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
-
Cocktail hour with Stanley TucciWallpaper* catches up with the consummate epicurean to discuss his culinary no-gos, Tucci-esque travel habits and how to make the perfect martini
-
28 Years Later, is Danny Boyle finding humanity in a dystopian world?Is that a touch of positivity we see in director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland's 28 Years Later?
-
Jenny Saville’s major exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery is raw, powerful and sublimeFifty works, from the course of the artist’s career, are brought together for ‘Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting’ in London
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter: ‘a lush restaurant with rooms’In Sydney’s Paddington, chef Josh Niland opens the 14-bedroom luxury hotel alongside his pioneering restaurant
-
Book a brutalist one-room wonder Down Under, the Vipp Tunnel in TasmaniaThe Danish design brand's bookable showcases arrive in the southern hemisphere, thanks to the vision of Tasmanian architectural firm Room 11
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Eve Hotel Sydney: a lush urban escapeA new Sydney hotel makes a bold and biophilic addition to a buzzing neighbourhood that’s on the up
-
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
