Why The Langham, Gold Coast is perfect for your first holiday with baby

There’s nothing more special than your first trip away as a new parent. New mum Cara Wagstaff jets off with her mum and baby on a luxurious multi-gen girls’ getaway to The Langham, Gold Coast.

Is there anything better than waking up, heading down to a bountiful spread of healthy (and a few naughty) delicious breakfast options and barista-made coffee, before strolling across the road to explore two kilometres of pristine, golden sand beach? If so, I’m yet to discover it.

We’re staying at the recently opened The Langham, Gold Coast, a stunning hotel underpinned by relaxed elegance which sits on absolute beachfront at the southern end of Surfers Paradise, just a 15-minute stroll to Broadbeach. Having spent many holidays on the Gold Coast in my youth, this time I’m eager to explore it with my eight-month-old daughter, Poppy, in tow.

Sky-high accommodation

The three skyscraping towers of The Langham, Gold Coast offer guests a selection of accommodation, including hotel rooms, suites and one- to four-bedroom apartment-style, residences.

169 hotel rooms and 170 apartment-style accommodation options, totalling 339 rooms, offer views and room configurations for every family. With so much choice, it’s easy to find an abode to suit both budget and needs. And a quiet location makes it feel family-friendly and relaxed.

Two Bedroom Skyline Ocean Residence

The three of us stayed in a sophisticated Two Bedroom Skyline Ocean Residence on the 48th floor of The Jewel Residences, Gold Coast. The residences are managed by The Langham, offering us all the amenities we needed for our little family.

There are separate living spaces and bedrooms with the cloudlike Langham Blissful Bed, three bathrooms with Diptyque toiletries, a full kitchen and separate laundry. Making the room feel even brighter and bigger are three palatial balconies from which to soak in the panoramic views. And we do just that, taking in the vivid blue Pacific Ocean, the gorgeous green of the Gold Coast hinterland, and the snaking twists of the Nerang River.

Exploring the Gold Coast

After our breakfast at Akoya, The Langham, Gold Coast’s refined yet casual all-day venue, we pack the travel pram with essentials and head south towards Broadbeach on the newly constructed Gold Coast Oceanway. The pathway hugs the coastline from the Point Danger lighthouse on the New South Wales and Queensland border to the Gold Coast Seaway.

The path is flat and wide – perfect for our pram. Older kids make their way along the path on bikes and scooters. As we stroll, we enjoy the expansive ocean views juxtaposed against the Gold Coast’s plethora of high-rise buildings.

The Langham, Gold Coast’s five-star facilities

Back at the hotel, we’re faced with a tough decision. Do we swim in the indoor magnesium pool or the outdoor resort pool? The latter option wins and we nab a sprawling lounge suite that we can all fit onto before cooling off in the resort-style pool, complete with sand lagoon entrance and swim up pool-bar.

In the afternoon, Poppy and I check out the Langham Kids’ Club. Here, we enjoy reading a book together in a cosy reading nook, before riding the transparent indoor slide together. Well, at least I did, with Poppy on my lap.

The Langham Kids Club is purpose-built to ensure Little Langham’s have the biggest adventures. It has an indoor slide, soft-bounce floor and reading nook.

Rest and relaxation

The property’s comforting wellness retreat, Chuan Spa, offers treatments guided by the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the five elemental forces – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. I’m booked in for the Harmony Massage, and after completing a brief questionnaire, my therapist identifies my element as earth. The treatment is tailored, starting with a breathing exercise and chanting, followed by acupressure with an earth elemental oil.

Massages are my favourite form of self-care, and I generally make a point to never fall asleep in one, but somehow as my therapist, Saffron, presses down on my acupressure points and softly massages my face, hands and feet, I drift into a sweet slumber. Or perhaps that’s what massages will be like now I’m a parent, snatching a moment of sleep whenever the opportunity presents.

The blissful session concludes with beautiful bespoke tea, which I receive in a pod in the Zen lounge. I walk out feeling like I’m floating on a cloud.

Award-winning dining at The Langham, Gold Coast

Foodie families will love T’ang Court, The Langham, Gold Coast’s Cantonese fine-dining restaurant which has Michelin-starred sister restaurants in Asia. This new Gold Coast outpost was the deserving recipient of an Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hat within four months of opening, and we swiftly discover why.

We devour the 14-day, dry-aged duck served three ways (a pancake with hoi sin, bun with lychee and leg with plum sauce), pillowy salt and pepper tofu and steamed toothfish with house-made soya sauce. Each dish savoured, even Poppy enjoyed a nibble on the duck leg.

Save 20% at The Langham, Gold Coast

Book a stay of three or more nights and enjoy up to 20% off for the perfect family escape. Book online or email tlgdc.reservation@langhamhotels.com

Tips for travelling with a baby

Heading off to a luxury five-star hotel, I was a apprehensive of what it would be like with a baby who is used to a routine and starting to become aware of her surroundings.

Three things helped to ease my new mum anxiety.

1. The first was being organised – making sure I had toys, snacks and ideas to keep Poppy entertained.
2. Second was being flexible with our normal schedule and allowing Poppy to take naps in the pram.
3. Third, and perhaps the most vital piece of the puzzle, was the beyond amazing staff at The Langham, Gold Coast. They didn’t bat an eyelid as we meandered into the sophisticated Lobby Bar, the stunning coastal luxe space that is Palm Court (where a signature Langham afternoon tea is served) or the fine dining restaurant.

The Langham, Gold Coast caters for babies

All the dining venues provided highchairs and assisted with warming up food and bottles for us. In fact, I was quite surprised by the number of other families enjoying the luxury property. Even just bumping into staff in the lift, we’d be met with a beaming smile for Poppy from every employee, which made us feel so welcome and relaxed.

On the last morning of our luxurious break, mum offers to look after Poppy, and I head to the beach for my first proper dip. I spend a moment reclining on the sand feeling so grateful for the getaway and the chance to enjoy time with my mum and daughter creating such special memories.