All the best holiday destinations have one thing in common; you can find a diverse range of accommodation options that will appeal to all tastes and budgets. On this Cairns trip, we were fortunate enough to stay in three distinctly different places in Cairns. Whether you travel solo, as a couple or as a family, there are many factors to consider. But fear not! We have experienced what we think are three great options for travellers seeking a luxurious stay, an affordable and central stay and a back-to-nature option for those outdoorsy folk.
Crystalbook Bailey
The Crystalbrook Collection has a huge presence in Cairns CBD, with Crystalbrook Bailey, Crystalbrook Flynn and Crystalbrook Riley. We had three nights in Cairns before heading to Kuranda so we thought we would stay somewhere nice. To our surprise, it was more affordable than we thought – at $259 a night in Cairns peak season.
Our room was in the northern tower on level one, which afforded us a large balcony area that was big enough for all three of us to have dinner outside as we watched the sunset. We chose the one-bedroom apartment which included a King bed and a fold-out couch in the living space (where poor dad was relegated while mum and toddler occupied the King bed). There was also a sufficient galley kitchen with an oven and stove, which is a godsend when travelling as a family with fussy eaters or little ones who insist on a full itinerary of their favourite meals.
The pool was also lovely and located on level one, and we visited it two separate times at different parts of the day. To our delight, we found there was always part of the pool which was partially shaded. There were also very large steps which made it child-friendly for those toddlers who are a little too confident in the water. We also went for the hotel buffet breakfast (how can you not?) and found it to be very allergy friendly which you don’t often see in a buffet setting. The buffet breakfast takes place in the stunning CC’s Bar & Grill restaurant which we didn’t have the fortune of trying (not appropriate for a toddler), but it is well renowned, and full each night we passed by.
The Billabong, Kuranda
We will switch gears here as the next leg of our Cairns holiday saw us checked out of our five-star hotel, and headed to the Cairns Skyrail to Kuranda. We had booked our next accommodation following recommendations for The Billabong in Kuranda, only five minutes or so from the Kuranda Skyrail station, and a world away from what we experienced living in Melbourne. The Billabong Kuranda property is enormous, and at the centre of it is – yep, you guessed it, a billabong. You can camp, caravan or stay in a range of self-contained cabins at The Billabong, and we opted for the latter.
Our room was one of the two Treehouse Cabins available, and it offered a panoramic view of the billabong and the enormous trees that surrounded it. From across the billabong, you can see the treehouses that are high enough that they are almost at tree canopy height. The treehouse was two storeys, with a kitchen, bathroom and fold-out couch downstairs and the master bed upstairs. The bed was wrapped in a lovely mosquito net which is what you want to see in a bush location. There was also a wall of windows that brought in a beautiful breeze and filtered light through the trees, the perfect location for an afternoon snooze. The downstairs level was open to the balcony which did create a chilly atmosphere downstairs, but if you are a nature lover then this experience cannot be beat.
There was a cafe at The Billabong, run by Carmen, the property manager. We had to bring some essentials and meals to The Billabong, but on the few (ok, many) occasions we needed something, it was a quick drive to get out of the property and to the closest convenience store in Kuranda. We happened to strike up a conversation with some of the nearby campers and found that everyone we spoke to was lovely, responsible and experienced campers. For kids, there are loads of things to explore in this expansive property and you could easily spend your break here and not see all the natural and man-made creeks, huge trees and fruit trees. It was the perfect location for us to use as a base and visit Bird World and Kuranda’s Butterfly Sanctuary.
Cairns Plaza Hotel
For the final leg of our Cairns holiday, we wanted to be somewhere central on the Esplanade but did not want to spend a fortune as we knew it would be a wind-down stay before we headed to the airport. Cairns Plaza Hotel is perfectly positioned opposite Muddy’s Playground, making it easy to spend the morning there, grab lunch at Muddy’s Cafe, head back across the road to the hotel for a nap, and then head back out for an afternoon splash. We booked a room with two Queen beds side-by-side, where our family would collapse after our busy days out and about in Cairns.
The amenities were suitable for our needs, and essentials could be purchased from their 24-hour reception – as well as some shops nearby. With Muddy’s Cafe open from 6 am – 7:30 pm, we got a chance to sample the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus during our time there and the convenience of having delicious, quality food across from the hotel was such an advantage. The hotel also had a pool onsite, and while we didn’t get there it was a modern pool and looked very inviting (though it was in full sun all day).
We would absolutely recommend this hotel if you are looking for a tidy, basic and affordable hotel right next to Muddy’s Playground. If you’re travelling with other families – then this will be a perfect location for the group, with the rest of Cairns CBD and the Esplanade offerings so close by.
Which style of accommodation is more in line with your family’s preferences? We were lucky to try all three and get a taste of all the best accommodation options ranging from luxury to affordable, to outdoorsy accommodation. Be sure to check out our full Cairns travel guide here.
