The Darling: the all-suite hotel

The Darling Gold Coast is a boutique, all-suite hotel inside the resort: 56 suites from 70 to 328 square metres. It is the second Darling in The Star group; the first, in Sydney, was the first hotel in New South Wales to receive a Forbes Five-Star rating, according to the hotel page. On the Gold Coast The Darling sits beside The Star Grand, with Level 18 used as an event space and Nineteen at The Star — the rooftop restaurant and bar — on the floor above, entered through The Darling.

The suites

1. Stellar Suite The standard Darling suite, furnished to what the hotel calls an elevated luxury standard.
2. Stellar Twin Suite The same level of finish with twin beds — useful for friends travelling together.
3. Penthouse Suite North-facing, two king bedrooms with ocean or waterway views and the option of an extra twin room, each bedroom with its own ensuite.
4. Penthouse Spa Suite Built around a circular spa with floor-to-ceiling glass towards the South Pacific.
5. Penthouse Deluxe Media Suite South-facing, two king bedrooms with private bathrooms, a living area with kitchen and a media room with a karaoke system.
6. Penthouse Deluxe Exercise Suite Two king bedrooms plus a private exercise room with a Technogym treadmill and bike and floor-to-ceiling mirrors.
7. Penthouse Deluxe Billiard Suite Two king bedrooms and a billiard room with a custom table by Spinster — the suite built for hosting.

House rules worth knowing

Pool

6:00am–6:00pm, The Darling's guests only

Gym

Level 5, open 24/7, entry by room key

Check-in / out

3:00pm / 11:00am, express check-out on request

Parking

One car space per room on site; more spaces subject to availability

Cots

Infant cots free

Rollaway

$80 per night, one per room

In-room dining

Breakfast 6–11am; lunch and dinner 11am–11pm, to midnight Fri–Sat

Longer stays

Offered for up to 90 days

Why we like it for a special weekend

Two things make The Darling different from the rest of the resort, and neither is the furniture. The first is the pool rule: from 6am to 6pm only Darling guests can use it, which on a hot weekend is the difference between a lounger and no lounger. The second is the car space — one per suite — in a resort where everyone else is warned that parking cannot be guaranteed.

The gym on Level 5 is open around the clock to suite guests, with views of the coast and the hinterland. For dinner, Nineteen is in the same building; under-18s going to the restaurant must come in through The Darling with an adult, and they cannot enter the bar at all.

What to ask before booking

• Which way the suite faces: penthouses are described as north-facing (the Penthouse Suite) or south-facing (the Media, Exercise and Billiard suites).
• Whether you need the twin layout — only the Stellar Twin Suite is described with twin beds.
• If a child is coming, the rollaway rule: $80 per night and one per suite, subject to availability.
• If you are coming for a long stay, the terms of the up-to-90-day offer.

Suite photos and booking for The Darling are on the official site.Official site: star.com.au/goldcoast ↗