Justin Bieber Makes his Mark on the Gold Coast

You don’t go to the Gold Coast to sit in your hotel room – white sand, good waves, theme parks, farmers markets, shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs – there’s plenty to do whether you’re young, old, with the family or travelling solo.

When Justin Bieber was in town during November, he stayed at the QT Gold Coast and aside from a concert performance, he found discovered what I did, that there’s plenty to do at this cool hotel. Free homemade lemonade in the lobby, an edible chocolate welcome note, a killer view out over Surfers Paradise. For me, by the time I try out the bed, I’m ready to never move.

Bieber seemed to need a little more stimulation, choosing to graffiti one of the hotel walls. While some locals were a little upset, the hotel embraced its new decoration, stating “it was a coup for the hotel to have Justin want to paint a piece of art in appreciation of his stay. This piece of art is now available to be viewed by fans of the artist and we believe that it is a wonderful addition to the colourful Gold Coast arts scene”.

The QT Gold Coast is a new breed of hotel where the décor is as important as the destination. And that décor just got a whole lot more street cred, making the news around the world when the newest wall art was created.

Before Bieber left his mark, there were still plenty of little touches designed to set this hotel apart. From the vintage Holden in the driveway, to the retro outfits worn by the staff, QT Gold Coast is bringing Palm Springs 50s glamour back to life.

Each time I walked into an elevator, I was greeted by pin up girls stuck on the mirrors. In the rooms cockatoo night lights, funky neon orange lamps and colourful wall hooks take the standard king to a new level. And it’s all for sale – from the robes and bed to the pick up sticks game in the minibar, you can buy it all.

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QT Gold Coast definitely sticks to the more is better mentality – the signature Bazaar Restaurant is an all-you-can-eat affair. This goes beyond the traditional buffet. Start with the heaped bowls of salads, move on to the seafood station for scallops, prawns and crabs which come straight from the local trawlers, order your steak from the chefs, cooked to your liking and brought to your table. Or how about a freshly made wood fired pizza? The dumpling station is worth visiting too. The menu changes daily but pick what you’d like and they’ll steam it fresh.

For dessert there’s piles of macarons, mini profiteroles with a plastic syringe stuck in the side so you can squirt the custard in yourself; chocolate mousse, beignets with caramel sauce, and the piece de resistance, an ice cream sundae station complete with a mound of ice and a mixing slab a la Cold Rock. You’ll find the kids (big and little) lining up at this spot.

With such a feast, it’s hard to work up an appetite to do it all over again in the morning but freshly made smoothies, fruit, healthy granola bars and muffins are what I peruse instead of the waffles, eggs and cold meats.

Work off all the food in the gym, at the pool, in the SpaQ’s hamman steam room, or rent a bike and go for a pedal. The hotel’s hipster bikes even have a basket if you’re off to do some shopping.

Lisa was the guest of QT Gold Coast