A good question.
A local answer.

Four nights is short for several parks plus beach time. Choose the attractions your children will enjoy most and leave a flexible day for rest or weather.

List the places you will visit most, then map travel from a few candidate neighbourhoods. The Gold Coast is long, so a central-looking address may still be far from your preferred beach or park.

Check the walk to a supervised beach area, groceries and casual meals from the exact building. Short distances on a map still matter with a pram or tired children.

Read recent reviews for the same building and room side, then check nearby development on a map. An older complaint may be resolved, while a newly started project may not appear in reviews yet.

If a pool and apartment kitchen matter too, compare those facilities alongside the distance to the entrance. A nearby property is useful only if it also meets the daily needs of your stay.

Compare the immediate blocks around each hotel, not just the suburb name. Map the walk to dinner, a tram stop and the shops you want; the route you will actually take in the evening matters more than a general claim that one whole area is quiet or safe.

Start with the stay you want: Surfers Paradise for a busier resort setting, Broadbeach for beach access near dining and shopping, or Burleigh Heads for a smaller coastal neighbourhood. Then compare current room type, beach access, parking, pool and cancellation terms on the…