RACV ROYAL PINES RESORT: Enjoying 48hrs at the Gold Coast’s 5-star hidden gem.
When you think of the Gold Coast, you tend to picture tourists upon tourists strolling along beachside markets or running around busy theme parks.
It’s hard to find a quiet moment in the sunny Australian escape, that’s until you discover RACV Royal Pines Resort Gold Coast.
Lux Nomade recently stumbled upon the retreat during a 10-minute excursion outside of Surfers Paradise and found it so discreet that we almost drove right past it.
Surrounded by greenery, the Gold Coast’s last hidden gem is a quiet yet entertaining haven filled with luxurious treatments, high-end dining and an endless list of activities.
With only two days at the property, we squeezed in as much as we could! Here’s how we filled in 48 hours at RACV Royal Pines Resort.
DAY ONE
11.00AM – CHECK-IN & CHECK OUT THE ROOM
We drive into the beautifully landscaped entrance and quickly found a FREE parking spot in the vast outdoor and underground car park.
Once our bags are removed, we made our way to the easily located lift, which took us to the jaw dropping-ly stunning resort lobby.
It was hard not to trip over our luggage as we gawked at the floor-to-ceiling view of the 27-hole golf course and the greenery beyond.
Check-in staff was quickly and delightful as they checked us in a couple of hours early. Fortunately, our room was available.
We headed up to level 17 via the elevator, which conveniently had seating inside (RACV thought of everything!).
Step inside room 1721.
The space was well equipped with two double beds, a television, a work table, conveniently located electric ports, generous amenities, and a fully stocked minibar.
Perhaps the best part of the room, was the view! Laid out before us was the golf course, the pool and the entire Gold Coast as a backdrop.
12.00PM – HEAD TO THE POOL & ENJOY A POOLSIDE COCKTAIL
Freshen up because it’s time to enjoy the resort. Starting with… the pool.
RACV Royal Pines Resort has a pool for adults, a pool for kids AND a water park. Yes, a water park with slides, mushroom waters and more.
The resort caters to travellers from all walks of life whether they be families, couples, singles, groups or adventurers.
Those who enjoy a poolside cocktail will LOVE this – the resort also offers poolside food and drink service.
Poolside menu features burgers, salads, and fries, as well as Cosmopolitans, Mai Tais, Long Island Ice Tea and Daquiris.
We opted for beer-battered fries (the crunchiest we had on the Gold Coast) and refreshing Strawberry Daquiris.
3.00PM – GRAB AN AFTERNOON SNACK AT PANORAMA LOUNGE
Once our fingers were starting to wrinkle from the water and our skin was screaming for an escape from the sun (of course, we were wearing sunscreen!), we headed to the resort lobby for a snack at the Panorama Lounge.
It’s central location and light-filled space make it the perfect spot for a quick bite to eat or a coffee, however, it also has breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
The menu is similar to that of the poolside dining, but this time we chose the Club Sandwich and a Chickpea Salad. Both were fulfilling and tasty enough to be devoured and get us through to dinner.
4.00PM – PLAY A ROUND OF TENNIS OR MAYBE SOME GOLF
Time to take advantage of the on-site activities.
As mentioned earlier, RACV Royal Pines Resort is designed for everyone, so unsurprisingly, it has activity choices for everyone.
Among the options are two undercover and three outdoor tennis courts, which come with the option of private tuition (just be sure to book the instructor in early).
The resort also a Sports Camp spread across 100-hectares of land and featuring equipment often used by local sporting teams, and a 27-hole world-class golf course where champions play (literally, the course is used for professional events).
We checked out the tennis courts but decided to take a quick nap before our next main meal.
7.00PM – DINNER AT ARAKAWA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Whatever you do, keep your stomach empty for Arakawa!
The restaurant is located on level one and lets guests choose between Teppanyaki, traditional Japanese dining (low tables and floor seats), and western dining.
We opted for Teppanyaki and fell in love with our expertly skilled chef, Alex.
Like a dance, he chopped, scrapped, set fire and served us a six-course Vegetarian set menu made up of tofu and egg, fried rice, pumpkin soup, green tea ice cream and more.
Our pants definitely needed some loosening towards the end.
Aside from an absolutely delicious and fulfilling meal, the ambiance of the restaurant is calming and delightful, plus Alex was kind and keen to interact with the guests.
Definitely worth checking out.
DAY TWO
7.00AM – WORKOUT AT THE GYM
Healthy is a priority at RACV Royal Pines Resort, which is why there’s a well-equipped gym (aka One Lifestyle) on-site.
Wake up early and burn off the calories before you start pounding them back in (which believe us, you will).
8.00AM – BREAKFAST AT KALINDA
Breakfast awaits at Kalinda.
The casual dining space serves up an international breakfast buffet with everything from cereals to locally-sourced honey, soups, baked goods, fried eggs, poached eggs, pancakes and so much more
Still a little full from dinner, we opted for a light start to the day with cheese and crackers, fresh fruit and a couple of hash browns.
Our meal was topped off with a fresh orange juice and a full view of the tempting pool area.
10.00AM – TAKE A DAY TRIP
One of the many benefits of staying at the RACV Royal Pines Resort is that it’s conveniently located to everything.
Surfers Paradise is a 10-minute drive away, Movie World is a couple minutes further, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is close by, as is Paradise Jet Boating, Skypoint and more.
We chose to hop into our car and take an easy 45-minute drive to Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk to see the local wildlife.
Of course, there was less wildlife on that day and more bush life but it was equally, if not more delightful.
A few lizards and birds quietly crept in and out as we enjoyed the peaceful walk and learned a range of interesting facts about Australia’s greenery.
1.30PM – HEAD BACK TO THE HOTEL & GRAB LUNCH
Once we’d seen all we could in Tamborine Rainforest, we headed back to the resort for lunch at Panorama Lounge.
Of course, there were plenty of food options along the way back, including an American burger shack in Tamborine where we indulged in a very 60s Strawberry Milkshake.
3.00PM – TREAT YO’ SELF TO A TREATMENT ON THE GOLD COAST
An escape from an escape.
RACV Royal Pines Resort is home to One Spa – one of the Gold Coast’s BEST spa experiences.
The tranquil space offers dozens upon dozens of treatments, each of which is designed to “improve skin, body, and mind”. And boy, does it ever!
Our one-hour full-body massage began with a warm welcome from Emma in reception. She gave us a little background on the spa and walked us to the pre-massage relaxation space, the Glass Room.
In the Glass Room we enjoyed the calming ambiance made up of gentle music, cold water, health-related reading material and a view of the nearby river.
As we were about to fall into a relaxation coma, Samantha walked in and showed us to the Treatment Room where we stripped and enjoyed a firm hot-oil treatment.
Samantha was clearly skilled and paid particular attention to areas of tension. Truly a talent, if only we could ship her to our home town!
When the massage was over, we reluctantly slipped back into our robes and slippers and made our way to the cherry on top of the experience, the Lusar Room.
The Lusar Room is where you wash off the massage oils in a sauna that’s equipped with rainfall showers, exfoliate products and more.
Guests have half an hour to make the most of the Lusar Room before they’re ushered back to the Glass Room for a delicious mango sorbet and a honey and ginger tea.
5.00PM – RELAX IN THE ROOM
We were walking on cloud nine after the treatment and a little exhausted.
The room acted as a peaceful continuation of our incredible experience, and to be honest, we actually fell asleep for a couple of hours.
7.00PM – DINNER AT ANOTHER SPECIALTY RESTAURANT
Last night it was Japanese, tonight it could be Italian.
The resort has several on-site dining options including the Italian inspired Trattoria Amici, and casual Tee’s Clubhouse.
There’s a meal to satisfy anyone, but on this occasion, we decided to make a quick trip into Surfers Paradise to watch and eat with the undead at Dracula’s Cabaret.
9.00PM – DRINKS AT HYDRATE BAR
We wrapped up our stay at the Gold Coast hidden gem by grabbing a late-night drink at Hydrate Bar.
Located in the lobby, the bar has a discreet entrance, making it almost a speakeasy.
Once inside, it’s buzzing with chatter and laughter until midnight.
The drink menu offered everything from local beer to whites, reds, American whiskey, tequila, brandy and more.
We opted for the Sunken Lychee, which was obviously the tastiest and the fastest consumed beverage we’d enjoyed during our visit.
Ross St, Benowa, Queensland 4217, Australia
(07) 5597 8700
For more information and bookings visit: www.racv.com.au
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