This guy was very pleased to be staying at the Mantra Sun City
The Mantra Sun City Resort looms impressively over the fun capital of Australia – Surfers Paradise. One of hundreds of high rise accommodation options for families on the Gold Coast it is set apart from the rest by its location, facilities for families and unusual Azetec décor. The location – Surfers Paradise just one block from the beach and with a tram stop outside makes it perfect for families that chose not to hire a car during their stay. The facilities – two waterslides, a sandy lagoon pool, indoor heated pool, spa, and tennis court. The Aztec theme of the hotel is a little incongruous in Australia – but fun. The décor appealed to my kid’s sense of adventure and the feeling that we were on holidays –even though our getaway was a brief one – just a weekend.
Location – the Mantra Sun City is one block from a stunning beach.
Location – we escape the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise to the wonderfully deserted beaches.
Surfers Paradise is hub of excitement but the beaches are the star for me.
While the location, facilities and Aztec theme are what sets the Mantra Sun City apart from the plethora of Gold Coast accommodation options I was impressed by something else. The ocean is the ultimate tonic. Just seeing it I feel my stress and anxiety recede. A weekend at the Mantra Sun City resort in Surfers Paradise was therefore the perfect antidote to my working mum-holiday season stress levels due to the stunning ocean views. I didn’t even feel like grumbling at my youngest child’s inhumane early morning wakenings because they meant I was able to enjoy the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean while still in my pajamas.
Gold Coast Hinterland views
Beach views
We were indeed blessed with stunning views of both the ocean and Gold Coast hinterland from our corner apartment on the 21st floor of the Mantra Sun City. Our two bedroom apartment was huge – easily accommodating my high energy kids and with a large, functional kitchen. The interior of the apartment, while not glamorous was clean , modern and well maintained. Located just a block from the beach and with a tram stop just outside we were ideally located to experience all that the Gold Coast offers.
The indoor pool – perfect for rainy days
Facilities – two watersides flowing into a sandy lagoon pool
A sumptious spa
Due to this being only a weekend getaway there were no theme park visits for us. Instead we concentrated on family time at our hotel – the Mantra Sun City. The sandy lagoon pool was ideal for my toddler , the spa was deliciously warm and the indoor pool is perfect for cool or rainy days. We chose the Mantra Sun City because of the two impressive waterslides on site. Unfortunately one of these has a significant design flaw. Before we were allowed to ride the waterslide I was required to sign a legal waiver – I did consider this unusual. It soon became clear though that there was a danger posed to those that chose to ride the slide. My first ride I sustained significant grazes (I have actually been concerned I may require a skin graft – fortunately it is slowly healing) and left the pool dripping blood. My seven year old sustained a head contusion. Some questioning of staff and it became clear they see injuries much more severe than our own as a result of guests riding the waterslide and that some guests have required hospitalisation. I have been pondering how I should tackle this review because of my experience with the waterslide. Discussions with staff, and the requirement for the signing of a legal waiver prior to riding the slide have left me in no doubt that hotel management are well aware of the risk. Yet other aspects of our stay were resoundingly positive – the location, the views, the divine sandy lagoon pool and spaciousness our apartment for example. The risk does seem limited to the larger of the two slides. Much as I enjoyed our visit to this hotel I can really only advise other families to steer clear of the larger waterslide at the Mantra Sun City. It is clearly not safe. I can also use this review to implore management at the Mantra Sun City to either close the unsafe waterslide or invest in the necessary improvements to make it a safe water play option for families. As a medical doctor and travel health advocate I hate the idea of family holidays being interrupted by injury and hospital visits.
Great review, so glad I found it, we are heading there in 3 weeks time for stay for a week and I have to say it was the waterslides that appealed to me for our children but after reading your review (which I thank you) we will steer clear of the larger water slide. The pool being a sandy lagoon style though looks great for our young boys. Did your children go on the smaller of the water slides and were okay or do you recommend staying clear of that one also? Thanks again for the great review 🙂
Hi Jen – it is so rare to get feedback from people that have read the review – I ‘m glad it was useful. My son spent lots of time playing on the smaller waterslide with no incident. I was happy for him to play on it despite my own injury on the big one. Have a great time on the Gold Coast!
Danielle, was it a problem being in a high rise with small children? Was it easy to secure the doors?
Hi Melanie, Sorry, I’ve just seen this question. I am wary of little kids in high rises and we keep the door to the balcony locked to ensure they don’t go out unsupervised. I wouldn’t see it as a reason not to book somewhere. You can still enjoy the stunning view as a family together.