In an exquisite display of the lush and the lavish, an impressive list of high profile guests tonight attended the official opening of The Star Gold Coast's new luxury suite hotel, The Darling.

Around 250 guests attended the invitation-only celebrations, including celebrities Pia Miller, Kris Smith, Ian Thorpe, Lincoln Lewis, Rodger Corser and Laura Csortan, social influencer Li Chi Pan and the who's who in business and government dignitaries.

After turning the first sod alongside The Star Entertainment Group Chairman, John O'Neill AO, at the luxury development's ground-breaking ceremony in August 2015, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk returned to formally declare the state's newest landmark officially open.

Located at the front of the iconic Broadbeach Island property, The Darling is an opulent stand-alone hotel featuring 57 luxurious spacious suites boasting a distinct, boutique design and eclectic feel.

From premium resort facilities and high-class gaming amenities to its stunning infinity pool alongside rooftop restaurant and bar, Nineteen at The Star, The Darling offers a high-end experience, catering to the individual needs of leisure and business travellers.

The Star Entertainment Group Managing Director Queensland Geoff Hogg said the star-studded affair marked a significant milestone in the property's journey to further embedding itself as a world-class tourism destination ahead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“We began our transformation with the opening of multi award-winning restaurant Kiyomi in December 2014, and a fantastic team exuding phenomenal skill, passion and drive has seen our vision come to life perfectly,” Mr Hogg said.

“We believed in the growth and future potential of the City and over the last three years have remained committed to delivering a world-class destination that will further propel the Gold Coast onto the world stage, while also staying true to the spirit of our unique surroundings.

“The essence of The Darling is to provide guests with an unprecedented level of sophistication the City has never seen before, and this evening we were on show to the world, providing a taste of the luxury and personalised service our guests can expect.”

Arriving by limousine to the sound of internationally renowned harpist Jake Meadows, guests first experienced The Darling's stunning porte cochere adorned with luxury vehicles and the dramatic architecture of a cutting-edge three-dimensional glass dome.

Entering via the red carpet through large revolving doors leading to the lavish Lobby, guests were treated to a 2.5-metre-high Veuve Clicquot champagne tower while marvelling at acrobatic performers on luggage trolleys.

A fusion of the traditional and opulent with the new and eclectic, the Lobby includes a grand chandelier weighing 750kg, specially curated artwork reminiscent of The Darling's coastal paradise location and a stunning water feature of hundreds of glass beads resembling the beauty of a jellyfish.

Guests were treated to the sounds of a grand baby piano draped with stunning lush florals curated by local company Stem Design, marrying perfectly with the Lobby's opulent teal, purple and golden hues oozing class and grandeur.

The Star Entertainment Group CEO Matt Bekier revealed the icon's redevelopment journey from sod turning three years ago where the property first broke ground, while Chairman, John O'Neill AO, joined Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, in the unveiling of The Darling plaque.

Guests were then invited upstairs for an exclusive first look at Nineteen at The Star, a premium new rooftop destination that offers a superior dining and beverage experience with spectacular beach and city skyline views.

Guests were entertained by DJ Damien Hessie; one of the founding members of Australian music group Sneaky Sound System. An impressive copper 'Hello, Darling' danced on the surface of The Darling's gravity-defying infinity pool, which extends five metres beyond the side of the tower.

The evening's menu showcased The Star Gold Coast's five signature restaurants with exquisite dishes from Kiyomi, Cucina Vivo, Garden Kitchen & Bar, Imperial at The Star and for the first time, Nineteen at The Star.

Kiyomi Executive Head Chef Chase Kojima's impeccable skill was on display, showcasing his craft at a custom gold-scale sushi station in The Darling Lobby, while Sam Studd, son of internationally renowned artisan cheese specialist Will Studd, shared his passion for the delicacy at Nineteen at The Star.

The Darling will be open exclusively for Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games representatives and stakeholders during and in the lead up to the event before welcoming its first public guests from mid-April.

THE DARLING

The lavish new hotel forms the centrepiece of The Star Gold Coast's landmark transformation and features 57 spacious suites ranging in size from 70sqm to a stunning 328sqm with impressive wrap-around balconies.

Each level features just seven suites, beginning with 22 base rooms, the Jewel Suites, and 21 larger Stellar Suites. While no comfort or detail has been spared in the creation of the hotel's 14 most luxurious suites, which include four Penthouse Suites, three Penthouse Spa Suites and seven Penthouse Deluxe Suites which feature their own private Billiard, Media or Exercise room.

Designed by internationally renowned architects Steelman Partners, the opulent suites were delivered by multi-disciplinary firm DBI Design and highly-respected Australian construction company, Probuild.

Opulent finishes and rich yet calming colours combined with the impressive size of the suites create the ultimate world of luxury for guests, delivering an unrivalled leisure and entertainment destination to the Gold Coast.

The Darling connects to the recently refurbished five-star hotel, The Star Grand, offering guests access to the iconic property's award-winning restaurants and bars, and is the second hotel in The Star Entertainment Group to adopt the boutique brand.

THE STAR GOLD COAST REDEVELOPMENT

The Star Gold Coast's monumental transformation heralds a new era for the property and forms part of crucial investment in the region ahead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Eleven new food and beverage offerings, 596 refurbished hotel rooms at The Star Grand and a premium poolside experience are among the already completed offering, while The Darling forms the centrepiece of the redevelopment.

Adding to the excitement is the planned addition of the first mixed-use residential apartment and hotel tower on Broadbeach Island. Pending successful pre-sales of The Star Residences, the 53-storey tower could be the first of up to five within a future master plan as part of a joint venture with renowned Hong Kong-based partners Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium.

The existing redevelopment at The Star Gold Coast and the build of The Darling has already delivered 600 new construction roles while The Star Residences project would create around 500 construction roles over the next three to four years.

Together, the refurbishment of the existing property and the development of both The Darling and the proposed hotel and residential tower would involve a combined investment of up to $850 million.