My wife and I arrived early from an all night flight from San Diego to Brisbane, and then an hour drive to the Gold Coast, so when we arrived at the Surfers Paradise Marriott we were exhausted. The front desk associate, Maitri as well as the desk manager Amber greeted us so warmly that it immediately brightened up our day. They informed us that we had the opportunity for a free upgraded room but it wouldn't be ready for a couple of hours. Knowing that we had time to kill, they allowed us entry in the the gym for a welcomed shower, access to the pool and hot tub, and most importantly a free breakfast at the buffet. Not only that, they gave us the most amazing room the in the hotel with spectacular views. If that was all, I would be completely impressed, but they knew I flew in for a triathlon so the night before they sent up a gift basket and wished me luck on my race. This type of customer service is the exact reason why I always choose a Marriott brand hotels if at all possible whenever I travel in the US or around the world.
Our room was spectacular with perfect views of downtown, the pool as well as the beach. The bed was really comfortable and the elevators were quick and efficient (this is important when you are on the 28th floor). The gym was big, well stocked, and the gym bathroom had personal showers as well as a steam room. As for the pool, exotic doesn't quite describe it. The normal pool was long, warm, and had some cool areas for kids which included a slide and cave area. The salt water pool was out of this world. It doubled as a beach side pool/aquarium where you could snorkel as well as sit under a 20 foot waterfall.
We had the buffet every morning which was very well stocked and included a few chef's to make omelettes. We had food at the bar which was very tasty including a salad, hamburger, turkey with avocado sandwich, as well as a chicken club. Prices are a bit high but the food was well prepared and you got good portions.
The Main Street, Cavill, was about a 1/2 mile walk while some of the other adventures zones were a bit closer (putt putt, sleds, sling shot, etc). For us it was good to be a bit away from the hustle and bustle in that area. It was much quieter and made for a great walk home from dinner. Overall I would give this hotel 5 stars.