--- title: "First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel vs Mantra Mooloolaba…" description: "First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel or Mantra Mooloolaba Beach in Sunshine Coast? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices…" url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/first-light-mooloolaba-an-ascend-collection-hotel-sunshine-coast-vs-mantra-mooloolaba-beach-sunshine-coast/ language: en source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com) retrieved: 2026-11-12 --- # First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel vs Mantra Mooloolaba Beach Both are in Sunshine Coast, 190 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger. Hotel · ★★★★ · Mooloolaba ## [First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/first-light-mooloolaba-an-ascend-collection-hotel-sunshine-coast/) - **Guest rating:** 8.6 · Very good - **Location score:** 9.2 - **Score by category:** 0 of 5 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1415302/agoda/?lang=en) Hotel · ★★★★½ · Mooloolaba ## [Mantra Mooloolaba Beach](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/mantra-mooloolaba-beach-sunshine-coast/) - **Guest rating:** 8.7 · Very good - **Location score:** 9.0 - **Score by category:** 2 of 5 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1821435/agoda/?lang=en) The short answer ## Pick Mantra Mooloolaba Beach It leads in 2 of 5 categories. 190 m apart. ### Choose First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel if you want - a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 33 / 188) ### Choose Mantra Mooloolaba Beach if you want - a spa and wellness - a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 188 / 33) ### Why is First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel better than Mantra Mooloolaba Beach? 1. 33 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+33) 2. A smaller, more intimate hotel (33 vs 188 rooms) (−155) ### Why is Mantra Mooloolaba Beach better than First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel? 1. Has a spa 2. Higher star rating (4.5★ vs 4★) (+0.5★) 3. More guest reviews (679 vs 88), so the rating is more reliable (×7.7) 4. 4 more listed amenities (16 vs 12) (+4) 5. A larger hotel with more facilities (188 vs 33 rooms) (×5.7) ## All compared facts Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel. | | First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel | Mantra Mooloolaba Beach | | --- | --- | --- | | Score by category | | Guest rating | 8.6 | 8.7 | | Location | 9.2 | 9.0 | | Facilities | 4.2 | 5.8 (+1.6) | | Spa & wellness | 1.5 | 7.0 (+5.5) | | Beach access | 9.8 | 9.7 | | Ratings & reviews | | StayVersus score | 8.7 | 8.7 | | Guest rating | 8.6 | 8.7 (+0.1) | | Number of reviews | 88 | 679 (+591) | | Google rating | 3.9/5 | – | | Google reviews | 114 | – | | Rank in Sunshine Coast | bottom 29% | bottom 34% (+5%) | | Location | | Location score | 9.2 | 9.0 | | Distance to Mooloolaba centre | 150 m (−180 m) | 330 m | | To the beach | 150 m | 200 m | | To the airport | 10 km | 10 km | | Restaurants within 500 m | 115 (+33) | 82 | | To the nearest food shop | 170 m | 80 m | | Shops within 500 m | 4 | 3 | | Sights within 1 km | 6 | 6 | | Rooms & building | | Star rating | ★★★★ | ★★★★½ (+0.5★) | | Rooms | 33 | 188 | | Floors | – | 16 | | Newest building or renovation | – | 2000 | | Listed amenities | 12 | 16 (+4) | | Policies | | Check-in from | 14:00 | 14:00 | | Check-out until | 10:00 | 10:00 | | Amenities | | Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ | | Free parking | ✓ | ✓ | | Laundry | ✓ | ✓ | | Luggage storage | ✓ | ✓ | | Bar | ✓ | – | | Swimming pool | ✓ | ✓ | | Terrace | ✓ | ✓ | | Smoke-free | ✓ | ✓ | | Air conditioning | ✓ | – | | Balcony | ✓ | ✓ | | Coffee or tea maker | ✓ | ✓ | | Shuttle | – | ✓ | | Car hire | – | ✓ | | Spa | – | ✓ | | Sauna | – | ✓ | | Hot tub | – | ✓ | | Meeting rooms | – | ✓ | | Which hotel suits you | | Couples | – | ✓ | | Business trips | – | ✓ | | Spa & relaxation | – | ✓ | ## Live prices around both hotels Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer. [Mantra Mooloolaba Beach prices by month](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/mantra-mooloolaba-beach-sunshine-coast/prices/) ## Location 190 m apart First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel: city centre: 3.8 km, Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY): 10 km, beach: 150 m, 115 places to eat within 500 m, 6 sights within 1 km. Mantra Mooloolaba Beach: city centre: 3.6 km, Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY): 10 km, beach: 200 m, 82 places to eat within 500 m, 6 sights within 1 km. ## Weather in Sunshine Coast [Sunshine Coast weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/australia/queensland/sunshine-coast/weather) ## First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel or Mantra Mooloolaba Beach: common questions ### Which is better, First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel or Mantra Mooloolaba Beach? Mantra Mooloolaba Beach leads in 2 of 5 categories, including facilities, spa & wellness. ### Which is cheaper, First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel or Mantra Mooloolaba Beach? Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side. ### Which hotel is closer to the centre? First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel is closer: 150 m from the centre, against 330 m for Mantra Mooloolaba Beach. ### How far apart are First Light Mooloolaba, an Ascend Collection Hotel and Mantra Mooloolaba Beach? The two hotels are 190 m apart in a straight line. ## Compare now Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/) --- Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/first-light-mooloolaba-an-ascend-collection-hotel-sunshine-coast-vs-mantra-mooloolaba-beach-sunshine-coast/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/