Know Before You Go: The Langham Gold Coast (Queensland, Australia)
Our Queensland trip moved from a homestead stay at Spicers Hidden Vale to the sunlit Gold Coast, with The Langham Gold Coast as our family’s base while here. While famed for its beach and Surfers Paradise district, the Gold Coast also has several notable theme parks and family-friendly attractions. We chose this hotel primarily because it had residence-style accommodation options. The two-bedroom Ocean View Residence we stayed in had plenty of space and practical amenities — and incredible panoramic views from the 42nd floor of the building. The hotel’s family-friendly amenities — an outdoor pool with zero-entry sandy “beach” area, an indoor pool at the spa open to children, and a dedicated indoor play zone with slide — kept the kids happily occupied. Dining here was also solid, including a memorable family dinner at T’Ang Court with refined flavors and attentive service, and an impressive daily breakfast buffet with a la carte selections. After visiting the nearby JW Marriott for a day at the hotel waterpark, we found we preferred The Langham’s residence-style accommodation options, beach proximity, and more upscale feel. While we did not enjoy the no-see-ums (bring and use bug spray) and the overall service experience was a bit formal and distant, overall we had an enjoyable stay and would return on a future trip to the Gold Coast, especially given the strong value.
Sample Travel Club amenities and VIP benefits*:
EXCLUSIVE RATES
VIP WELCOME & SPECIAL AMENITY
$100 HOTEL / RESORT CREDIT
PRIORITY FOR ROOM UPGRADE
DAILY BREAKFAST
EXTENDED CHECK-IN / OUT
UNLIMITED HIGH-SPEED WI-FI
*Specific amenities and benefits vary by property
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OVERALL RATING
💛💛💛+
Standard, approaching Notable
Overview
At-a-Glance
Date of stay: November 2025
Length of stay: 3 nights / 4 days
Trip type: Family beach stay while exploring Queensland
Property type: Family-friendly city hotel on the beach
Tailor-made for: Couples, business travelers, events/ conference-goers, but also especially family-friendly
Highlights
Stunning architecture and design elements
Direct beach access and boardwalk just behind the hotel
Spacious, modern residences with floor-to-ceiling ocean views; our two-bedroom Ocean View Residence (Unit 4204) provided ample space to spread out, with two full bathrooms, a separate living area, full kitchen, laundry facilities, and two small balconies with panoramic views (though balconies were not really usable; see Good to Know)
The heated pool and children's zero-entry play area with sandy “beach.” Kids could splash and play safely while parents relaxed poolside. The hotel also offered family-friendly amenities like towels, loungers, and attentive pool staff
Spacious and well-equipped children’s playroom, kids menus, and kids bathrobes
Nice gym and indoor, family-friendly pool with Sichuan Spa
Situated close to Surfers Paradise and major attractions/ theme parks (Sea World, WB Movie World, Dreamworld), the hotel made it easy to walk to beaches, shops, and dining
We booked a basic room for one night at the JW Marriott Gold Coast to have access to the hotel waterpark for the day (rated #1 hotel waterpark in Australia); the kids enjoyed playing here and the swimmable aquarium
Best hotel breakfast buffet we’ve ever had in terms of breadth and variety of options; hot and cold selections from an array of cuisine types, fresh fruit, cheeses and yogurts, and daily rotating selections of pastries
Family dinner at T’Ang Court, the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant, and Australian outpost of the Michelin 3-star Cantonese restaurant at The Langham Hong Kong; there was no children’s menu here but the staff were wonderful with the children and they thoroughly enjoyed the cuisine and trying many new foods from the tasting menu
Thoughtful service touches - welcome treats and kid-focused toiletries made our children feel special
Good to Know
Brilliant by Langham members (Langham’s complimentary rewards program) receive special perks and dining discounts when presenting membership number in hotel restaurants; this saved us hundreds on dining over the course of our stay, especially with a family tasting menu dinner at T’Ang Court
The boardwalk by the beach is great walks, runs, and biking excursions; however, there is no dedicated bike lane so families with young children should exercise caution on the path due to heavy bike, rollerblade, and skateboard traffic
The hotel is comprised of three interconnected towers with the Residences accessible via separate elevators located near Palm Court
The no-see-ums were intense during our stay, so guests should bring and use bug spray; while this did not impact outdoor pool or beach time, we were unable to use the balconies and were covered in bites after a short time outside; guests are also advised by the hotel to keep balcony doors closed for this reason
The arrival area of the hotel is basically a high powered wind tunnel because of the design; prepare accordingly when exiting your vehicle at the hotel entrance
The hotel has a partnership with Queensland Luxury Car Rentals with complimentary rental delivery and pickup to and from the hotel
Grocery and retail delivery is available through delivery apps; bell staff collect deliveries on arrival and bring them to your residence - Kensington Pride mangoes are a local delicacy and were a highlight of our Queensland trip
If you are planning a trip to the Gold Coast in late November, be sure to check whether your travel dates will coincide with Schoolies Week, which is essentially Australia’s version of Spring Break; there are no Schoolies events around The Langham but there were several around the JW Marriott and we saw lots of Schoolies crowds out and about during our day at the JW Marriott
If you’re debating staying at The Langham or the JW Marriott Gold Coast, a few key differences worth noting: the JW Marriott waterpark was a fun attraction but not as large as some others we have visited (Four Seasons Orlando, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country); the JW Marriott Gold Coast has a more central location than The Langham and a more energetic vibe, but we preferred staying at The Langham for it’s beach access and space/amenities of the residences, and a more upscale feel
Rating Detail
OVERALL RATING 💛💛💛+
LOCATION & SETTING 💛💛💛+
ROOM 💛💛💛
SERVICE 💛💛💛
DINING 💛💛💛+
ACTIVITIES 💛💛💛+
FAMILY SERVICES & AMENITIES 💛💛💛+
WELLNESS 💛💛💛💛+
WOW FACTOR 💛💛💛+
VALUE 💛💛💛+
Rating Legend*
💛💛💛💛💛 Exceptional
💛💛💛💛 Notable
💛💛💛 Standard
💛💛 Substandard
💛 Unsatisfactory
*All ratings are relative to similar-class properties
