5 revamped Gold Coast motels you need to stay at

Roadside motels were the bread and butter of Gold Coast accommodation in the 50s and 60s, but it’s fair to say, until recently, they were languishing in the shadow of shiny highrises and Gold Coast holiday homes.

Thankfully, in the past few years, a slew of the Gold Coast’s coolest retro motels have had their own Motel Makeover, putting them on the map for travellers looking for boutique accommodation with serious aesthetic appeal.

Book your stay at one of these revamped Gold Coast motels that put you in the centre of the Southern Gold Coast action.

Mysa Motel, Palm Beach

When the Mysa Motel (pronounced mee-sa) opened in February 2021 all eyes turned to Palm Beach for its individually designed pastel-themed rooms and iconic neon sign.

What was once the old Palm Trees Motel has been given a new lease on life – and a sustainable future – by way of polished concrete floors, an upgraded magnesium pool, and seven rooms that celebrate local artists and makers.

Sustainability and upcycling was at the fore of what the owners set out to do with the reinvention, to ensure as minimal impact as possible. The motel is powered by solar and utilises rainwater tanks for toilets and gardens.

“We found vintage design pieces like the breeze blocks, glass mosaic for the bathrooms, and pool lounge recliners from local building sites and had them restored,” explains owner Jason Raine.

There’s plenty of modern touches, from the self check-in system to a free mini bar, large refillable amenities, and filtered water to encourage guests to BYO reusable bottles. Inside each room, the walls are hung with vintage images of Gold Coast attractions and destinations, shot by local photographer, Trent Mitchell.

Crystal Pacific, Palm Beach

One of the original ‘70s holiday blocks of the area reborn, Crystal Pacific Palm Beach offers six boutique, two-level apartments which retain their charming ‘70s motel vibe while embracing all the mod cons. 

The owners kept the bricks, floorboards and original staircases in the 12-month renovation but upgraded the spaces to feature beautiful wooden entry doors, Blackbutt timber decks and roofing, lots of hanging plants, timber dining furniture and rattan light shades. “It was like The Block without all the help,” jokes owner Sarah Caruana.

As well as hanging day beds, BBQs and a heated magnesium pool offering plenty of opportunity to enjoy the coast’s climate, the beautifully designed interiors are punctuated with locally-made goodies like certified organic Cococino coffee pods, Eco Cheeks unbleached toilet paper, and illustrated kids yoga cards. Beautiful bassinets, beach chairs and umbrellas are also available for use so you don’t have to overstuff the car or overspend on luggage allowance before your beach holiday begins.

The light and breezy apartment block is popular for weddings and groups who book out the entire place and take advantage of the owners’ local connections to arrange grazing platters, bike hire and flowers.

The Pink Hotel, Coolangatta

The old Coolangatta Ocean View Motel always had an enviable position since opening in 1963, but since the unveiling of its new incarnation as The Pink Hotel in late 2018, a new generation of motel lovers are flocking to its candy-hued facade.

The owners, a trio of local mates who started Eddie’s Grub House downstairs, spent six months filling skip bins with decades worth of old building materials and furniture, and transforming it into the destination it is today, while retaining its vintage charm with recycled and reclaimed materials. A stash of 70s and 80s Playboy magazines uncovered in the renovation have been reused as wallpaper in the Rooftop Bar bathrooms. And even though it was always pink, they repainted the exterior a vibrant new shade and within a day, people were swarming for pics.

Inside there’s 17 individually decorated rooms – think neon lights, record players, and bold furniture – including the two-bedroom Artist Suite, which comes with its own grand piano as centrepiece.

Start your day with a dip – the beach is right across the road – then order breakfast from neighbours, Ground, by scanning a QR code in your room. Keep things sunny on the astro-turfed rooftop with cabana-style day beds and cracking views where a new mixologist with a background in horticulture creates cocktails infused with flowers and herbs grown in her own garden. Then check out the gig guide for Eddie’s Grub House, or open the door marked Janitor’s Closet and find your way to a secret sexy cocktail bar by night.

Blue Heron Motel, Mermaid Beach

Born in the ‘70s, the Blue Heron Motel was given a spruce up in 2018 by Hungarian husband and wife, Karl and Andrea who set out to elevate the motel experience. Working with a local builder, they ripped through an “unbelievably hard” nine-week renovation, sourcing all they could from local businesses.

Each of the 14 rooms, including one Family Room, features custom-made room number signs, created by their daughter Sandra, while custom wallpaper plasters the exterior entry, and a striking green velvet lounge in reception was one of the only items able to be salvaged from the old motel and revived.

Rooms are hung with beach images purchased from the local library's collection while outdoor bean bags and umbrellas are set around the pool and BBQ area, where they hope to place a small coffee van in the near future.

A good old-fashioned motel brekkie pack with cereal, bread, milk and juice is provided along with complimentary cruiser bikes for exploring (pick up a cycling trails map at reception).

La Costa Motel, Bilinga

Sitting pretty just off the Gold Coast Highway in Bilinga – a hop, skip and jump from the Gold Coast Airport – La Costa Motel has managed to retain its retro charm amongst the rapid developments sprouting up around it. You can thank the GFC for that – when owner Di Cartmill purchased it 20 years ago she intended to knock it down to build units, but due to the uncertainty of the times, decided to renovate instead. 

It was then she discovered old Women’s Weekly and Woman’s Day magazines in the ceiling, dated between 1956-59 and revealing the age of the motel (the covers now hang in some rooms) and decided to champion lovely nostalgic aspects like the neon sign and candy-striped beach umbrellas.

Beach shack vibes permeate 10 comfortable rooms, with complimentary breakfast, cruiser bikes, and airport transfers included with each stay.