Peppers Soul, Surfers Paradise

Last month Drew had to attend a conference on the Gold Coast.  He would be away for two nights and rather than sit at home staring at the amount of overdue domestic duties, I decided to join him.  Not for the conference, but for the two nights of R&R in a resort at Surfers Paradise.

The sky is truly this blue on the Gold Coast

The sky is truly this blue on the Gold Coast

The idea being that I would do some studying in preparation for my upcoming exams – if swimming at the beach and relaxing in the steam room and soaking in the spa, counts as exam preparation.

Peppers Soul

An early morning swim on the beach

It has been many, many years since I have stayed at Surfers Paradise; I think the last time I stayed there was when I was four!  I have been to the Gold Coast many times since then but always avoided Surfers due to it becoming overly touristy, tacky, and with a beach lined with dated and ugly 1960’s questionable developments.

View from Level 8 of Peppers Soul

View from Level 8 of Peppers Soul

Over the past decade, Surfers Paradise has been transformed.  Gone is the over-supply of souvenir shops selling stuffed koalas and sheepskin rugs, the cheap motels and the ugly high-rise apartment complexes.  Along the beachfront it is all new, new, new with fabulous hotels and resorts offering not only spacious and comfortable accommodation, but views and tempting restaurants.

The iconic sign

The iconic sign

We stayed at Peppers Soul and I can very much recommend this fairly new complex.  It is positioned very close to the iconic arched sign that leads you onto the three kilometre beach that with its golden sands, warm water and brilliantly blue skies, many refer to as paradise.

Morning!

Morning!

At Peppers Soul there are no squishy hotel rooms but more preferably, you have a choice of one, two or three-bedroom apartments.  We were booked into a one-bedroom apartment with ocean views.

Spa area

Spa area

Drew went from the airport straight to the conference so I arrived at Peppers solo.  I headed straight for the reception desk and was greeted with friendly smiling faces all eager to assist me with great courtesy and professionalism.  It was only 8am in the morning and so my apartment wasn’t available however cafes were recommended where I could have breakfast and later when I wanted to study, a meeting room was made available.

Indoor heated lap pool

Indoor heated lap pool

The apartment was ready at around lunch time.  Now…I don’t like heights and Peppers is a very tall building of 77-storeys.  I am not keen on staying up at cloud level so I was relieved when told our apartment was on the 8th floor.  The bonus of not being up so high is that when you’re outside on the balcony, you look out on the Pacific Ocean which is so much more interesting than just seeing sky, the eye-level view from higher floors.

Kitchen

Kitchen

Dining area

Dining area

Lounge opening onto a balcony

Lounge opening onto a balcony

Bedroom

Bedroom

The apartment was very clean, comfortable, spacious and quiet.  We had a fully-equipped kitchen with a separate laundry, a bedroom with a king-sized bed stacked with pillows, a large dressing-room area, and an ensuite with a spa bath where you could look through to the bedroom and the view.  A balcony ran the full length of the apartment and had reclining chairs as well as an outdoor setting where we had a glass of wine and watched the full moon rise over the ocean.

Bathroom with a window through to the view

Bathroom with a window through to the view

Ensuite bathroom

Ensuite bathroom

The Gold Coast has one of the most enviable climates in the world with on average, 300 days of cloudless blue skies and sunshine.  That wonderful climate lends itself to outdoor living and so at Peppers you’re just a few steps from the golden sand of the beach.  One morning we had an early morning swim and even though we were just a few days out from the first day of winter, the air temperature was warm and the water temperature a comfortable 21C (70F).

Indoor lap pool

Indoor lap pool

Pool

Outdoor heated pool

Besides the beach, there are the hotel facilities.  There is a two-lane indoor 25mtr heated swimming pool with a spa, sauna and a steam room.  Outside there’s a 25mtr tiered resort pool that overlooks the beach.  There’s also a spa and plenty of outdoor seating and lounges to relax, sunbathe,  and enjoy the view.   If you’re feeling energetic, there’s also a fully equipped gym – no, didn’t get there.

Pool area is above shops and cafes

Pool area is above shops and cafes

Within the Peppers complex there is a hatted restaurant called Seaduction however, we did not have the opportunity to experience it.

Lovely watching the moon come up over the ocean

Lovely watching the moon come up over the ocean

In terms of price, we were fortunate to be able to take advantage of a special offer making this a very affordable couple of days in paradise.  In fact, after still choking on what we paid for a night in a caravan park, the rate we paid at Peppers was unbelievably, almost the same.

Lobby

Lobby

I was really impressed with not only Surfers Paradise but also Peppers Soul.  Drew, who knows I’m prone to whinging, didn’t hear me say one negative thing the whole time we were away.  He said, ‘In future, I’m going to bring you to Surfers for all your holidays’.  And if that was at Peppers Soul I wouldn’t mind one little bit.

Foyer

Foyer

If there is anything at all to criticise about Peppers Soul it would be that if you try to ring the hotel you are put through to a centralised service.  Don’t you just hate that!  I find it very impersonal and phone calls seem to take longer than necessary as you are shunted from one department to another.  If you could ring the resort directly that would make this a perfect destination.

Verdict:  Can’t wait to go back

Peppers Soul

Peppers Soul

Peppers Soul:  8 The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise, Queensland

Comments

  1. That sounds great Charlie. My sister lives on the coast but we always steer clear of Surfers. I have bad memories of it from my youth. :). But this place looks very comfortable. Glad you had a nice break.

  2. David Lovell says:

    Loved your Gold Coast update – remember staying in The Sands when it opened in 1969 – a 10 storey “questionable” development, then the tallest on the Gold Coast – the last word in luxury – all white walls and teak furniture!!
    There was also an amazing restaurant called Kim’s that used to do an entree of deep fried banana prawns wrapped in coconut strands with roasted macadamias and a mango coulis!
    Even now 40 years later, sitting on the other side of the world in a gastronomic paradise – it still remains my favourite entree of all time!
    Thanks for the trip!
    Best wishes.

    • Hi David, so lovely to hear from you. Just loved reading your account of Surfers back in 1969 – what a time! Next time I’m there, if I find that prawn entree, I’ll wrap it up and post to you in France xx

  3. Sounds like the perfect getaway for you especially with all those swimming options. Very envious of he blue skies and beaches!

  4. What a beautiful break, lucky you! I used to love travelling with JT in business, I always had the whole day to myself and we’d usually be taken out for a lovely dinner. Personally, I’m not fond of jacuzzi (spa) tubs, I never feel like they can really sanitize the tubes and jets! I used to bring my own detergent but it takes an hour or more to fill one of those large tubs so I wouldn’t be in it until at least an hour and half later! Now I prefer to only use the showers!

  5. Sounds like you had a wonderful time Charlie, just what the doctor ordered, so they say.

  6. It sounds like you made an excellent decision to join Drew. I’m sure studying is harder with such great distractions around, but the location would also make up for any time you had to spend with books! Interesting to hear that Surfers Paradise has cleaned up a bit too.

  7. I love that moonrise photo! Studying right along with you!

  8. What a way to prepare for studies, Charlie. Lovely for you. The shot of the moon over the water did it for me. I am ready for the beach! Good luck on your exams!

  9. *big smile* lived at Mermaid Waters just south for some six years a few decades back: SO glad it has changed from the almost illiterate ‘White Shoe Brigade’ of the time!!!! Lovely to hear from and of you . . . best for all the exams . . .

    • I didn’t know you used to live in Mermaid Waters, Eha! Yes, it’s so good to see the work of the ‘White Shoe Brigade’ is being bulldozed. The exams are over and I’m awaiting the results. Hope all is well with you xx

  10. Forget a couple of nights, I think I could happily live there. What a treat.
    Have a happy day and hope the studies are going well.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  11. Well if you are going to study this sounds like the way to do it – sounds like a lovely place – and interesting to read about Surfers Paradise because I have never been there!

  12. What a beautiful place, both as shown in your images and in your words. Did you study?

  13. Oh wow – other than the calling -in , you are right Charlie, Peppers Soul is pretty much perfect! What a gorgeous apartment and complex – and y’all paid almost the same for this as the place in that caravan park?! Amazing!!

  14. It looks like the perfect place to study!!! What an awesome complex—your apartment and view were incredible!!! I wouldn’t want to leave!!!

  15. As a frequent visitor to the Gold Coast I can attest that the sky really is that blue. 🙂 So glad you found such a great place to stay!!

  16. Looks like a beautiful place to stay!

  17. Sounds like paradise, I could stay there for a while, a looooong while. Did you get any study done? Honestly, in such surroundings, I would just throw away the books.

  18. What a view! The 25m indoor heated pool is impressive – and that tiered pool as well!

  19. What I would do to be right there enjoying a spot of sunshine and warmth, this Canberra weather is outta control. And that 25 metre heated swimming pool. I want in! 🙂

  20. It looks like a great resort and a fabulous apartment. With our very dismal wet summer a few days on the Gold Coast would certainly be Pardise! GG

  21. You really know how to pick out a place to sit back and study. 🙂 What a beautiful place the hang out for a few days.

  22. Yeah, I’d prefer to see ocean rather than sky out of my window, too! Sounds like a great place and a fun time. Glad you got to enjoy yourself!

  23. Charlie,
    that place looks exquisite!
    Love from Minnesota. xx

  24. Did you get any study in then Charlie? What a great escape.

  25. Sounds like you really chose well Charlie! They’re really making improvements to the Peppers brand. I can’t believe the caravan park was about the same price!

  26. I have to say that I like the way you prepare for an exam…a room with an ocean view. 😀

  27. I don’t know if you got any studying done, but you surely had an opportunity to recharge your batteries, and that’s important. This is MY kind of place, indeed. I’ve always thought I’d love the Gold Coast…of course, that’s not saying much. Would anyone NOT love this?

  28. hahahahahahaha! That is great to hear so. What a cool apartment to stay in & what a setting & beautiful surroundings too! Waw! Lucky you! x

  29. I went to Boarding School on ‘the Coast’ & spent many 1980’s Christmas Holidays there – we loved it…then something happened to the place and I have avoided it like the plague. It’s so convenient to visit there from Sydney, on the basis of your review I’m going to give it another go xx

  30. Hi Hotlyspiced,
    I found you post very interesting and good for surfing.
    Wish to visit there one day !

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