Accommodation Information

The Shangri-la hotel at the Marina on Pierpoint Rd off the Esplanade is one of Cairns city’s recent additions. This five-star property underwent recent renovations to the lobby and their spectacular Horizon Club floor with its club room and reception makes the Shangri-la hotel the number one option for visiting VIPs – the ASEAN delegation stayed here – of all stripes … movie stars, celebrities, opera singers and rock stars.

The Cairns International Hotel on Abbott St is another five-star hotel that offers a central location for visitors in an “old colonial” atmosphere. Facilities are to be expected with a rooftop swimming pool, massive ballrooms, restaurants and good service.

If you’re looking for some gambling on your holiday, the Sofitel Reef Hotel and Casino is another five-star option. Alongside the only casino in Cairns, the hotel offers a spa bath in every room, a nightclub, bars and restaurants and a rooftop nature park, the Cairns Wildlife Dome, where visitors can experience nature in between trying their hand at the cards.

Many hotels in the Cairns city region offer the expected facilities of quality chains as well as smaller, boutique options and family friendly holiday apartments. If it’s ocean views you’re after, the Waterfront Terraces Apartments are new and right on the Esplanade, across from a cute café and within easy walk of great dining options.

There are a great number of mid-range hotels in Cairns city, mainly of three-star quality, which vary between okay and great.

Home to a fantastic Balinese restaurant, The Bayleaf, the Bay Village Tropical Retreat offers low-rise accommodation only minutes from the Esplanade. The Comfort Inn on Sheridan St in Cairns city is a quality chain motel with spacious rooms, a good restaurant and a lagoon style pool with a waterfall.

Due to the plethora of holiday accommodation in Cairns city there are some deals to be had if visitors book in advance. Some quality three and four-star hotels can be had for a little as $80 and B&Bs are another great option.

>> See our Backpackers Accommodation section for accommodation options at super cheap prices

A fun option for those looking for a bit of culture is Club Crocodile in the Hides Hotel right in the very centre of Cairns on the Lake St mall. Originally built in 1885, the Hides Hotel is a renovated modern hotel with colonial charm. There are Heritage Listed group rooms with shared facilities or motel-style rooms with own bathrooms. There’s a great breakfast served on the wide colonial verandas every morning.

Another good chain hotel is the Mecure Hotel Harbourside on the Esplanade with a large pool and spa, currency exchange, tour desk, baby-sitting and parking available. This is a four-star hotel but the deals can be very reasonable if booked in advance.

If you’re looking for a more casual and intimate experience, there are a number of B&Bs in Cairns city. Galvin’s Edge Hill B&B is just five minutes from the city centre in a beautiful old renovated Queenslander – the traditional wooden building of the region.

For a very reasonable form of holiday accommodation, Cairns Coconut Caravan Resort is an award-winning spot with van sites, camping areas and an assortment of on site villas, units and cabins with one, two or three bedroom self-contained options.

Home to a number of excellent resorts and spas, Palm Cove has some truly luxurious accommodation options for visitors. Sanctuary Palm Cove offers visitors private apartments with every convenience, fabulous pools, spa treatments and a top notch restaurant. Just minutes from the beach, this resort is super deluxe and worth every, considerable, penny spent.

Another resort tucked away at the south end of Palm Cove is the Sea Temple Resort & Spa. Located on the beach, the resort offers apartments from one to four bedrooms, swimouts, private plunge pools and rooftop terraces alongside great service and top dining. At the same end is the Angsana Resort & Spa, right on the beachfront with every room a suite, resort pool, a wedding chapel, beachside dining and the Angsana Spa.

Although renowned for its deluxe accommodation, there are a few options for visitors who wish to spend less, in many cases that’s the only difference as the general quality of accommodation in Palm Cove is excellent.

Home to some of the best resorts in the Cairns region, Palm Cove doesn’t offer a lot in the area of budget accommodation, particularly in the high season. There are few cheaper options however.

The Palm Cove Beach Sarayi Hotel & Coconut Lodge is three and a half star holiday accommodation but rates can be as low as $99 per night.

The cheapest option in Palm Cove, though, is the caravan park. Located at the northern end of Williams Esplanade, the Palm Cove Caravan Park is right on the beach, next to the jetty. There are camping spaces also available with washing facilities, toilets and onsite management. Run by Cairns City Council, bookings can be made by calling +61 7 4055 3824.

For a romantic escape, Cadaghi Cottage in World Heritage rainforest just outside Kuranda is a secluded, self-contained luxury option.

The greater Atherton Tableland offers visitors great luxury accommodation in the form of self-contained pole homes or cottages with spas, gourmet provisions, some with breakfasts provided and almost all set up especially for couples. One of the best is the Allawah Retreat about halfway between Atherton and Tolga.

For gourmet food lovers, Eden House Heritage Restaurant & Garden Cottages in the centre of Yungaburra offers elegant colonial charm in the main house built in 1912 with exquisite meals created from locally‑sourced produce.

The Atherton Tableland is peppered with cosy B&Bs, generally stocked with local produce and tucked away from the crowds. While not exactly deluxe or top end, there are some great atmospheric options. In Kuranda, the Miju Rainforest Retreat is about 400m above sea level and the fully-self contained two-bedroom villa is perfect for privacy and getting back to nature.

For something completely different, Cedar Park Rainforest Resort, about halfway between Kuranda and Mareeba, offers unique accommodation – all mock gothic stone work and hand-carved wood – nestled in rainforest filled with rare flora and fauna, particularly birds. Centrally located in the village of Kuranda, the Kuranda Resort & Spa offers a wide choice of accommodation from one-bedroom villas to larger three-bedroom apartments.

Mid-range accommodation is not plentiful on the Atherton Tableland and in Kuranda. There are a couple of three-star hotels but with fairly reasonable prices at some of the deluxe B&Bs there are no problems finding good accommodation. The Atherton Rainforest Motor Inn on the Kennedy Highway is a great choice for people on self-drive holidays. Another option is the Yungaburra Park Motel on the Gillies Highway, in the middle of Yungaburra on the Atherton side of town.

There’s a fair amount of reasonable holiday accommodation in both Kuranda and in the various towns and villages of the Atherton Tableland.

The Kuranda Hotel/Motel on Arara St in Kuranda village is a homey tribute to Australiana with lots of wood and huge statues of Ned Kelly. Just outside Kuranda on Myola Rd is the Kuranda Rainforest Accommodation Park offering self-contained bungalows and poolside units, a lodge with shared facilities, campsites, caravan sites, a restaurant, large pool, tour booking office, a camp kitchen and campfire and internet access.

In Atherton, there are a number of budget holiday accommodation options like Atherton Halloran’s Leisure Park, at the base of Halloran’s Hill, with stand alone, fully self-contained villas that can sleep up to four people, caravan sites and campsites. For a cultural experience The Barron Valley Hotel in the heart of Atherton has been operating for 75 years and was recently renovated in keeping with its original Art Deco style.

Yungaburra’s Curtain Fig Motel has a colonial feel with fully self-contained apartments and a spa unit. Right in the middle of Yungaburra is the historical Lake Eacham Hotel, a traditional wooden “pub” (public house) with renovated rooms available upstairs.

Known as the “Yungaburra Pub”, the hotel offers budget accommodation of rooms with shared facilities. Just outside Malanda on the Millaa Millaa Rd is the Malanda Lodge Motel with a popular restaurant, cocktail bar, swimming pool and 4.5ha of gardens.