Brisbane - Australia
I stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton which is a new property, very central to the CBD and all its attractions. Paying the little extra for a room with a river view is worth its while. The gym and observation deck on the top floor is great. There is also a little bar and coffee shop in the foyer. Getting to the CBD is simple using either AirTran which costs around $15 per person or by taxi which costs approximately $40. The walk into the CBD takes a leisurely 5-10 minutes and Fortitude Valley is approximately another 10 minutes walk where you will find an abundance of restaurants and bars. One particular bar called 'cloud' is a must visit. Brisbane has a bike rental system where you can hire bikes with the swipe of your credit card. You can pick these up on almost every corner in the CBD and you can drop them off at any of their bike stations also. The mall was a great place to enjoy a bite to eat in one of the restaurant cafés that sit in the middle of the shopping area. There is a regular train and bus system that can easily transfer you to the Gold Coast if you would like that beach getaway.