Hotels near Muddy's Playground, Cairns

The room was very clean. I spent a long time looking for a hotel, and most of them seemed old and outdated. This one was newer, so I quickly chose it. I got a courtyard room with a small balcony, which was perfect for sitting and enjoying a beer – very relaxing. The front desk staff provided service in Chinese, which was a really thoughtful touch. They clearly marked the locations of the shopping mall, pharmacy, and night market, which was super helpful. The only way to get to the hotel is by taxi from the airport, but overall, I was very satisfied with the stay.

Although the hotel has been open for a while, the rooms are well-maintained and don't look old or dated. It's only about a 5-minute walk to the Reef Fleet Terminal, which is really convenient for taking a cruise to the Great Barrier Reef – you can even sleep in a bit longer in the morning! Since breakfast wasn't included with the room, we added it for two days when we checked in. It was around $40-something per person. I have to say, the breakfast was pretty mediocre, both in terms of variety and taste. Even the tables and chairs weren't as well-kept as the rooms; the chair I sat on was wobbly. Overall, the hotel is pretty good. The location is convenient, and the rooms are comfortable. There's a decent Italian restaurant on the way to the terminal too.

The rooms aren't as new as the ones in Railay, but the suite's terrace offers a great view. The pool is decent too, and the location is convenient. The front desk staff are friendly and can speak Chinese. The surrounding area has excellent amenities, making it easy to find food, drinks, and entertainment anytime, anywhere.

Great location, just across the road from the beachfront promenade. I really loved the modern, minimalist style of the hotel. However, room cleaning needs improvement. The Asian woman at the front desk was very cold and gave me a low-floor room, claiming all rooms were full. Later, I realized that Asian guests were generally assigned to lower floors. 😤

This was my first time staying here. Our room was directly above the terrace, so we could hear the lively chatter, which actually added to the travel experience in a fun way. I was a bit worried the noise might keep me from sleeping, but every night around 10 PM, it quieted down, and I was able to rest peacefully. I highly recommend buying groceries from the nearby supermarket and enjoying a meal on the terrace. Also, you can walk to the seaside promenade in about 10 minutes. It’s a safe location for a solo early morning stroll.

Okay here’s my review. The Espy has so much going for it in terms of being central to the entertainment precinct of Cairns Esplanade.  Check in was easy and friendly and the two bunk dorm had its own dedicated ensuite bathroom which was very clean and quite large. The bedroom was clean and the bunks were enclosed wood and steel construction with zero squeaking. Clean towel and linen provided. So that’s all the very good stuff. The not as good things I observed were: - the lounge/common areas were dimly lit, very tired (bordering on festy) furniture and not somewhere I’d socialise due to limited seating, very few power/USB outlets or clean comfortable seating. - The pool…. Or should I call it the tropical punch bowl of various biological matter and other detritus… if you’re keen of growing something fungal on your body, go in…. I decided not to. -Kitchen and meal prep area all seemed clean and safe to get your mung bean and tofu ready for consumption.  - The personal under bunk locker was missing its latch and with two roommates I had to say a little prayer that my gear would be safe inside my enclosed bunk. Overall this was my maiden voyage as a backpacker and at 57 years of age, I’ve stayed in a lot of Hotels and Motels costing far more for way less cleanliness. I rate this place highly for all the good reasons above.  The not so good stuff is easily fixed by management but for $65 per night in peak season, I don’t think you can get any better value in Central Cairns right near the action. Pubs, cafes, night market and the City Lagoon. Thanks Espy crew, you made this old dog’s stay a pleasant one and will be back if and when the opportunity presents itself.

We enjoyed our stay here very much. Next time though I would ask for pool side as I think it would have been quieter than the street side with the mountain view. Very good breakfast both at the hotel and the one that was provided down the street at the cafe. It was a bit rushed at the café if you have an early morning departure for an activity. We had to take it to go a couple times. The room was spacious and we could get clean towels each day or as needed as there was no housekeeping for our 5 day stay. Pool was nice and hardly anyone using it when we were there. We definitely recommend this hotel. Good price too for our stay with the breakfast!

Hides Hotel in Cairns offers exceptional value for money. This century-old hotel has a unique city vibe and is perfectly located in the heart of downtown. It's just a few minutes' walk to the Esplanade, night markets, and the Great Barrier Reef terminal, surrounded by a multitude of restaurants and shops, making getting around incredibly convenient. The guest rooms are clean and tidy, equipped with air conditioning, a mini-fridge, and free Wi-Fi, and the beds are soft and comfortable for a good night's sleep. The front desk staff are warm and helpful and can assist with booking reef tours. The spacious, vintage veranda is perfect for relaxing. It's definitely a top choice for budget travelers, and I'll stay here again next time I'm in Cairns.

The Mantra Hotel has outstanding location. It is directly in front of the Woolworths supermarket - the best option in central Cairns. It's also virtually opposite (the esplanade side)the lagoon public beachfront swimming pool. Finally it's just a 5 minute walk from Cairns Cruise Terminal, with outstanding day trips to Green Island, Fitzroy Island and the Reef. I booked a sea view room. When you enter the room, you don't see the ocean, but a building across the road. However, the view from the balcony was amazing. The balcony overlooks the main features of lagoon on the sea front. During the day it is great view - the lagoon pools and sea in the background. At night you cannot see the sea (as to be expected) but you have the amazing lagoon lights, which makes it very desirable and even romantic. Our room was at the end of block, which overlooks a shopping mall (no car noise) - looking right from the balcony is the lagoon view and looking left is a mountain view. However, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm the sun comes directly into the balcony area, which means it unusable until sun sets. Of course if you don't mind baking in the sun on the balcony, this is not really a concern. The room itself is pretty basic. The mini fridge of OK and TV has domestic channels only - no cable TV for BBC/CNN. The bathroom is of a good size. There is combined shower & bath. However, when using the shower, it can slightly flood this bathroom. A shower curtain may be desirable because the glass panel is not sufficient enough. At $225 per night this hotel was not cheap and you can better deals by coming in the off-season OR going bit further down the esplanade, and choosing another hotel. The Mantra does have its own pool and it is wonderfully heated, with normal deck chairs you would expect at 4 star hotel. However, the pool gets very little natural sunlight, because it of its location between 2 buildings. Overall, the hotel has amazing location, and it is still recommended, despite the shortcomings mentioned. My final note: When we checked in, I was impressed with the level of service provided by the receptionist. She had a very welcome attitude and a wonderful personality.

Traveling solo, I found this place quiet and clean. The only minor drawback was the slightly dated facilities, but everything else was perfect. The price was also reasonable. I'll definitely choose this hotel again next time I'm on a road trip in New Zealand.