Piermonde Apartments - Cairns

The rooms are spacious and the amenities are great, but the service let us down. We called the day before to ask about an early check-in so our baby could nap, and were told they could arrange noon. When we arrived at 1pm the room wasn’t ready. We came back at 2pm and still couldn’t get in until 2:15. When we brought up the request, they just brushed us off.

We had a lovely week in our two-bedroom apartment and would happily stay again. We didn’t hire a car, so the location worked especially well, and we could watch the Kuranda train from our balcony each day. The pool was awesome and the kids’ favourite place. Housekeeping were wonderful, even checking with us after we’d gone a day without needing the rooms made up. Pool towels and laundry detergent were provided too.

The room itself was nice, but we didn’t get the bed setup we’d requested. A week before arrival, they emailed to ask what we preferred, and I replied asking for two double beds. When we got there, only one room had a double bed. Reception first said they’d sort it out, then called back two minutes later to say housekeeping had finished for the day and nothing could be done. They also said they hadn’t received my email. They didn’t offer a solution or even try to help. It’s not a huge deal, but given what we paid, a bit of effort would’ve been appreciated.

We spent a week in a well-equipped apartment with three large bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spa bath and a big kitchen. The facilities all worked well, and there’s a Woolworths and BWS within a five-minute walk. Tour groups know The Piermonde and can pick you up there. It’s a handy spot near the wharf, shops and restaurants. Hemingway’s is right across the road for food and drinks, and the main reef cruise departures are about a five-minute walk away. The apartments suit larger families especially well. My only small disappointment was that the pool and spa weren’t heated. In May they weren’t very pleasant, which was a shame since we’d chosen a room with direct pool access. Still, I’d be very happy to stay here again.