The Imperial Hotel Gold Coast

The Imperial Hotel is one of the Gold Coast's most distinctive luxury hotels. It opened in September 2000 as Palazzo Versace Gold Coast, a hotel whose design and furnishings were overseen by the Italian fashion house, and for more than two decades it was known around the world under that name. When Versace's branding agreement ended, the hotel was renamed The Imperial Hotel on 1 August 2023. It is owned by Nanbai Australia.

The building is a postmodern take on neoclassical architecture, designed by Desmond Brook of DBI Design and developed by Sunland Group. Expect grand proportions, columns and formal symmetry rather than the glass-and-concrete look of the high-rise towers further south, which makes it feel quite unlike anywhere else on the coast. The hotel has around 200 rooms and suites, with a further 72 condominiums next door.

Facilities reflect its origins as a showpiece resort. There is a 600-seat ballroom used for weddings, galas and conferences, two bars and several restaurants, and a private marina with around 90 berths on the Broadwater, which gives the hotel a waterfront setting on the Broadwater side of The Spit. A large underground car park, with more than 300 spaces, makes it practical for guests arriving by car.

The Imperial suits couples, wedding parties and travellers who enjoy grand hotels with a sense of occasion. Its location on Seaworld Drive at Main Beach puts it on The Spit, the strip of land between the Broadwater and the ocean, close to Sea World and to Peter's Fish Market further along the same road. That makes it a good base for families planning a Sea World visit as well as for anyone who prefers a quieter setting than central Surfers Paradise.

For getting around without a car, the 705 bus links Sea World, a short distance along Seaworld Drive, with Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach about every 20 minutes. Room categories, dining options and current rates are published on the hotel's official website, which is the best place to book and to check which of the restaurants and bars are operating during your stay. Ask about marina berths in advance if you are arriving by boat.