Gold Coast for families: resorts and apartments

The Gold Coast is built for families, and the main choice is between a full resort and a self-contained apartment. Resorts give you pools, kids' clubs and a restaurant on site, but you will pay for it and meals are rarely cheap.

Why apartments often win

A two-bedroom apartment in Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach usually costs less than two hotel rooms, and a kitchen changes the holiday budget — a supermarket breakfast and a simple dinner a few nights a week saves hundreds over a week. Broadbeach is a touch quieter than Surfers and close to a big shopping centre.

Where the locals send visitors

• Surfers Paradise: loud, central, everything walking distance — best for older kids.
• Broadbeach: calmer, near the beach and dining — best for younger children and grandparents.
• Burleigh Heads: the relaxed end, popular with families who want a more local beach town feel.

Whichever you pick, book well ahead for the December school holidays, when the coast fills up and the best-priced apartments go first.