The author stayed as a guest of JW Marriott Surfers Paradise and the property. All photos and opinions are the author’s own.

The Marriott Surfers Paradise has been a stable of the Gold Coast hotel market for over three decades, being one of the first major hotel chains to enter the holiday strip’s high-end accommodation market.

Last year, the hotel looked to take the brand more upmarket, undertaking a major hotel-wide renovation of its rooms and guest amenities to become the JW Marriott Surfers Paradise. 

Located at 158 Ferny Avenue at the northern end of Surfers Paradise, the hotel sits alongside the Gold Coast Highway and is only a 5-10 minute walk from Cavill Avenue, which is the heart of Surfers Paradise.   

The JW Marriott Surfers Paradise location & our first impressions

As the hotel’s doors slide open, guests are again welcomed by the hotel’s grand staircase, with upmarket dark charcoal trimmings of JW Marriott adorning the staircase rails, replacing the previous gold rails of Marriott.

The reception and check-in area have all received a make-over, with a clear objective to open the area up to allow staff to provide more personalised and welcoming service, rather than being constrained behind a reception desk.

During check-in, guests can elect to sit on comfortable lounges within the waiting area of the lobby while sipping on a welcome drink provided to every guest.

A lobby concierge library is also available that provides guests a great area to do some work or just simply relax with a good book.

What are the JW Marriott Surfers Paradise rooms and suites like?

There is a large array of rooms available for hotel guests, ranging from standard Guest Rooms to the Presidential Suite! I was able to stay in a King Guest Room that had an ocean view, with my images shown below. I also highlight other room and suite types available.

King Guest Room – Ocean View

Standard King Guest rooms are available with an ocean or mountain view, providing stunning views of the Gold Coast’s golden beaches or its impressive hinterland.

These rooms are 42 sqm in size and offer all the required amenities expected in an upscale hotel, including bathrobes, slippers, premium bathroom amenities and a full-size television with cable plus digital free-to-air and Chromecast connectivity.

As I was a Marriott Bonvoy Gold member courtesy of my American Express Platinum Card, I was greeted with a welcome gift of a cheese platter and a bottle of Woodbrook Farm Cabernet Sauvignon, which really hot the spot as a mid-afternoon appetiser.

I particularly liked the modern light switches that allowed for a variety of different lighting settings. I hate entering some hotel rooms where the only 2 light options are blinding fluorescent light and off.

The room included a small balcony and outdoor setting that provided a spectacular view overlooking Main Beach. It didn’t hurt that on the day I stayed at the hotel, there was hardly a cloud in sight.

The bathroom was quite spacious and included a long bench to place your toiletries and a shower that included both a hand shower and an overhead rain shower. My room also included a bathtub.

I especially liked a sliding door behind the bathroom bench that could be opened and provide a view of the room and more importantly, the wall-mounted TV. This allowed me to catch an episode of The Simpsons while shaving and brushing my teeth.

As with all JW Marriott hotels, Aromatherapy luxury bath amenities, created by Geraldine Howard, are provided to all guests. These amenities are designed to combat skin dehydration, stimulate the scalp and boost mental alertness.