A soft opening of the Gold Coast 2018 Athletes' Village is taking place today ©Gold Coast 2018

A soft opening of the Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village at Gold Coast is taking place today before competitors from 71 nations and territories begin to arrive later this week.

The Village site at Parklands, officially handed over to organisers in October, is located beside the Gold Coast University Hospital and lies on a 29-hectare site.

It is expected to house 6,600 athletes and team officials at the Games due to take place from April 4 to 15 in the Australian city.

The Village will be broken up into a residential zone, an international zone and an operational zone.

Six multi-coloured residential areas will include four pools, laundry services, refreshments and television and computer spaces.

All athletes and officials will reportedly be able to take home quilts from their beds afterwards which boast a distinctive indigenous motif and other hand-painted canvasses.

There is also a medical centre, a self service buffet-style dining hall and a gym designed by the Australian Institute of Sport.

According to ABC, other features include a hairdressing salon, a smoothie bar and a total of 100,000 condoms.

There is also a seven-hectare green space "backyard" with walking paths and stages for live entertainment near a centrepiece sculpture inspired by the Gold Coast's Natural Bridge rock formation and waterfall.

Flags of nations in the Commonwealth Games Village ©Gold Coast 2018
Flags of nations in the Commonwealth Games Village ©Gold Coast 2018

Australian athletes were the strongest critics of the Athletes' Village at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after the build-up was overshadowed by reports of issues including poor wiring and blocked plumbing.

Athletes given an advanced preview this time around have given much more positive feedback so far.

"It's a different world here," discus thrower Matt Denny, who competed at Rio 2016, told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

"Everything's just clean, it's all finished, it's immaculate.

"[There was] nothing massive [in Rio]. 

"The showers clogged up a few times. 

"The toilet seat broke off.

"It's going to make a world of difference just having peace of mind coming in."

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake was another to praise the Village on first look.

"I love the colours, it's wonderful," the 2011 world 100 metres champion was quoted as saying by the Gold Coast Bulletin.

"I love everything about the Village."