ENJOY A FESTIVE FEAST WITHOUT THE CLEANUP
CHRISTMAS is just around the corner.
If sweating it out in the kitchen isn’t your idea of a good time, here are some of the Gold Coast venues hosting celebrations on December 25.
FESTIVE FEASTS AT QT
The Gold Coast’s QT Hotel will be serving up Christmas feasts all day at three of their dining spots. Wake up to piping hot pancakes and sizzling bacon at Bazaar Restaurant, or gobble up their seafood extravaganza for lunch or dinner. Around the corner, Yamagen Restaurant will serve up a seven-course Japanese-style seafood lunch feast. Satisfy your indulgent side with a buffet abundant in fresh seafood and festive desserts in the QT Ball Room, paired with live entertainment, face-painting, a gingerbreadmaking competition, and a visit from the big man himself (yep, Santa Claus)! If you prefer to hang out at home, QT has just debuted holiday meal kits with everything you need to knock the family’s socks off. The kits even come with matching Spotify playlists.
Where: QT Hotel, 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise
SAVOUR A MEAL AT THE STAR
Spice things up this year and indulge in traditional Asian cuisine for your Christmas lunch. Feast on a four-course banquet lunch which includes a beverage package and features Mandarin-Cantonese twists on classic Asian dishes designed by an internationally trained executive chef of Asian cuisine. An eclectic mix menu featuring seafood, meats and pudding will be served, accompanied by a selection of wines, beers, and assorted soft drinks.
Where: Imperial at The Star, Ground Level, 1 Casino Dr, Broadbeach
A VERY HILTON CHRISTMAS
If you plan to stick to tradition this Christmas Day without getting stuck in the kitchen, head on down to the Hilton Hotel. Revel in Aussie Christmas spirit with a festive seafood buffet dinner of fresh favourites including oysters, prawns, shellfish and traditional meats, finished off with an array of delectable desserts.
Where: Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel & Residences, 6 Orchid Ave, Surfers Paradise
HINTERLAND HOLIDAY
Head out west and beat the heat in the beautiful rainforests of Lamington National Park at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. Indulge in an elaborate Christmas feast showcasing all the Aussie traditional favourites, from king prawns to honey and maple glazed leg ham. The buffet lunch tops it off with an array of festive desserts including a classic Christmas pudding, fruit mince pies and traditional yule log. Plus, the kids can go nuts at the dedicated candy corner. Bookings include a beverage allowance of award-winning wine, local beer, and soft drinks and juices. Also, rumour has it that Santa Claus is expected to pop in for a visit!
Where: O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, 3582 Lamington National Park Rd, Canungra
CHRISTMAS DINNER IN DECADENCE
Spoil the family this year and enjoy a classy Christmas dinner at Palazzo Versace. With the choice of two high-class restaurants serving up a merry feast, you can be sure to leave feeling pampered and satisfied. On one hand, Vanitas promises a five-course dining experience, featuring decadent dishes including ham hock, WA scampi and a gin rhubarb dessert. Patrons can enjoy paired wines while sitting lagoon-side at the hotel’s luxurious pool. Over at Il Barocco Restaurant, guests will be served a three-course meal sure to impress, with a number of lavish twists on Christmas favourites. A fresh seafood platter, an elegant meats medley with extravagant side dishes are among the main event, followed by an intricate twist on Christmas pudding for dessert. Plus, free-flow beverages to wash down the feast.
Where: Palazzo Versace, 94 Seaworld Dr, Main Beach
SEA-SON’S GREETINGS
Take the festivities out to sea this Christmas on Sea World’s Christmas Cruise. Enjoy lunch or dinner while you cruise through the Gold Coast waterways, from Main Beach to the Broadwater, taking in all the sights and highlights of the city. The cruises are offered at four times throughout the day and passengers will enjoy a traditional Aussie Christmas buffet complete with prawns, oysters, roast chicken, ham and plenty of salads. Beverages including beer, wine, champagne and some kidfriendly options are covered in the package.
Where: Sea World Cruises, Main Beach Terminal, 130 Seaworld Dr, Main Beach
TIDINGS IN TWEED
Celebrate Christmas (and the open border) by jetting down to Tweed Heads for a simple Christmas-themed pub lunch. Seagulls Club is offering a three-course meal with the Aussie Christmas favourites such as prawns, pork and turkey, topped off with a classic fruit pavlova dessert. Mum and Dad can drink away the sunlight with the included three-hour drinks package, while the kids occupy themselves with a special visit from Santa.
Where: Seagulls Club, Gollan Dr, Tweed Heads
TODAY we have a Celebrity Selfie with a sad tinge, after the sudden passing late last month of Diego Maradona. With him is local businessman Geoffrey Schuhkraft. “This was taken in Naples in the late 1980s when I was there for the XCat World Series Power Boat Racing. Diego was playing for Napoli FC at the time and he was a guest watching the races. I got to hang out with him over the day and watch the effect he had on people – much like Muhammad Ali. He spoke a little English and as a football tragic it was a dream come true to meet him. What really set him apart was his love for the fans. Everywhere he went the people of Naples mobbed him but he always made the time to interact with them where possible. One of the greatest of all time.”