The Beach Place

We were really pleased to find this place, just 20 minutes from Cairns with a pristine patrolled beach across the road. It's more a clean, tidy and affordable home away from home than a luxury hotel, so come expecting an air bnb rather than a fancy apartment hotel and you won't be disappointed. We enjoyed the ocean views, the cafe downstairs, especially Thursday curry club, and the quiet after Cairns' 'doof doof'. The barista coffee machine gets 10/10 from us.

This is a basic, tired and outdated apartment, and the whole property felt almost disgusting. Only a few days' worth of basics were provided, there's no lift, and the wifi wasn't reliable. The distant 'beach' views are over the trees, if you're tall enough, and it was noisy from early morning. There were many homeless people living in cars along the front. Two would-be parking spaces were occupied by large tables piled with rubbish, including broken appliances and things left by other guests. The entrance and every nook under the stairs were filled with clutter: old brochures, broken computer screens and appliances, personal bicycles and toys. It was messy, smelly and hoarding. The pool didn't look like the photos, with personal kayaks and belongings all around it. The 'host' used the pool, apartment and carpark for himself and his other work. After paying several thousand dollars for a below-average place with little provided, I felt very uneasy. The host also expected clients to do all the cleaning. Shouldn't the host do his job? Hotels and motels, which are cheaper, wouldn't ask this. If you want a very overpriced, substandard, dirty, hoard-ish apartment that you have to keep spotlessly clean, stay here. Otherwise, do yourself a great favour and go ANYWHERE but here, thanks. SECOND RESPONSE: What dog hair? And what dog, for that matter? Have you got the right person or people? We only wish we'd left the run-down unit the way you falsely described. I'm not ranting, pics attached. Malcolm, are you really moaning because you had to do your actual only job? No other accommodation in Oz or the world expects its 'housekeepers/staff' to sit idle and complain publicly. They just get on with the work day. It's called Hospitality.

After our air bnb turned out nothing like its description, we cancelled and were lucky Malcolm had space. He was very nice to deal with, and the apartment was clean and had everything we needed. A couple of small drawbacks: the internet wasn't great, though we were out all day and didn't care much, and the washing machine on the top floor bangs against the wall or floor sometimes. Malcolm suggested good places to eat and get coffee, and his picks were spot on. Join The boat club for $5 and you get 10% off food and drinks, plus $15 meals on Mondays. My pick for best coffee is Yorkys cafe, where Tim also does a great brekky. The hidden cafe down the road is good too. Despite what other reviews say, I didn't find ants in the coffee downstairs at ten 06 cafe. It's always lively, but doesn't bother the apartment, and the food is ok. Those minor issues aside, it's a very good base. Enjoy.

I've stayed in hotels all over the world, and this was my worst experience. The staff were the rudest I've encountered, and we were treated like second-class citizens. We were smoking in an area without realizing it wasn't allowed. Instead of explaining politely, Malcom (Owner) got angry and made clear through several demeaning comments that he had no tolerance for smokers. The smoking restriction itself wasn't my main issue, though I do think it's rude to charge $2000 a week and expect guests to cross the road to smoke. My problem was Malcolm's treatment of us. After that confrontation I felt so uncomfortable that I asked for a refund, but he and Anna repeatedly refused. For the rest of the holiday we avoided the owners, worried about another confrontation and generally felt uncomfortable. They ruined our holiday.