Accommodation 4/5
Food 4/5
Staff 3/5
Value 4/5
Would I return 5/5
Overall 4/5
Sometimes you just need to get away for a few days and indulge, and what better way to do it than at the brand new 5-star luxury hotel on the Gold Coast – The Langham. A luxury destination that’s long overdue, it’s the coastal destination’s first beachfront hotel in nearly 30 years.
The very first Langham Hotel opened in 1865 in London and was named after Sir James Langham, whose mansion was on the original site in the centre of London. It was Europe’s first ‘Grand Hotel’ and quickly revolutionised the luxury hotel experience. The hotel was equipped with modern innovations like electric lights, hydraulic lifts, and air conditioning, whilst also featuring 100 water closets and 36 bathrooms, which was unheard of at the time.
The hotel
The Langham, Gold Coast just took out the top five industry awards at the Queensland Hotel Awards 2023 in addition to being awarded Travel + Leisure Asia Pacific’s Best Beach or Island Hotel. After your stay you will appreciate why.
Located on absolute beachfront in the heart of Surfers Paradise, the hotel has 339 rooms, suites and serviced apartments which are known as the Jewel Residences. This is one of the big selling points of the hotel. There seems to be endless room combinations. Want a balcony? No problem. Want a balcony that is fully enclosed? No problem. Hate open balconies? No problem. Want an apartment with your own kitchen? Yep, they have got that covered as well.
Room rates start at $550 and go up to $8,500. As you would expect with a hotel brand that has 158 years of luxury built into its DNA, the facilities at The Langham, Gold Coast are top shelf. You can swim in the sandy lagoon infinity style pool or do laps in the huge indoor 20 metre magnesium pool which is adjacent to the health club boasting one of the best equipped gyms I have seen in any hotel worldwide. If you’re a ‘gym bunny’ you will be in heaven.
Bringing the kids with you? They will love the Kids Club or the Paddington Bear partnership program which Langham Hotels and Resorts have globally. Want to eat or drink? Choose from no less than six different locations. And when it’s time to totally indulge, partake of the Chuan Spa. Heaven.
The room
As mentioned, there are endless room combinations to suit your taste and budget. The perfect spot for us was the Junior Ocean Suite. We were on the 14th floor with stunning views of the beach and ocean from a huge balcony. The room size is 67 square metres and it contains a massive sized bed and lounge area, 50-inch Samsung TV, Nespresso coffee machine, smart room lighting, blue tooth speaker, 3USB ports, motorised sheer and blackout curtains and a well-stocked mini bar. One of the standouts of this room is the huge bathroom that features a separate rain shower and a blissful circular bath tub that can accommodate two easily.
Amenities are what you would expect, with bathrobes, Diptyque toiletries and cute thongs for the beach. Our only complaint was that the bed was little on the ‘too firm’ side, although this may simply be age catching up with me. Being only a year old everything has that ‘brand new feel and smell’ about it.
Overall, the room was bliss.
The food
You are spoilt with numerous offerings including T’ang Court featuring Cantonese fine dining, Palm Court for savouries and pastries, the Lobby Bar - where if you wish, you can order a rare tequila at $1,000 per shot, the Pool Bar and the beautifully named 26 & Sunny for sandwiches, snacks and coffee. If none of that works just call for room service.
We indulged in breakfast and dinner at Akoya, a refined but casual location with a big open kitchen where you can see the chefs at work. The food was sensational. For dinner we feasted on Streaky Bay Pacific oysters, charred Freemantle Octopus and wood fired Moreton Bay Bugs which would go down as the best bugs I have eaten. The whole affair for dinner was lip smacking, balanced with an excellent wine list and excellent service from our maître d’, JJ.
Must do
You can’t stay at any of The Langhams worldwide without partaking in afternoon tea: this has been a Langham tradition since 1865 and is a ‘must do’ at the Langham, Gold Coast. Indulge in exquisite pastries, sandwiches and snacks washed down by a cuppa or a good Bloody Mary, as I did.
The wrap
Go treat yourself. This a wonderful destination for a quick break away from home. Sometimes you just have to indulge, and this is the hotel to do it in – enjoy.
The writer stayed as a guest of The Langham.
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