Looking for an honest Palazzo Versace Gold Coast Review? Is it worth $500 a night to stay? You have come to the right place!
The Versace at the Gold Coast has been somewhere I have wanted to stay at for a long time. The grand, opulence of the hotel really makes it a “bucket list” hotel experience at the Gold Coast and a destination in its own right.
While I have had a few friends over the years who have taken girls on dates here to impress, I have never stayed myself. My opportunity arose when my partner and sister were doing business in the Gold Coast one Friday and our family decided to make a weekend out of it.
“Let’s go to the Versace” I suggested. We toed and froed between there and the recently renovated Sheraton Mirage nearby, but I was able to convince them that the Versace was where we should stay. Saving $50 a night was what got them over the line 😉
We had read a few reviews online about the hotel ageing over time and not being as good as it once was. For a $500 a night price tag, I wondered whether the Palazzo Versace was going to live up to everything I thought it would in my head and whether my family would wish we stayed at the Sheraton instead….
Palazzo Versace Gold Coast Review: Is it Worth $500 a night?
Check in Experience
Pulling into the stunning Versace driveway with two Rolls Royce’s parked outside I was not disappointed. The Versace screamed obnoxious wealth and I was all about it.
We experienced a minor hiccup at check in. My partner was not present at check in and we were not able to go to our room without him as the rooms were booked under his name.
Tip: If you are not going to be present with the person who booked the reservation, make sure you include your name in the booking.
The staff were still willing to take our bags to the room, which was very kind, and they let us park in the hotel basement, so we weren’t treated like total criminals….
FYI – when you roll up to the entrance you can always leave your bags with the porters. From there you can chose to valet park for $50 per night or self-park for free. If you’ve paid the luxury car tax then your car is probably valet-worthy. If not, you might prefer to self-park like us.
While we waited for my partner and sister to arrive back from work, we enjoyed a really delicious coffee in the stunning Versace lobby and bar. We received great service here. The waiter dragged a few extra chairs over while we waited for our extended group to arrive.
Now, some people in reviews online complained that the hotel is “old and rundown”. I personally disagree but it does have a very old world charm about it. If you want super modern and don’t like the “Hugh Hefner” vibe, this probably isn’t the place for you. We later visited the Sheraton Mirage for a drink during our stay and it was far more modern so you might prefer it there.
Speaking of Hugh Hefner, if you are staying at the Versace, you might have a chance to see the Hugh Hefner of Australia, otherwise known as the Candyman. We saw him leave one night with 2 girls hanging off each arm, which was full entertainment and worth $500 in itself if you ask me…
The who’s who of the GC are at Versace, let’s just say that.
The Rooms
The rooms were stunning and included the same “old world charm” present in the lobby of the hotel. I felt the rooms were a decent size, although my parents disagreed and thought they were a bit small. I should note they are used to staying at apartments, not hotels, so take this comment with a grain of salt. At 36m2 I think they are a fair size for a hotel room.
We booked a Superior King Room with breakfast included and were happy with our selection. It had a nice view of the marina.
If you are comfortable splashing a little more cash, I recommend going a suite as they are double the size and have a nice sitting area with a verandah overlooking the pool.
The Superior King Room included a large double spa bath which was one of the highlighted features of the room.
When we arrived in the room, the TV’s had a welcome message with some jazz playing. I will note there is a glitch with the system. Despite turning the TV off, it turned back on with jazz music at 3am the first night and 4am the second. I thought I imagined this happening until my parents and sister confirmed the same exact thing happened to them.
Maybe there is a Versace ghost?
Turn down service is lovely as it includes complimentary Lindt chocolates. I remember a colleague once telling me they just live for turn down hotel chocolates. If this is you, you will like it here.
The Pool Area
I love love love the pool area at the Versace *insert mini mouse love heart eyes*. It is for sure the BEST PLACE EVER.
If you are someone who cares about a good sun-lounger, make sure to arrive at the pool early to snag a good one, especially if you are staying over the weekend, it gets quite busy. Get into cruise ship mode and put your towel down somewhere.
Fighting for Versace Sun Beds (thankfully it’s much more civil than this)
We casually arrived around 11am after breakfast and struggled to find a decent seat.
If you are visiting for a special occasion, there is also the opportunity to book a sun bed. You book them for a day and the price starts at around $299. This includes some food and drink. There are various packages you can buy to use the sun beds.
To be brutally honest, I am a bit disappointed that guests staying at the hotel can’t use them for free. I think $299 is a bit steep and a bit of a money grab on the hotel’s part.
One positive thing about the pool is that there is an adults only area as well as a beach with sand for families. If you are visiting as a couple or a group without kids, the Versace is a really nice place to stay as it is not over-run with families and hundreds of kids. In comparison, the Sheraton Mirage had a lot more families. A pro or a con depending on your situation.
We also enjoyed the bar near the pool. The $50 Pimms jug is particularly good value as about 6 people can get a glass out of it. Highly recommended.
Breakfast
Breakfast at the Versace was one of, if not the best hotel breakfast I have ever experienced. The quality of the food was second to none. Very impressive indeed.
There was everything you could wish for on the buffet breakfast banquet including hot breakfast (scrambed, poached eggs made to order or sunny side up eggs), baked beans, quality bacon, grilled tomato and very popular hash browns. There was also a very large selection of continental items on offer including some of the best bircher muesli I have tasted in a long time.
I would rate the breakfast a solid 10/10.
I will note, there is a strict dress code at breakfast. My partner and sister’s boyfriend came down in the amazing Versace robes and were sent packing LOL. Fair enough, you don’t want someone arriving to breakfast in a pair of their finest budgy smugglers.
Cocktails at the piano bar
Throughout the day, a great pianist called Cassidy Wilson plays on the baby grand piano at the Versace. He’s very good and it is seriously impressive how long he plays – he arrives just after breakfast ends and finishes around 10pm at night.
If you are visiting the Palazzo Versace, we highly recommend sitting at listening for a while. The cocktails at the piano bar are particularly good too.
My family ordered White Russians while I had a cold milk as a nightcap because I am a child. White Russians (Milk, Vodka and Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur) are not on the menu at the bar but they are happy to make them to order for you and they are particularly good.
So is it worth $500 a night?
While it does seem expensive, my vote is on yes. If you think about what you can get for $300 a night in Australia (Hello Ibis!) I feel like you get a tonne more for the extra $200 spent at the Versace. Plus, you feel like a million bucks staying here.
Prefer really modern luxury? Well, in this case, maybe it’s not for you. The Sheraton Mirage would tick your boxes as they recently got a really nice renovation.
How to Book
We always book here as they offer free cancellation if you have to change plans and 99% of the time, the best rates too.
****
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