The Rydges Gold Coast Airport is a hotel located next door to Coolangatta Airport that is waiting for visitors to discover just how good it is. Most travellers book an airport hotel for a quick stopover on the way to or from their destination, but if you’re like us and enjoy the laid back vibe of the southern end of the Gold Coast around Coolangatta, the Rydges is also great for a longer stay. This part of the Gold Coast is one of our favourite spots, but over the past few years it’s turned into a holiday hot spot. As Coolangatta’s popularity climbed, so did the hotel prices but then we found a bargain with this hotel.

It’s easy to enjoy a great staycation here. It all comes down to the hotel’s location, and we’re not just talking about the airport. Kirra Beach is only a 10 minute walk away and Coolangatta is close by as well. With public transport and hire cars available next to the hotel, everything the Gold Coast has to offer is only a short walk or ride away. There’s even an express bus to Broadbeach that connects with the G:link tram, so you can travel pretty much anywhere for 50 cents, including the Gold Coast’s theme parks.

There’s also a really nice resort style pool which is great if the weather is good (it wasn’t on our visit but we still had a good time). We live in Brisbane so we took advantage of the Rydges Gold Coast Airport parking under the hotel. This isn’t free but it’s not too expensive for a few nights.

Rydges Gold Coast Airport is only a two minute walk from the international airport, allowing a seamless transition from reality to holiday. There are 192 Deluxe, Premium and Executive rooms spread over six levels, with corner rooms having the best view. High-quality sound proofing and thick curtains dropped the jet engine noise outside to a mere whisper.

We loved our Concourse room for its sheer entertainment value. As we watched kids showing off their souvenirs to doting grandparents, business travellers racing towards the gates and planes landing and taking off in almost complete silence due to the hotel’s sound proofing, it felt like we were watching the opening credits of a Hollywood movie. The only thing missing was popcorn and a big name star.

Torrential rain put a dampener on our plans for a swim in the pool, an afternoon beach walk and an alfresco dinner at Coolangatta, so we opted to eat at the Runway Restaurant and Bar on the ground floor instead. Here we were shocked to discover something you never see at an international airport – a menu with food and drinks at pub prices. Even the passengers checking in after their flight was cancelled were smiling.

However, we aren’t the next morning when we discovered the sachets of instant coffee in our room instead of a pod machine. After the barista at the café on the ground floor saved us from the sachets’ evil caffeinated clutches, we grab our umbrellas and set off for a beach walk to Point Danger with postcard views of the Gold Coast. Surfers and boogie boarders were taking on the waves at Kirra and Snapper Rocks and we did some whale watching along the way. Coastal walks don’t get better than this. As an added bonus, we ended up at Black Dingo Café at the top of Point Danger which had prime views of the surfers at D’bah (Duranbah Beach) and terrific food. I had the avocado toast and it was great!

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Overall, the Rydges Gold Coast Airport is great value for money for a quick airport stopover or an enjoyable Gold Coast getaway for a few days. Rooms are contemporary and appealing and the hotel hits the mark for quality and bang for buck. Get in quick and enjoy a stay at this great value Gold Coast hotel before everyone else finds out about it. You’ll be glad you did!

Disclosure: The writer was a guest of Rydges Gold Coast Airport for two nights. She would not hesitate to stay at this Gold Coast hotel again at her own expense.

Looking for some things to do on the Gold Coast? Some of our favourite Gold Coast activities include hot air ballooning, whale watching, jet boating, visiting Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary or David Fleay Wildlife Park, indoor skydiving with iFly, bushwalking in the Gold Coast’s national parks, SkyPoint Climb, exploring the Gold Coast’s markets, checking out the local cafe scene, and enjoying the Gold Coast for free. There’s also plenty of fun to be had if you visit the Gold Coast in winter or have some wet weather.