The way we relax, spend our leisure time and holiday has changed a lot over the recent years. Attitudes have shifted from leaving our great country in search of a tropical oasis to rejuvenate, to instead exploring our backyard!

The staycation has become a staple form of escaping the stresses of modern life whilst not wasting any of your precious time hanging around airports or hours driving somewhere. And at the same time, you’ll experience something quite familiar — but with those elevated levels of luxury that you so need and crave.

Because let’s face it, folks: we live in a pretty impressive part of the world. So why would you go to great lengths to escape this paradise when you can stay here? One luxe location that has been captivating and helping Gold Coasters maximise their downtime is Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort on the northern end of our great city.

There’s no better time to treat yourself to a staycation on our glorious golden Coast than right now, but what might you find at this leading world-class resort you may ask?

First off is the stunning and secluded location at Sanctuary Cove. Fringed by the Coomera River and with manicured lawns, blooming tropical gardens, abundance of grazing kangaroos and pristine water features at every turn; if this doesn’t set the scene for tranquillity, then we don’t know what will! For the budding golfer, there are not one but three immaculately presented golf courses to which guests will have exclusive access to if they wish to hit a few balls.

And for the ardent beach lover (let’s face it – that’s all of us), the 1-acre beach lagoon area will be the ultimate place for you to relax with a good book and wholly unwind with nearby sounds of native birds. No wayward frisbees or blasting bluetooth speakers here! The resort features over 250 recently refurbished rooms and suites, offering guests a selection of packages with every taste and budget in mind. You don’t have to wander far to start your day off with breakfast at the much-loved Cove Cafe, before taking in lunch at the Pool House, and then make grand plans for an evening of divine food and drinks at the resort’s signature dining destination, The Fireplace.

Explore a little further and you’ll find yourself aptly positioned within walking distance to Sanctuary Cove’s Marine Village. A brimming retail precinct with a superb selection of specialty shops of beautiful homewares and clothing boutiques, as well as some of the Gold Coast’s best places to enjoy brilliant food with amazing marina views. If you’re looking for cocktails and lighter bites in-between mealtimes, you’ll also discover a plethora of exciting venues to indulge yourself in. Because why not? You’re on holiday, right?!

Returning to the resort, the hallmark has to be the Great House, a colonial-style Queenslander that exudes the kind of charm you’ll be hard pushed to find elsewhere. Sign up for Club Intercontinental and savour the delights of their lauded High Coffee experience, the perfect way to round off an afternoon of taking things at a much-reduced pace.

Whether you’re a family with an inkling for a weekend away or a couple who simply wants to reconnect after a busy work period, leave the long airport queues and endless hours behind your driving wheel behind. Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort is prime staycation material in our books!

Book your staycation now via: intercontinentalsanctuarycove.com

Where: Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, Manor Circuit, Hope Island

Words by Alex Mitcheson.

STORY SPONSORED BY THE MARINE VILLAGE SANCTUARY COVE

The French know how to do, well, everything with finesse and style. Think Chanel, Bollinger, Moulin Rouge, Bridget Bardot and French Fries (jokes…but geez they’re good). Speaking of food, let’s not forget the obvious, because duh, French cuisine is L.I.F.E, and everyone loves it unless they’re prepping for a wedding or an event by which case, R.U.N.

And when we think of French food we think of French bakeries and all their bready, sugary, pastry-laden scrumptiousness that resides within. Sanctuary Cove, also synonymous with finesse and style, has just won the French bakery lottery with newcomer Rise Bakery. Opening just in a nick of time to woo the Boat Show crowds from Thursday 19th May through until Sunday 22nd May, both food and fit-out are nothing short of magnifique.

Combining high-end French bakery and salon de thés vibes with a (well-stocked) champagne bar, there is something for everyone here and much to love. After visiting Sanctuary Cove with its marina, resort and promenade, owners and Head Chefs Adrien Marcinowski and Maxime Bournazel were overcome with all the Southern France feels, and decided it was THE perfect spot for Rise.

Boasting plenty of Provence-style outdoor seating and plush leather benches inside, there’s no better setting for coffee sipping and croissant munching. The highlight for us would have to be the peeping-Tom-friendly kitchen, allowing patrons and passers-by to watch these master bakers in action through stunning arched windows. Clui Design and Lowry Group nailed the interiors and build with high-quality finishes and a simplistic elegance, with a few statement touches to deliver the wow. A never-fail colour palette of whites, pale pinks, creams and gold was used, with lots of curved edges for on-trend femininity. The lengthy cabinet displaying all the freshly baked goodies is truly stunning, as is the feature lighting and gold tombstone arch frames displaying custom-drawn illustrations of their in-house pastries.

Another talking point is the unique feature wall next to the champagne bar, with gold poles of glass feature discs that represent bubbles from the bottles of, well, bubbles! Designed and created in Poland and shipped here specifically, it’s not something you’d find in your average bakery and adds to the sophistication and class of this beautiful space.

Trying to choose a sweet or savoury treat here will really test the indecisive and delight the bakery enthusiasts. Whilst you can’t go wrong because it’s all so right, may we draw your attention specifically to the Macarons. These little bundles of heaven are just the right size to give you that decadent hit of sugary (but not too sugary) goodness. They look as amazing as they taste and go on, just order them all because lots of small treats are wayyyyy better for you than one big treat right?

And what type of French Bakery would it be if you didn’t get the chance to ogle a serious selection of freshly made pastries like Croissants, Pain Au Chocolat, Fruit Tarts and Chocolate Eclairs to name a few front runners. So, we are here to reassure you, that you’ll be hard-pressed to pick just one treat to indulge in when you are confronted with the decadent display. Also if you’re a sucker for freshly baked bread (samesies), Rise Bakery has you covered with Sourdoughs and Baguettes. But no dawdling please, because blink and you miss it – it sells like hotcakes, umm, we mean bread.

Oh and heads up on a simply irresistible menu addition coming soon which we’ve been told is the Balenciaga of bakery beverages; specialty Cake Shakes. We feel no further info is required because Cake. And. Shakes.

So watch this space folks because a liquor license is imminent which means you can take full advantage of Rise’s swanky champagne bar, which we reckon will be the fancy fruit on the flavour-packed flan.

Where: Shop C/ 4 Masthead Way, The Marine Village, Sanctuary Cove
When: 7am – 4pm Tuesday – Sunday. Closed Monday.

Words by Bianca Trathen.

When a new venue specialising in quality, authentic Mexican cuisine and tequila launches, we drop everything. Especially when it opens on the Northern GC because halleluiah, this end of the Coast is finally getting its quota of fresh, modern and very ‘now’ eats spots. This particular establishment, the spec-taco-lar Pablito’s Mexican Cuisine and Tequilaria, calls the luxe (yet casually cool) Sanctuary Cove home, and is the new frontrunner on your ‘restaurants to try stat’ list.

With an emphasis on fresh produce presented simply, Pablito’s serves up a very on-trend predominantly plant-based and gluten free menu, with just enough non-planty goodness to keep the meat eaters happy. Offering indoor outdoor dining with capacity to seat 45 inside and 50 outside, it looks the part of the quintessential Modern Mexican cantina. But, it also has a slight Caribbean influence and holy guacamole, is this not the union of the two coolest vibes ever and we are already obsessed.

Speaking of obsessed, there’s a cactus at every turn which really speaks to our unrelenting fascination with these prickly must-haves. Our terracotta fetish is also well and truly nurtured, with gorgeous terracotta tables set against venetian walls and exposed concrete. The Virgin Mary herself resides within, in the form of several statues lit up with soft, flickering mood lighting creating a warm, authentic Mexican ambience. Clui Design and Northcoast Building and Maintenance certainly understood the assignment by creating a space that feels intimate and fun and best of all, like you’ve just swapped continents and stepped into Mexico City itself.

Owners Peter Baumgart and Paul Hodgkinson have outdone themselves on the big sister to their first-born Mexican restaurant, Caracara in Tugun. Looking to cut their teeth on something bigger and swisher, they patiently waited for the perfect location to present itself for a premium dining experience. Naturally when a spot at Sanctuary Cove became available, they were all over it like jalapeños on a taco.

Head chef Luke Corvin cooks up a show-stopping variety of delectable plates, designed both to share or hog all to yourself. Using only the highest quality produce and suppliers, sink your pearly whites into his signature Red Snapper Ceviche, enjoyed most when washed down with one (or more) of the many margaritas on offer. Our infatuation with this iconic Mexican cocktail is well documented, so any chance we have to knock back a few of these bad boys, we’re there before you can say muchos margis grazias. We’re ordering both the coconut margarita and the watermelon margarita because we can’t choose and why should we? The house tequila is made with wild agave and they only use organic, freshly squeezed lime in all their cocktails. Or, if you’re into sipping tequilas and mezcals (or shotting, like us circa the early naughties), there are over 50 on the menu and we dare you try them all. Actually, maybe don’t do that… because it really won’t end well for anyone involved.

We’re also fans of the Crispy Mushroom Tacos with cashew cream, charred white cabbage and hibiscus onion, and the King Prawn Lettuce Tacos with Persian feta, sauerkraut, egg, peas, hibiscus onions, and Yarra Valley salmon caviar (fancy!). And let’s not forget the Chicken Burrito Bowl with Mexican rice, house beans, salsa verde and roasted red capsicum sauce and slaw. Top it all off with the Dessert Nachos with salted caramel bananas, coconut yoghurt and peanut brittle and you’ve officially died and gone to foody heaven.

So if you’re keen to escape the mass produced, sour cream laden tex-mex style of chow and experience authentic and genuine Me-hi-co, Pablito’s is the real deal.

Where: Shop 39D Masthead Way, Sanctuary Cove, Hope Island
When: 5.30pm – midnight Monday – Wednesday, 11.30am – midnight Thursday, & 6.30am – midnight Friday – Sunday.

Words by Bianca Trathen.