Crystalbrook Riley

The staff were courteous and professional, and the pools were very clean and well kept. Our room was spacious and quiet. We were just around the corner from the elevator and couldn't hear it. The room's condition was poor, especially for a stay we booked 8-10 months ahead and paid five-star prices for. The bedroom air conditioner blew humid air that made the place stink. One of the two bedroom vents had some kind of fabric stuffed into it, so we didn't use it. The AC in the main room with the couch worked fine, but barely cooled both rooms together. The middle glass pane in the bathroom door was missing, which was awkward. Room service was a little awkward too. I tried to order coffee to the room at 8:00 in the morning, but the online system wouldn't let me order it before 11:00. We paid for five stars and didn't get them.

That afternoon at the pool bar, a young male staff member with blond hair, around his early 20s, seemed uninterested in serving us and walked away without saying anything after I ordered. Another couple said they'd had the same experience. The room and hallway entrance also had a strong musty smell, noticeable though not horrible. Crystalbrook Riley is right on the water, and the view from our room made waking up feel refreshing. Breakfast was delicious, and the well-kept pool area had a great atmosphere. Ordering poolside drinks and food by QR code before 5 PM was convenient. Overall, I enjoyed the stay and would recommend it for the location, views, and amenities, though I hope service quality catches up with the facilities.

The Papercrane restaurant was a real standout. The chef and kitchen served world-class cuisine, and the knowledgeable, efficient staff were helpful too. Thanks to Tyler for helping us choose, and to Maha and Jen for such sparkly, attentive service. This is a lovely, beautiful, clean place to stay, and it seems environmentally responsible. The staff are friendly and hardworking, thanks roomies. Hospitality at its best, with clearly great recruiting and training.

We spent four nights at Crystalbrook Riley and had a relaxing girls getaway, mostly hanging out by the excellent pools. The resort staff were all polite, happy to help, and impossible to fault. I'd stay again. The location is great, with a small supermarket, restaurants, fast food, drinks, and a pharmacy within walking distance. A short Uber ride gets you to a shopping centre with a cinema and everything else you might need. You could walk, but not in 90% humidity and wet-season heat. Our level-one room was clean and simple, with a balcony and courtyard. We'd booked a pool view, which was partly obscured, but we could also see the ocean, and the courtyard was an unexpected extra. I liked being on level one. The AC was lovely, though I found its panel a little hard to adjust at first. Housekeeping tidied each day but didn't fully reset the room as I expected. That didn't bother me much since they left fresh towels, which you need in Cairns because nothing dries. The food was lovely and reasonably priced, similar to elsewhere in the area. Drinks were very expensive, so I limited those. I liked poolside service, but the 10% membership discount wouldn't work when ordering from the deck chairs. It meant walking to Paper Crane or paying full price, so I mostly walked. Food and drinks arrived quickly and were enjoyable.