Readers searching for the Versace hotel Gold Coast usually want to know two things: whether the property still operates, and what staying there is like. It does, under the Imperial name, and The Luxe Hotelier describes its 2000 opening as the world’s first fashion-branded hotel. This article sets out what the research confirms, flags where the sources disagree, and shows which facts a reader can check before booking.
Last checked: 2026-11-07
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Current name: Imperial Hotel Gold Coast · Former name: Versace Hotel (also listed as Palazzo Versace Gold Coast) · Location: Gold Coast, Australia · Listed rooms: 199 rooms, each with a balcony
At a glance
- Operating as the Imperial Hotel Gold Coast, formerly Palazzo Versace, as an independent hotel from 1 August 2023 (Qantas Hotels)
- 200 rooms and suites split into five categories, plus 72 condominiums (Australian Traveller)
- About 10 minutes from Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise, and about a 40-minute drive from the airport (Qantas Travel Insider)
- Located near Marina Mirage on the Broadwater, with a private marina and a Versace boutique (Oyster.com)
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-11-07.
Sources reviewed: property operator and rebrand listings, editorial hotel reviews, aggregated expert rankings, guest review platforms, and map listings.
We made no on-site visit, interviewed no staff, did not check live rates or availability, and could not confirm the conflicting room and pool counts against a primary source.
Key facts
| Label | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current name | Imperial Hotel Gold Coast |
| Former name | Palazzo Versace (also listed as Palazzo Versace Gold Coast) |
| Location | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Operating as Imperial since | 1 August 2023 |
| Rooms and suites | 200 in most sources; one guide lists 205 |
| Condominiums | 72 |
| Lobby chandelier | 750 kilograms, antique crystal |
What happened to the Versace hotel Gold Coast?
The Imperial Hotel Gold Coast
Palazzo Versace ran as a Versace-branded hotel until 1 August 2023. From that date, Qantas Hotels lists the same property as the Imperial Hotel Gold Coast, operating independently. Searchers therefore meet two names for one building, and the Palazzo Versace Gold Coast name still appears in listings for the same complex.
The Versace link is rooted in the design brief, which The Luxe Hotelier attributes to Dr Santo Versace:
Everywhere the eye looks must see a feature.
Dr Santo Versace, as quoted by The Luxe Hotelier
Post-rename coverage is thinner. Nine.com.au reviewed the property under the Imperial name in June 2024. Its reviewer stayed in a Superior King room and called it incredibly spacious, with a couples’ spa bath and a Juliet balcony overlooking the lagoon pool.
The Australian Traveller profile, dated September 2024, offers a fuller view of the post-rename property:
This is an Australian hotel unlike any other – no whitewash or rattan allowed – and deeply attentive service elevates it to world-class heights.
Australian Traveller reviewer
Specifications at a glance
| Feature | Listed detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lagoon pool | 63 metres in one review, 65 metres in another; unresolved | Australian Traveller; The Luxe Hotelier |
| Dining | Il Barocco (buffet and a la carte), Vanitas (Italian-inspired, six-course degustation), Le Jardin lobby bar | Australian Traveller; Qantas Travel Insider |
| Spa | Aurora Spa Retreat | Qantas Travel Insider |
| Parking | Free self-parking; $30 valet parking | Qantas Travel Insider |
| Street address | 94 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach QLD 4217 | MakeMyTrip |
The pattern: the 2024 profiles still describe the lagoon pool and the lobby chandelier, so on this evidence the rename appears not to have changed the physical features that define the property.
Versace hotel gold coast reviews
Two guest-review platforms each show the property at 8.6 out of 10. Hoteles.com lists 1,004 reviews, and Travelocity lists 1,003. Neither platform’s data carries review dates, so the scores cannot be tied to the period after the rename.
Three figures stand out:
- Two separate review platforms report the same 8.6 out of 10 score, each from more than 1,000 reviews.
- Listed rooms outnumber condominiums by roughly 2.8 to 1, based on 200 rooms and suites against 72 condominiums.
- The room count moves by five depending on the source: 200 in most listings and 205 in one guide that rates its own data as low confidence.
Pros and cons
Listed strengths
- A private marina and Juliet balconies
- Whirlpool tubs in suites and private pools in condominiums
- A lagoon pool and a spa with an indoor pool
- A Versace boutique on site
Listed drawbacks
- High prices and some worn furnishings, according to Oyster.com’s cons list
- Mixed guest feedback on breakfast quality, room cleanliness, maintenance and slow service, as summarised by Kayak
Caution: the Kayak feedback is a summary, not a full set of dated guest reviews, so treat the drawbacks as a checklist to verify on arrival rather than as a settled verdict.
Best for
- Couples: the Superior King room with a couples’ spa bath, described by one Nine.com.au reviewer, appears to suit a romantic stay.
- Spa-focused guests: Aurora Spa Retreat and the indoor-pool spa listed by Oyster.com appear to suit guests who plan their stay around treatments.
- Guests who value classic glamour: the Australian Traveller profile and The Luxe Hotelier both frame the property around old-world Versace styling.
Alternatives in the set
Three comparison hotels appear in TripExpert’s rankings. TripExpert scores the property at 94 against Surfers Beachside Holiday Apartments, which rank significantly lower overall. Against QT Gold Coast, a 297-room retro-modern hotel in Surfers Paradise, the property ranks slightly ahead. In a Brisbane comparison with Spicers Balfour Hotel, it scores 93.
The trade-off: the praise centres on service, the spa and room size, while the listed drawbacks cover price, worn furnishings and mixed reports on upkeep. Readers who weigh modern finishes above classic styling should weigh those drawbacks first.
TL;DR
- Two review platforms show 8.6 out of 10.
- Couples and spa-focused guests appear best served by the listed features.
- Drawbacks in the research are price, worn furnishings and mixed upkeep feedback.
Versace hotel gold coast prices
Two sources give price figures, and they are not directly comparable. Both quote in Australian dollars (AUD). Australian Traveller gives a starting rate of around $300 per night including breakfast, with condominiums reaching about $3000 per night. Qantas Travel Insider lists rates from $399 per night for two, including buffet breakfast.
Pricing band
| Band | Listed figure (AUD) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Starting nightly rate | Around $300 including breakfast | Australian Traveller |
| Rate for two | From $399 including buffet breakfast | Qantas Travel Insider |
| Condominiums | Around $3000 per night | Australian Traveller |
Caution: these figures are undated in the research and were not checked against a live rate. Confirm the current price with the property before setting a budget.
Rates vary by date and room type. Parking adds to the total: Qantas Travel Insider lists free self-parking and $30 valet parking.
The implication: the $300 and $399 figures measure different things, one a nightly rate with breakfast and the other a rate for two guests with buffet breakfast. Use both as starting points and confirm the live rate at the booking step.
Versace hotel gold coast restaurant
Australian Traveller and Qantas Travel Insider name several dining venues. Il Barocco serves a daily buffet breakfast and a daily a la carte lunch, with a la carte dinner from Sunday to Thursday and a seafood buffet on Fridays and Saturdays.
Vanitas is described by Qantas Travel Insider as the flagship restaurant, serving an Italian-inspired menu and a six-course degustation. Le Jardin, the lobby bar, offers high tea, Devonshire tea, light snacks, classic cocktails, champagnes and an international wine list.
The sources disagree on some venue names, including Il Barocco versus Il Ristorante and Vie Bar versus Acqua di Cristallo Bar. The Luxe Hotelier says Il Barocco was exclusively a la carte after COVID, while Australian Traveller describes a buffet breakfast. No official source confirmed the post-rename dining names.
Note: confirm current dining options and opening times with the property before planning a meal around a specific venue.
The catch: the dining detail comes largely from pre-rename descriptions and one 2024 profile, so the menu and venue set may have changed since those sources were written.
Our pick for couples and spa-focused guests
For couples and spa-focused readers, the strongest case in the research rests on the room and the spa. The Superior King room with a couples’ spa bath, described by Nine.com.au, and the Aurora Spa Retreat are the two listed features most closely matched to those needs. Check the room type and the current rate before booking, because the room count and price figures in the sources do not agree.
Related reading: Sofitel Broadbeach Review: Location, Luxury and Guest Experience · Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas: What to Know Before Booking
tripexpert.com, tripexpert.com, theluxevoyager.com, opentravelguide.com, hotel.com.au, midnightpenthouse.com, nine.com.au
Frequently asked questions
Is the Versace hotel on the Gold Coast still open?
Yes. It has operated as the Imperial Hotel Gold Coast, an independent hotel, since 1 August 2023, according to Qantas Hotels.
What is the starting nightly rate?
Australian Traveller gives around $300 per night (AUD) including breakfast. Qantas Travel Insider lists rates from $399 per night (AUD) for two, including buffet breakfast.
What does the spa offer?
Qantas Travel Insider names the Aurora Spa Retreat, and Oyster.com lists a spa with an indoor pool among its pros. The supplied excerpts contain no spa ratings.
Does the hotel have free parking?
Yes, for self-parking. Qantas Travel Insider lists free self-parking and $30 valet parking.
How long is the lagoon pool?
Sources give 63 metres in Australian Traveller and 65 metres in The Luxe Hotelier. The sources do not resolve the difference.