From amazing swimming pools to interactive kids’ clubs that could keep the little ones entertained for days on end, these resorts are the best in Australia for families…. voted by you!
From amazing swimming pools to interactive kids’ club that could keep the little ones entertained for days on end, these resorts are the best in Australia for families…. voted by you!
Marking another year in the top spot of these awards, it’s easy to see why Sea World Resort & Waterpark is so popular with readers. One of its biggest drawcards is the range of package deals that include accommodation and entry to Sea World Marine Park (some also include entry to other Gold Coast theme parks including Warner Bros. Movie World and Wet’n’Wild). Even within the resort though, the kids’ club, water park and SpongeBob SplashBash – plus a beauty salon and gym for parents – are enough to keep families entertained.
Previously Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, this hotel has just reopened after a $35 million rebrand that places it firmly in the top tier of Marriott’s hotel offerings.
Kids are looked after with a new program that includes sushi-making lessons, origami lessons, fish feeding in the resort’s saltwater lagoons and kayaking adventures on the Nerang River, which is right in front of the resort. And it’s only 150 metres to the beach, or half an hour by car to the Gold Coast theme parks
RACV Noosa Resort has jumped up a place from last year to earn a top three title. And it’s a deserving accolade, as there’s so much on site for families.
Activities at the kids’ club, including games, movies, and arts and crafts, will keep the little ones busy long enough for parents to enjoy the in-house One Spa (which includes a couples room for shared massages), tennis courts and gym. Noosa is a natural paradise, so make sure to get out and explore the many beaches, lakes and national parks in the area.
Jamala Wildlife Lodge – nestled within the grounds of the National Zoo & Aquarium – allows guests to get up close to the wildlife during their stay. In a Jungle Bungalow, you can ‘tuck-in’ with a tiger or have a banquet with a bear. In a Treehouse, you can have a carafe with a giraffe and, in a uShaka Lodge, you may have meerkats or lemurs watching you. Alternatively, you can wine and dine with a white lion and other guests in the unique African-themed restaurant.
Close to the beach: tick. Four swimming pools including an adults-only retreat: tick. Splash Zone waterpark with four water slides, two toddler slides, dumping buckets and water cannons: tick. The checklist of facilities at Turtle Beach Resort is almost too good to be true. But wait, there’s more.
It also has a 22-seat cinema screening four movies a day, 15-hole putt-putt course, arcade games room, day spa, two saunas and eight barbecue entertainment areas. The resort is a short drive from Gold Coast beaches, rainforest, restaurants, shopping centres and theme parks.
Just as the name suggests, Daydream Island Resort & Living Reef is where your Whitsunday daydreams come true. After extensive redevelopment, the secluded island resort offers 280 newly refurbished rooms and suites, three restaurants and three bars. It also features Australia’s only Living Reef – a free-form coral lagoon that wraps around the resort’s central building.
Children will be entranced by the Reef Ranger program and be able to snorkel with more than 100 species of local marine life. Families can also partake in Whitehaven Beach adventures, an island-style Amazing Race or day tours exploring the Great Barrier Reef.
The Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel is known for jaw-dropping escarpment views, delicious high teas and bushwalks to suit all abilities. But while those features are outstanding, it was the train our readers raved about. This puffing billy runs circles around the resort and kids love hopping on for a ride.
The Fairmont also has pony rides, a cinema, mini electric cars, a mirror maze and a garden maze. And soon the resort will add an ice-skating rink to its upper lake. Parents will love the morning yoga, trail running sessions and the stunning Ubika day spa.
Love golf? Why not stay on a course? RACV Royal Pines Resort is home to the 27-hole golf course that hosts the Australian PGA Championship. And when it comes to family-friendly luxury accommodation, they’ve hit a hole in one. Royal Pines has kid-friendly food options, in-house movies, a waterpark, shaded playground and holiday program – all a short drive for Surfers Paradise.
The 99-room Fitzroy Island Resort is an unspoilt tropical island retreat smack bang in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. The penthouse here fits eight people with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, but you can book rooms for four as well.
The reef is the biggest attraction and you can see it on a dive adventure or in a glass-bottom boat. The resort has snorkel equipment, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for hire. Families can tour the nearby turtle hospital and join in daily fish feeding. Or, simply laze around the enormous swimming pool (with a swim-up bar).
Just metres from Salt Beach, Peppers Salt Resort & Spa Kingscliff offers stylish coastal accommodation ranging from hotel rooms and apartments that sleep up to six, to luxury Bale Rooms with their own private entrance and pool. When you’re not lazing by the lagoon-style pools or treating yourself at the spa, the tennis court awaits. Or, you can hire bikes to explore nearby beaches and World Heritage-listed national parks. When it’s time to refuel, you’ll find the best of the region’s finest food and wine at Season Restaurant.
Tucked away amid 4.2 hectares of Sanctuary Cove’s lush greenery, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort offers a slice of paradise for kids and parents alike. The Planet Trekkers kids’ club features a roster of unique activities, from torch safaris to golf buggy tours, and caters to little tastebuds with an extensive kids’ menu. Families can spend their days by the expansive lagoon-style pool with a coconut drink in hand, master their golf swing on one of three renowned golf courses, or explore the boutiques and restaurants of the Marine Village, just two minutes’ walk from the resort.
Luxuriously appointed rooms and world-class fine-dining experiences are all part of the upscale offerings at the Crown Metropol Perth.
Parents can relax the day away in a glamorous cabana while the kids enjoy the large pool, complete with waterslides, or the poolside Kids Hub games room. After some water-fuelled fun, explore the Swan River by bike or foot for a picturesque afternoon away followed by a live performance at the Crown Theatre.
If an oceanfront resort set among six hectares of sparkling lagoons and lush gardens – connected by a skybridge to the Marina Mirage shopping precinct – is what you’re after, then look no further than Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast.
The multi-bedroom villas are perfect for families, as is its proximity to Surfers Paradise Beach, Dreamworld, SeaWorld and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. During resort days, enjoy a swim-up bar, fresh seafood at the hotel restaurant or a swim at the life-guard patrolled Mirage Beach.
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thanks for the information
Many of the resorts on this list only have hotel style rooms which aren’t the most family friendly, especially with 2 younger children (1 in a portacot). Without a separate bedroom, it means parents end up sitting quietly in the dark after the kids have gone to sleep.
We are trying to find resorts with 1 or 2 bedroom apartments, preferably with a functional kitchenette. It’s a shame Sea World doesn’t have this as an option. We’d be there in a heartbeat! Maybe when the kids are older…
Hi Michelle, thank you for your feedback. We will include a section for apartments in next years awards!