, the Italian restaurant Vivo has the most mouthwatering garlic bread and an absolutely divine tiramisu. I repeat: leave your diet at home. You really don\u2019t want to deny yourself access to those carbs!
\nFor something you can\u2019t enjoy on a girls’ weekend anywhere else in Australia, head to SeaWorld<\/a>! OK, it\u2019s probably not the first activity you\u2019d think of for a group of mature women, but we had a ball. There\u2019s actually something incredibly cathartic about scaring yourself stupid on a rollercoaster and screaming at the top of your lungs as you hold on for dear life. How often do you get to do that in your daily life?
\nYou can really get the adrenalin pumping on rides like Storm Coaster, Jet Rescue and Sea Viper. But be warned: one of my gal pals regretted her decision to wear all white that day after getting completely drenched on the Storm Coaster. She spent the next hour looking like she was competing in a wet t-shirt competition. And you do pull some serious g-forces on the Jet Rescue, so you\u2019ll end up with a pretty awful hair situation. But who cares, right? I\u2019m sure the girls have seen you looking a lot worse over the years!<\/p>\n

\"Make<\/a>

Make sure you get a photo!<\/p><\/div>\n

Oh, and it\u2019s worth the price of entry just to see those ridiculously cute polar bears up close (well, through some seriously reinforced super thick viewing glass, at least).
\nHigh Tea:<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is it about tiered trays of mini treats and tiny sambos that we ladies love so much? Yep, it\u2019s undoubtedly THE most clich\u00e9d experience for a girls’ get-together, but this isn\u2019t any old high tea. It\u2019s a Versace high tea<\/a>\u2026 darling!<\/p>\n

\"Couture<\/a>

Couture cakes and dandy dainties<\/p><\/div>\n

And it\u2019s surprisingly good value. It might be called high tea, but there\u2019s enough food there for lunch. The Palazzo Versace<\/a> opened back in 2000, but she\u2019s lost none of her pizazz. High tea is served in the stunning lobby bar. With its hand-detailed gold ceiling, enormous antique chandelier, and that famous Versace-styled mosaic everywhere you look, you\u2019ll feel more like you\u2019re in Milan than good ole\u2019 Southport<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"We<\/a>

We loved it!<\/p><\/div>\n

Dinner:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For me, the highlight of any girls’ weekend is frocking up and enjoying a fabulous dinner and flowing vino on Saturday Night. I wanted something extra special, because we also happened to be celebrating my birthday.
\nThe private room at The Little Truffle<\/a> at Mermaid Beach<\/a> is a winner. It\u2019s a cosy, stylish restaurant 10 minutes by taxi from the madness of downtown Surfers Paradise<\/a>. They\u2019ve been awarded a Chef’s Hat, and you can certainly taste it. The food is spectacular and the service is spot-on. Eight grown women\u2026 each with her own dietary peculiarities\u2026 devouring a four-course degustation menu\u2026 and not one single complaint! Now that\u2019s an admirable feat for any restaurant.<\/p>\n

\"Any<\/a>

Any way you say it, The Little Truffle is a winner<\/p><\/div>\n

And forget about standing in long lines waiting for a taxi. For just a few bucks more than you\u2019d pay for a smelly cab (and when everyone chips in, it\u2019s reallllllly affordable), Queensland Private Limousines<\/a> will send you a luxurious, clean, glamorous-looking Mercedes van. Then you can all travel together, laughing and singing karaoke-style all the way home (or is that just me & my friends???).<\/p>\n

\"No<\/a>

No cab for us!<\/p><\/div>\n

Pampering:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Who doesn\u2019t love a little pampering? SpaQ<\/a> at QT Gold Coast is a luxury retreat with a hammam-inspired steam-and-ice room and even some signature Goldie treatments. And best of all, they don\u2019t pressure you to choose your treatment before you make your appointment. I was planning for a body scrub, but after putting my neck out on the Jet Rescue (maybe that theme park outing wasn\u2019t appropriate for a 40-year-old woman after all\u2026) I realised I was in desperate need of a massage. I\u2019m always hesitant about booking a massage at a day spa, because in my experience beauty therapists don\u2019t give good knot release. However, Emily at the QT spa is a professional with 16 years of experience and she provided the perfect massage – firm pressure with a soft touch. So good I fell asleep.<\/p>\n

\"Highly<\/a>

Highly recommended \u2013 SpaQ at QT Gold Coast<\/p><\/div>\n

Shopping:<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you feel the need for a little retail therapy, you can get your shopping high at Harbour Town<\/a>. It\u2019s a little out of the way if you don\u2019t have a car, but offers a really good selection of outlet stores including Polo Ralph Lauren, Oroton, Witchery, Cue, French Connection, Lorna Jane, Ben Sherman, and Peter Alexander.
\nThere\u2019s a more upscale selection of stores at Marina Mirage<\/a> – Carla Zampatti, Christensen Copenhagen, Max&Co, Seed, and Zimmermann included. Marina Mirage is also home to Omeros Bros restaurant, a wonderful spot to settle in for a loooooong seafood lunch. Grab a table on the balcony for views over the marina. The Moreton Bay bugs in lemon butter sauce are To Die For.
\nThe Gold Coast is well-known for its culture of fun in the sun. In our experience, it also happens to give VGGW – Very Good Girls’ Weekend!<\/p>\n

\"We'll<\/a>

We’ll be back!<\/p><\/div>\n

Planning your own girls’ weekend? Share this post and inspire your friends!<\/strong><\/p>\n