Gold Coast Hotel Rooms Filling Fast For April’s 12 Days Of Commonwealth Games Action

THE Gold Coast is getting ready to put up the “no vacancy” sign during the Commonwealth Games with most rooms across the city booked out.

More than 90 per cent of hotel rooms have been snapped up for the 12 days of the Games in April, according to figures from the Accommodation Association of Australia.

The cost of the few rooms remaining is skyrocketing due to high demand with a majority of hotels charging about three times their off-peak rates.

Hotels are starting to put the “no vacancy” signs up as the city’s hotel rooms start to book out for the Commonwealth Games.

Accommodation Association of Australia CEO Richard Munroe said the occupancy rates of the Gold Coast’s hotels were particularly high around the first few days of the Games.

“It’s getting towards full,” he said.

“People should get into booking soon so they don’t miss out.”

Mr Munroe said hotel bookings for the Games were already at the level usually seen at Easter. However hotel rooms for the Easter period usually did not book out until days before the long weekend.

Available beds during the Games period start at about $305 a night for a room at Enderly Gardens Resort, according to popular online booking website Bookings.com.

Prices for rooms on the Glitter Strip are starting to increase ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
The same hotel on the same website is $95 a night for a booking in March.

Rooms at the landmark Watermark Hotel and Spa start at $345 a night during the Commonwealth Games, compared to $137 in March.

Monique Smith, who started the GC2018 Commonwealth Games Affordable Accommodation for Volunteers group, said she was shocked by the price hike.

Ms Smith said she was in contact with about 50 volunteers who would be visiting the city for the Games but had still not found accommodation and were concerned about the rising prices.

“It’s absolutely disgusting,” Ms Smith said.

“It’s giving the Gold Coast a very bad name because people are just chasing the money.”

Volunteers for next year’s Commonwealth Games are struggling to find affordable accommodation.

Wyndham Hotel Group reports its Kirra Beach resort is already fully booked, its hotel at Hope Island is 90 per cent booked and its Surfers Paradise resort is 80 per cent booked for the Games.

Wyndham Hotel Group Queensland director of operations Warren Cullum said: “Taking into account Easter and the Games, we expect our properties in the city to be entirely booked out for half of the month of April, which is not usually peak season.

“We only have a few rooms still available, so anyone wanting to stay on the Gold Coast during the Games should make a booking as soon as possible.”

Mantra Group executive director of sales Luke Moran said about 70 per cent of their Gold Coast hotel rooms had been booked for the Games period.

Finding an available bed on the Gold Coast during the Games period is becoming difficult.
“Mantra Group has been working with Goldoc for several years now in the lead up to the Games to ensure there are enough rooms for delegates, spectators and the workforce,” he said.

For those looking for a more affordable option, there are a small number of cabins, caravans and camp sites left at the Gold Coast City Council run tourist parks. Those are expected to be booked soon.

A Goldoc spokesman said there was an “abundance of accommodation options” to choose from.

Source: Gold Coast Bulletin 13 January 2018
 

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