Raffles Resort Mooloolaba

Mooloolaba Beach lies just 150 metres from the door, close enough that a morning swim needs no plan beyond crossing First Avenue. Raffles Mooloolaba sits in the middle of this stretch of the Sunshine Coast, a low-rise block of 30 self-contained apartments arranged as ground floor, standard, partial ocean view, ocean view and rooftop units. Each has its own kitchen and balcony or courtyard; the rooftop apartments, on level six, come with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a double spa bath and a shared roof terrace with a barbecue. Ocean view rooms face the water directly; standard apartments look instead onto gardens or catch the sea only in glimpses. A heated pool and spa run outdoors from April to November. It is a short walk to the Esplanade, where restaurants, cafés and the Wharf's shops line the shore, and the beach itself is known for calm, sheltered water that suits swimmers more than surfers chasing swell. Parking is undercover and free, useful given the coastal humidity. Mooloolaba's Surf Club and the SEA LIFE aquarium sit about 500 metres off, while Australia Zoo is a half-hour's drive inland. Brisbane is roughly 97 km south by road. The building runs smoke-free throughout, apartments included, and each unit varies slightly since owners furnish their own.