View from Q1 Resort & Spa
Matt and I have been happily married for almost 2 years now and while we enjoyed planning our wedding in November 2009, we equally enjoyed planning our honeymoon! The decision was unanimous from the beginning – fun and excitement in the Gold Coast, plus relaxation and romance on a remote island. For our island getaway we were hoping to travel to the Maldives initially (one should always aim high!), however we stumbled upon an incredible package to Bora Bora, French Polynesia through Oliver Travel that we couldn’t refuse. As Matt and I had already established a home together, we decided on a Honeymoon Registry for our wedding in lieu of traditional gifts. Thanks to Tania Norman from Oliver Travel and our generous family and friends, we were able to experience the honeymoon of our dreams!
Our first holiday to Queensland was back in 2006. We have such fond memories of this trip and therefore decided to return to the Gold Coast for a week. It is a beautiful location with so much to see and do and such a laidback seaside vibe. For the length of our stay we booked a One Bedroom Luxury Suite overlooking the ocean at Q1 Resort & Spa, the World’s tallest residential tower. SkyPoint on Level 77 is worth a visit, the observation deck provides spectacular views of the coastline.
Our suite was so modern and spacious and the self-catering facilities gave us the option to cook our own meals. We tend to book accommodation with a full kitchen so we eat out a little less, saving us dollars. I prefer putting the money towards something far more exciting, such as shopping!
We covered a lot of the tourist attractions during our last holiday, so we decided to forego the sights on this occasion and spend our time at the theme parks. An entire day was dedicated to each. We’re such children at heart and the theme park passes are great value for money. First stop was Dreamworld and Whitewater World with our favourite Giant Drop (eeek!), Tower of Terror and The Claw. It took a long time to psych ourselves up for the Giant Drop and Tower of Terror, both were petrifying! I convinced (ok, tricked) Matt to go on The Claw with me, let’s just say he wasn’t impressed afterwards!
Second stop was Movie World with our favourite Superman Escape (talk about whip lash!), Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, Batwing Spaceshot and Lethal Weapon. I love the All Star parade where all the characters come out to play!
What can I say, we’re suckers for exhilarating rides! Third stop was Wet ‘n’ Wild with our favourite Blackhole and Mach 5. Riding the Blackhole together in complete darkness was such a thrilling sensation, I thought we were going to crash at any point! Matt loves this theme park, I was over the accidental indecent exposure and wedgies (on my part) after a couple of hours!
Final stop was Sea World where we always enjoy the Dolphin and Sea Lion shows. Their intelligence never ceases to amaze me! Ray Reef was my favourite spot, I fell in love with the spotted stingrays and had the opportunity to feed, touch and observe these majestic creatures.
During our spare time we shopped along Surfers Paradise Boulevard and ate lunch at the Hard Rock Café, meandered down Cavill Avenue and popped into Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! and strolled on the shore of Surfers Paradise Beach. We’re such tourists! We stumbled upon a quaint Japanese restaurant called Koo Koo Bar & Teppanyaki where our delicious meal was cooked right in front of us on a grill by our very own chef.
Our honeymoon would not be complete without a stay at the Palazzo Versace, so we booked a Superior Suite for our last night in the Gold Coast. We’ve been fortunate enough to stay before, so we decided to indulge ourselves again. Hey, you only honeymoon once, what a perfect excuse to go all out! I absolutely ADORE this hotel, it is the definition of opulence. Swoon!
Upon arrival of our suite, we were greeted by this lovely surprise!
Our suite contained a separate living and dining area with bi-fold doors leading to the bedroom and marble bathroom. We had a beautiful view of the pool area from our balcony. In the evening we kept the sliding doors open and slept to the sounds of a trickling fountain and the balmy breeze.
Signature Versace. Luxury oozing everywhere. I wish our home was similarly furnished!
The spa large enough to bathe an elephant. We received complimentary miniature Versace fragrances. Yay, freebies!
Rather than venture beyond our suite, we decided to stay in and make the most of our one night. Why would you want to leave!? We were very naughty and ordered room service for both lunch and dinner. Nom nom nom! The buffet breakfast in Il Barocco the following morning was to die for! I can’t tell you how many blueberry pancakes I devoured.
Our entire week in the Gold Coast was fabulous and our night at the Palazzo Versace was the icing on the cake. We are really looking forward to returning again for more fun in the sun!
Part 2 is coming next week when I write about the second and very different leg of our honeymoon in Bora Bora, French Polynesia.
Photographs by Katrina and Matthew
Ms Gingham says: This is a great start to the relaxation of Bora Bora. The theme parks look like so much fun and after a few of those rides you’d need to down some cocktails to put your stomach back in its place! Looking forward to next week’s post!
Katrina describes herself as: “Recent bride turned wifey turned wedding tragic. Two years on and I am still obsessed with all things wedding! I plan on annual vow renewals, but shhh, hubby has no idea. Hehehe! ;)”
Love this run down of the Gold Coast! I recently visited Movie World and OMG I think I opened my eyes “once” on the Superman ride! (as we were climbing up!) Lethal Weapon was the whiplash one and finally by the Wild West log ride I had my eyes open the entire time. Phew need a few months break before we try another park!