For better or worse, Australia’s Gold Coast tends to be saddled with a somewhat unfair reputation for brash mass tourism glitz. All of which makes the 19th floor of The Darling hotel so unexpected.
Lined with vast swathes of stone, drop-lights encased in curled copper sheets, brass details and a pale palette of greens and blue-greys, the dining room is the work of Mim Design, the Melbourne-based studio capitalising on double-height ceilings and acres of windows to draw in views of the ocean and the Gold Coast’s skyline bristling with skyscraper hotels. The quietly stylish mood-board is made all the more lofty by the insertion of a staircase that curves up to a private dining room and bar, and a glittering snowy mound of chandelier at the foyer.
On an evening awash with the ocean breeze – which on the Gold Coast is pretty much year-round – the outdoor terrace, anchored by an infinity pool, is an impressive staging area for sunset cocktails or a tipple from the restaurant’s collection of 3,500 bottles. Which, it turns out, is the perfect starter for the main courses of grilled Patagonian toothfish, Blackman Bay oysters, marron risotto, and slow roasted prime ribs.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Level 19
The Darling at The Star Gold Coast
1 Casino Drive
Broadbeach
Queensland
-
Piaget’s new Sixtie watches recall a glamorous history at Watches and Wonders 2025Piaget draws on historical codes with the trapeze-shaped Sixtie watch collection, revealed at Watches and Wonders 2025
-
A contemporary Swiss chalet combines tradition and modernity, all with a breathtaking viewA modern take on the classic chalet in Switzerland, designed by Montalba Architects, mixes local craft with classic midcentury pieces in a refined design inside and out
-
Cartier dials up the glamour at Watches and Wonders 2025Cartier revamps much-loved watch collections, from Privé and Panthère to Tank and Tressage, upping the sparkle at the watch fair in Geneva
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Lo Scoglio: an Australian vacation rental with regenerative principlesTucked away in Byron Bay’s hinterland, an Italian-style farmhouse presents a sustainable approach to luxury
-
Five influential women hoteliers reflect on the changing face of hospitalityAs women continue to gain ground in the hotel sector, despite still being underrepresented in senior positions, five female moguls share their experiences of the past and projections for the future
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Melbourne Place: ‘an alchemy of colour, texture and personality’Designed by Kennedy Nolan, Melbourne Place is the Australian city’s newest independent hotel, oozing creativity and urban energy
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Six hotels where you’ll find the winter sun this FebruaryFrom intimate seaside inns to lush tropical resorts, here are six Wallpaper*-approved winter sun escapes
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this yearFrom the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from the revival of a grande dame in Madrid to the restoration of a gothic beauty in Prague
-
Australian surf culture merges with the charm of the Mediterranean at Il DelfinoIl Delfino, designed by Sheree Commerford, is a restored 1940s seaside inn nestled on the Yamba coastline in Australia
