Secret’s Out On The QT

WORDS: Estelle and Steve Hunt PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Usher & Supplied By QT Gold Coast

Sssshhh!  Let us tell you a secret on the QT.

QT Gold Coast that is.

The hotel resort in the heart of Surfers Paradise that is as far from Surfers Paradise as it is close to it. 

The extensive refurbishment of QT Gold Coast in December last year has seen the transformation of a hotel unlike any other, where designer luxe and coastal cool collide.

Where art inspires life to imitate art. A resort, many years ago known as The GCI – or Gold Coast International – that has quite literally manifested as a destination where you don’t have to, and certainly don’t want to, leave.

A funky, thriving, colourful experience punctuated by its retro colour scheme, stunningly curated new rooms and suites, thriving dining and drinking experiences, and additional activities all designed to keep lovers of love, food, good wine and song indulgently entertained without needing to go anywhere else.

So much so, QT Hotels’ latest campaign – Local Love – is enticing locals from the Gold Coast to experience that really isn’t something we have seen on the Gold Coast before in one place.

A place where rest and recuperate and lavish and indulge go hand in hand. A place which has demonstrated to us – as global travellers for more than 25 years – that we as a city have finally arrived when it comes to uniqueness, high-quality experiences and immaculate service.

A place where you can come and stay, or just experience and indulge for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whether it’s the authentic Yamagen Japanese or the Bazzar Marketplace, the variety of quality dishes is unrivalled. Certainly not forgetting high tea, or….. wait for this…. Man Tea.

Yes, you heard it correctly – Australia’s first and only Man Tea where the blokes can now join the wives and kids with their own selection of craft beer, a 10-year-old Scotch whisky, a cheese burger dumpling made with ground wagyu beef, a tempura bug roll and a Maker’s Mark smoked pork shoulder.

Which of course accompanies the traditional High Tea – known here as QTea – served with Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs champagne and a tea or expresso with savouries including tomato and basil macerone, spiced tempura cauliflower, smoked salmon and cucumber popper; and for the sweet tooth, Paris Brest Choux, mini white chocolate Bavarois and QT mini-flan, sweet house-made puff pastry with Balinese vanilla bean baked custard.

And finally, just to entice the men to the party a little further, Man Tea includes the delicacy, a couverture chocolate cigar, filled with a Glenmorangie 10-year single malt whisky mousse.

All served with a special touch, rarely seen anywhere, by the in-house chefs who serve the food and explain the dishes in great detail. High Tea is no longer just for the ladies, but the men and children are invited. The children’s menu aptly named QTies, who are served sweet and savoury treats.

So, back to the experience!

On entry to our stay at QT, we are greeted with a psychedelic visual arts display in the foyer that serves to transform you from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

We are introduced to our rooms, with stunning ocean and hinterland views, immersed in colourful, modern, funky new designs, colourful retro artwork, beautifully designed rooms replete with well-stocked mini-bar serving some local brands, to luxe, spacious living quarters, ultra-comfy bed and linen, and separate bathroom and spa bath.

Then for pre-dinner drinks at the well-known Stingray Bar which holds Tacos, Tequila and Tunes, including $5 tacos.

We were offered a wide selection of cocktails and signature margaritas including Chili and Coconut, smoky peach (rimmed with Ardbeg whisky), classic margarita, Yuzu (Chinese citrus fruit) and grapefruit margarita, to name a few… signature cocktails all using small town spirits mixed with seasonal ingredients topped with homegrown garnishes from farming communities just down the road.

Signature cocktails include 50 Shades of Pink and an Endless Summer.

Mixology classes are offered for those who join the intrigue of how to concoct such a variety of classic new flavours for such popular drinks.

Then for dinner, the Bazaar Marketplace offers during the winter months a tantalizing tastebud experience labelled the “Taste of the Pacific” inspired by food from the Philippines and that country’s own influences from the US, China and the Pacific region with an emphasis on local seafood and pork.

“Our entire philosophy behind the Local Love campaign is to show locals what we can deliver so close to their homes and give them an experience that is truly unique, and which they won’t forget,” says Teegan Deck, Director of Marketing.

“Our staff are trained to be themselves and from that, we can create an eclectic experience that symbolises the diverse range of unique offerings that are, uniquely, under one roof.”

The Ocean Road Travel Team can only endorse the unique level of passion experienced by QT’s staff members to make our dine and stay experience one that surprised and exceeded our expectations.

You certainly don’t have to travel far for Local Love.