escape to luxury

This week, we spent time on the Gold Coast attending an industry conference and staying at Q1 Resort & Spa in the heart of Surfers Paradise.  I must confess, Gold Coast hasn’t previously been my go-to destination, despite its close proximity from Brisbane.  I’ve seen the destination with fresh eyes this week and I was mighty impressed!  Waking early each morning to walk along the beach at sunrise was an invigorating way to start the day.  The Surfers Paradise Foreshore redevelopment is nothing short of spectacular and the city is preparing itself ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2018 in style.

The dining scene is on the improve too and we had a fabulous night at Black Coffee Lyrics, just a short walk from Q1.  With its unassuming location (upstairs of an arcade) the fit-out is super cool with dark bricks and retro style giving it an underground feel. The food, service and atmosphere were exceptional, however the real standout was the Espresso Martini, at happy hour prices no less!

This week, we quietly celebrated three years since alluxia.com went live. We celebrated with our nearest and dearest with a glass or two of French Champagne & reflected on how quickly three years has flown by. Our goals for the year ahead include growing the alluxia collection and adding more destinations while remaining truly Australian.

Winter is HERE! In an ultra cool week that even brought snow to Queensland, we are in little doubt that we are in the depths of winter in Australia.

This Friday, we think the weekend drink of choice should be mulled wine - that warming drink that tastes like Christmas in a glass! If you’re a wine lover, this wintery spin of spiced mulled wine is warm, flavourful and oh so comforting.

What a week! We’ve been catching up in the office and adding new holiday houses and boutique hotels to the alluxia collection, ready for you to browse and book for your next weekend getaway.

Now it’s Friday, which is cause for celebration in itself. So we say hello weekend with a Vodka Negroni! Although, with the cold snap about to hit Australia this weekend, you might be feeling more like some mulled wine by Sunday night.