Cairns is the biggest city in Far North Queensland, and acts as a gateway to both the Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef. This means the city is home to plenty of hotels, ranging from cheap chains to luxurious resorts and spas. Here’s a guide to the best hotels in Cairns.
Located directly on the Marina in Cairns, be prepared for impressive sea views at this Shangri-La Hotel. It’s a great hotel for people travelling for either work or pleasure. The business centre is equipped with everything business travellers could need, including courier, binding, and translation services. Shangri-La Hotel also has one restaurant and two bars on-site, as well as a health club, outdoor pool, complimentary shoeshine service, a shopping centre, and travel desk.
Peppers Beach Club and Spa is a five-star property located on the beach in Palm Cove, one of Cairns’ northernmost suburbs. Palm Cove is known as North Queensland’s day spa capital, and Peppers is home to one of its best day spa options. It also has three swimming pools with one swim-up pool bar, a tennis clubhouse with gym facilities, and an onsite restaurant. There are several different room options at Peppers as well, such as one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments; and guest rooms with private spas but different outlooks.
For a boutique accommodation option located in the heart of Cairns on the Esplanade, choose The Abbott Boutique Hotel. It has 33 spacious superior and deluxe guest rooms, which include either couches or lounge chairs, 40″ to 50″ televisions, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and bathrooms with luxurious complimentary products. Staff are always on hand to help guests choose the perfect Cairns day trip or tour as well.
Located 45 minutes by ferry from Cairns, Fitzroy Island is truly an unspoilt paradise. Fortunately, visitors can spend more than just a day soaking up the national park within the Great Barrier Reef by staying at Fitzroy Island Resort. The 4.5-star property is both family friendly and perfect for a romantic getaway. The room options are suites, studios, and beach cabins. Some of the amenities available to resort guests include an outdoor pool, a swim-up pool bar, a play and games room for kids, a movie theatre, a general store, and a bar and restaurant. Spend the day walking through the rainforest, or swimming at Australia’s most beautiful beach.
Pullman Reef Hotel Casino is a five-star luxury property that has everything guests could possibly want or need in a visit to Cairns. It’s home to several bars and restaurants, including Flinders Bar & Grill, Tamarind, Merchant Artisan Food & Coffee, Cafe China, and Lihou Bar. Guests can also visit the onsite casino, dance the night away in the nightclub, soak up the tropical sun beside the outdoor pool, or watch a movie in the Arena. Every luxury hotel room in this Cairns city centre hotel also features a spa bath, and either city or water views.
Another luxurious five-star property in Cairns, TripAdvisor ranks Alamanda Palm Cove as one of Australia’s top five hotels. It is home to 55 apartments, three outdoor pools (one exclusively for adults), the award-winning Nu Nu Restaurant, a full-service spa, and a beach bar. The suites range from one-bedroom to four-bedroom options. Alamanda Palm Cove claims that “no other property in all of tropical North Queensland can boast direct beach access like we can”. With these accolades, this property definitely has to be seen to be believed.
Pacific Hotel Cairns is a sister hotel to The Abbott, and is located just 150 metres up the road. But unlike its sister, the Pacific is a lot bigger, boasting 176 guest rooms, an outdoor pool, and an award-winning restaurant on-site. Each room has either an ocean, city or mountain view, a private balcony, and modern furnishings. Bushfire Flame Grill is the hotel’s award-winning Brazilian-inspired barbecue restaurant. Guests can choose between indulging in a churrasco experience, or from the a la carte menu.
The Hotel Cairns is a family-owned and operated business, located just one block from Cairns Esplanade. It’s a favourite accommodation option among local, national, and international guests. The Hotel Cairns is known for its Queenslander heritage-style building structure, although the inside was recently completely renovated. Some of the amenities available at the hotel include a tour desk, an outdoor pool and spa, a gym, and The Plantation Bar & Grill. There are both rooms and suites available at The Hotel Cairns too.
On TripAdvisor, Kewarra Beach Resort & Spa is ranked number one out of all of the hotels in the Cairns district. Its bungalows and suites are located either within lush tropical gardens, or on the quiet beachfront. The resort is home to two swimming pools, a full-service spa, Paperbark Restaurant, and The Beach Shack. There’s also room service and childminding services available. This private beach resort is in a league of its own.
