Boardwalk Burleigh Beach

The only good thing was how close it was to the beach. I wouldn't recommend this place. We had to put up with these conditions for all five days because apparently there was a no-refund policy. We arrived with three exhausted kids after travelling, but no one was at reception to give us the keys. We waited and tried calling management because we'd booked online. When we finally got into the apartment, there was a strong dirty-carpet smell. The stained couches were so filthy I wouldn't let my one-year-old touch them, let alone sit on them. The bed in the main bedroom smelled of pee. It was a weekend evening, and management was nowhere around to sort it out. The bathroom looked like it had never been cleaned, or barely cleaned, with soap scum all over the walls and floor. We wanted to demand a refund, but were told it was non-refundable. And when we decided to cook a meal, the oven didn't work. We complained and nothing was done. Terrible.

We booked a three-bedroom ocean-view apartment and are unfortunately here for four weeks. The oceanfront view and location are the only four-star parts of this place. Given the no-refund policy, I think they know how manky it is. I encourage anyone considering a booking to read the lowest reviews. They are accurate. The apartment was visibly dirty. The kitchen counter, dining table and bedside tables were grubby, and the drawers had makeup residue. The toilet in the main bathroom had urine on the base, outside of the bowl and on the floor. There were no basic cleaning supplies, including dish detergent, tea towels, cloths or laundry detergent. The dishes had food residue too. I was told guests should wash their own dishes, but housekeeping should still make sure there's a basic level of hygiene between stays. The bedding didn't look freshly cleaned and had caked-on food. There were no duvets, just a sheet and a thin throw that looked like something from Kmart, which is odd for accommodation sold as four-star. My daughter found cockroaches in her room. Dust was thick on the bedhead, and the side tables had cracked coffee stains. Toilet rolls had been left next to the yellowed sink, with water dripped down beside it. The toilet roll holder in the main bedroom is broken, and there's a dirty-sock smell when the air con is off. The guest bathroom sink is clogged. Reception said maintenance would come, but sent a cleaner instead. The cleaner said they don't do deep cleans, but these aren't deep-clean problems. They're basic hygiene issues. Reception staff really couldn't care less.

The pool area is lovely, the spot in Burleigh is great for town, and having onsite parking is a plus. The Boardwalk team were super helpful, especially reception. Sadly, we wouldn't return until the tram night works and nearby construction are finished. We had two style apartments and moved from the roadside one because of the noise, paying a $100 cleaning fee to change apartments. The apartment cleaning was very average, and we didn't like having only a sheet on the bed. There was a fluffy throw in the cupboard, but it wasn't very appealing.

The location is fantastic, but we paid for an ocean-view room and were put on the roadside of the building. The only water view was from a 1x1m corner of the balcony, and traffic on the Gold Coast highway drowned out the waves. We asked to move rooms and were told no. They gave us no credit for what felt like a downgrade, saying it still counted as an ocean view. But the new building next door has blocked off 99% of the view.