181 The Esplanade

For the $1700 I paid for a week, the place needed a lot more cleaning and maintenance. The room smelled strongly of damp and mould. The furniture was dated and dusty, there was black mould on the bathroom ceiling, and rust and scuff marks were everywhere. The mattress had an uncomfortable dip, and there were marks on the sheets. Even the parking area smelled musty, with bugs in the light fixtures. Getting inside wasn't welcoming either. The foyer lights were off, so it was dark when I arrived, and nobody was at reception. I had to call the number posted on the wall to get help checking in. It really didn't meet expectations for the price.

The rooms were spotless and tidy, and the staff were really friendly. Great location, too, with a lovely pool and spa.

We had a spacious, comfortable two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, with plenty of storage, a kitchen and laundry room. The beds were comfy, the rooms clean, and the balcony looked out over the main Esplanade. It's a quiet, safe area, close to the centre and some nice walks. The bathrooms are large but look dated and could use some refurbishment. Helicopters coming in to the airport can be noisy at night, though there aren't that many. We also occasionally spotted huge cockroaches or ants.

The location at 181 The Esplanade is fabulous, with Cairns Base Hospital on one side and a great restaurant and cocktail bar on the other. It's an easy walk into town along the waterfront, and the staff are very good. I booked it for my 95-year-old mother and two siblings. Their arrival was delayed a little, so I did their grocery shopping and dropped it off. I was able to put everything in the unit before my family checked in later, which made the weekend so much easier. We really appreciated that.