Tropical Oasis near Beach

Ruby at reception is always welcoming and friendly. We enjoyed the Curlew’s cry in the morning and at night, along with the frog songs from our balcony. The resort’s tropical gardens are beautifully kept, a real credit to the managers. Our apartment was adequate, though it could use a little spruce-up. There was plenty of covered parking onsite, but the bays were quite tight to manoeuvre into. The setting is perfect, with Holloways Beach and a fantastic cafe just a short stroll across the road. Cairns city is only a 10-minute drive along a dual-lane road.

The place was filthy, and our room was infested with cockroaches. We expected the “resort” to be much better, so our Cairns trip was a major letdown. We’ll never stay here again.

It’s lovely to have the beach across the road for morning walks and coffee at the cafe, but there were more downsides than upsides for us. The pool isn’t heated, which might be fine in summer but wasn’t good in winter. Even the spa was cold, when a spa should be hot. For a self-contained unit, there wasn’t a fry pan, and the two-burner electric stove was tucked awkwardly in a corner right beside the fridge. There aren’t many places to eat locally, though we had a hire car and found everything within a 15-minute drive. The sofa bed was old and incredibly uncomfortable, and there was no smart TV. We also saw two cockroaches during our stay, with traps in the unit. I understand Cairns can be an expensive holiday destination, and Cairns Beach Resort seems to own the Holloways Beach market because there aren’t many options. Still, the owners should invest in things like small smart TVs and a pool heating element, or at least heat the spa, to encourage guests to return.

We enjoyed the peaceful feel and gorgeous beach views from our balcony during our week at the resort. We arrived a day later than planned because flooding had closed the highway. The family pool was a highlight, almost like having it to ourselves, and the saltwater was nice to swim in. Our room had vinyl floorboards instead of carpet, which felt clean and modern. The floors were sandy and the blankets weren’t clean when we arrived. Reception sorted it promptly, cleaned the floors, brought brand-new blankets, and left a thoughtful little gift with a card. The beds were quite noisy and squeaky, so upgrading them would be my only suggestion. For the price, the quality met our expectations and we had a pleasant stay. Thank you, Josh and team.