Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - OT: Any FT'ers able to recommend hotels around Cairns, OZ?

A bit of help requested please - the future Mrs 747_not_777 and I have just booked a redemption to SYD in F (no J ever seems to be available these days - even the maximum distance away) for our honeymoon in October 2010.

We would like to fly up to the Cairns area on arrival and spend 5/6 nights just relaxing by the pool / on a beach after the stress of the wedding etc. Do any FT'ers have any advice on good hotels in either Cairns or Port Douglas - or somewhere easily driveable from Cairns airport?

Budgets are not endless - wouldnt want to pay more than £275-300 a night MAX. Seen some lovely places such as Sea Temple Resort & Spa in Port Douglas... the only thing putting me off is that we'd be in one of the more basic rooms with our budget.

Dont know this part of Oz at all - so advice welcomed from people who do?

Thanks in advance... This board has helped out with hotels before - so here we go again.

Regards

747_not_777


PS - and thanks for the tip from this board about how to get BA redemptions to SYD. Our current booking with a 241 says we land on the same day we fly back - fingers crossed availability opens up in 2 weeks time for the return! If not - am guessing I could use a few more BA miles for a Qantas redemption to Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok, and pick up the return 241 on BA metal from there?

PPS - luckily the only outbound flight available was via BKK on a 744. Hope BA dont change the metal before next October! Since we got engaged on a 744 to PHX earlier this year, it's a much better match!

Well, firstly many congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

From my many many work trips to north Queensland, I can confirm that some
good places to stay would be, in this order:
(1) the Sea Temple Port Douglas. But do not stay here if you are only in a studio room. There is a huge difference between the studio rooms and the one-bedroom apartments but you should be able to get a one-bedroom apartment for the amount you are willing to pay;
(2) Peppers Bale Port Douglas, but this may be more expensive than Sea Temple;
(3) Sea Temple Palm Cove;
(3) The Shangri la in Cairns in the Horizon Club; and
(4) Sebel Harbourlights in the event that the above four are too pricy.

I suggest you try to stay in Port Douglas or if not in Palm Cove as these places are much more romantic than Cairns, although Cairns can be very nice.

The way pricing works for Cairns and north Queensland is that the prices tend to come down for accommodation the closer you get to the dates. Try www.wotif.com, also try the Qantas website to package the accommodation with airfares. But since you are looking at October 2010, have a look at the pricing available now to give you an idea of the pricing available for the same time next year.

Congratulations on your wedding!

Although I haven't stayed at the places suggested by QF Lad, I have looked at some of them and they seem good.

I'm pretty sure all of them can be booked for under £300 per night - north QLD is not the most expensive place.

I suggest you try to stay in Port Douglas or if not in Palm Cove as these places are much more romantic than Cairns

I can definitely vouch for that comment. Port Douglas has quite a few decent eating places too, in case you get bored with hotel food.

Echo the comments about Port Douglas being far nicer and much more romantic than Cairns. It has several nice restaurants - and one of the bars does cane toad racing (which I think was my husband's highlight of our whole trip!). When we stayed in Port Douglas, we actually hired a villa from here (http://www.executiveretreats.com.au/categories/Port-Douglas/). It was absolutely gorgeous with a private pool, close to the beach which you could walk up to the centre, but I can't remember how much it was as it was a couple of years ago.

When I was in Oz (Sydney, Brisbane, Cairn) on a round the world trip, me and my friend always rented 2-bedroom apartments. In Cairns it was just 50m from the beach.

An apartment or villa will give you much more value for money. Large balcony, fridge to stock goodies (beer). Kitchen to make your own breakfast to be enjoyed on the balcony.

I think we paid around £150/night.

The Holiday Inn in Cairns is lovely. I stayed there a few years ago. The rooms part is i a cylinder with a mini jungle in the middle of it with fish ponds with exotic fish. Very central too. Lovely staff. Not far from the airport atall.

I thoroughly echo the recommendations in Port Douglas and Palm Cove though I would not suggest the town centre of Cairns (Shangri La and HolidayInn) for a honeymoon. It is too much of a tour group and backpacker destination IMO.

Another consideration would be Thala Beach Resort, set in a very natural environment on a headland above it's own beach about 15mins south of Port Douglas. Accommodation is in pole vaulted bungalows scattered through eucalyptus bush with great views across the coral sea. It is a little remote though and a car would be handy.

If you can make it balance with your budget staying in more modest accommodation on the mainland, 3nts on Lizard Island would be sublime.

I personally prefer Port Douglas to Cairns as it is more geared to the traveller, has a good range of restaurants and accommodation. I have always rented a villa when northern queensland and don't think you would have too much trouble getting one with a pool for the amount you are prepared to spend though it has to be said the AU$ is strong at the moment.

This is a general tip for all, always use http://www.tripadvisor.com before you make your final decision. Reviews from hotel guests are priceless ^

Some great ideas - thanks to all. Lizard Island does look truly amazing - but the cheapest room is £775 a night - I'd have to Travelodge the remainder of the holiday to afford that! Or win the Lottery tonight! Fingers crossed.

Just to throw something into the debate - would anyone pick 6 nights anywhere else in Oz for some immediate relaxation post wedding? The rest of our Oz holiday will be 2 nights refresher in Sydney, 4 nights Blue Mountains (again, return visitor) and then 2 nights in Singapore...Tasmania had looked tempting - but seems more a place you need to get out and about to see rather than being able to relax in a resort or chill by the sea / pool.

Trip will be October 2010.

We stayed at the Hilton Cairns over the last Christmas holiday. It was decent and close to the downtown area, with views over the inland waterway. You can get executive lounge room fairly economically.

The Green Island Resort sits out on a small island about an hour's boat ride out from Cairns. We didn't stay there but saw it while on a snorkeling tour. It looks beautiful!

Best wishes!

Personally I'd say Port Douglas is one of the best places for relaxing - it was certainly where we took things at a slower place (our trip covered Sydney to Port Douglas in 5 weeks before we flew down to Melbourne). The only other possibility might be the Whitsundays/Hamilton Island?

I wouldn't go to Tasmania. Too cold, too much like Europe, generally lackluster accommodation, too boring. Though some of the food can be good but still wanting compared to regional terroir in Europe. Though if you are avid bushwalking types (hint 4nts in Blue Mountains) then you might like it. But if I were to fly over water from mainland Australia I would be going to New Zealand and not Tassie.

So you know, the Port Douglas/Cairns area is very small. To Cairns City/Palm Cove, is about a 20 minute drive from the aiport, and to Port Douglas from the airport is about 40 mins.

If you want some where romantic, then I would agree with the above, that Cairns is not the most romantic place as the beach is very bad (marsh-like) and it's very backpacker like, but it's also summer (make sure you slap on SF35+ CONSISTENTLY) so it will be quieter as everyone will be south of Brisbane.

But if you're not too concerned about the romanticness, then I know a couple of places you could stay quite cheap, and offer extremely good value for money. There is this motel (about 4 star motel quality), which is the centre of Cairns, free parking, free breakfast (cereal and toast), small clean swimming pool, free tours around Cairns (they take you on a minibus to natural swimmingholes), selfcatering rooms, free bbq and pancakes once a week and they charge about AU$70-100 a night, and the motel is called Northern Greenhouse. Rooms are basic (with TV), but clean. Also has a cheap onsite bar.

The option is this place called Gilligans, rooms are probably slightly nicer, but more expensive , and without the value (no free breaky, tours, pancakes, bbq, etc), but they have a fantastic pool and bar (the biggest nightclub in Cairns), and best of all anyone can use their pool. I have personally stayed at both places in Cairns multiple times, and have worked at both places.

I lived in Cairns for over a year, and I know it very well (I know all the places the locals go, and avoid), so if you have any questions about it (or Aus in general), private message me.

Also, Tasmania is one of these places that you have to explore, you don't go there to relax in a 5* resort, but Tasmania is beautiful and a great place to visit. I will go again at some point.

Having stayed at the Sea Temples in both Port Douglas and Palm Cove, I would recommend Port Douglas. While the Sea Temple in Palm Cove is a really nice hotel, the surrounding area is not so interesting, IMHO, whereas Port Douglas has a lot to do, and a lot of interesting restaurants. It is well worth the short additional drive.

I saw someone mention Green Island - that was quite a pleasant day out.

I can't really recommend Hilton Cairns. We stayed there one or two nights and found it not to be particularly romantic or interesting.

Tasmania - not in October.

An alternative that should be within your budget is Hayman Island http://www.hayman.com.au/

Having stayed at the Sea Temples in both Port Douglas and Palm Cove, I would recommend Port Douglas. While the Sea Temple in Palm Cove is a really nice hotel, the surrounding area is not so interesting, IMHO, whereas Port Douglas has a lot to do, and a lot of interesting restaurants. It is well worth the short additional drive.

I have to agree with that. There wasn't a lot around Sea Temple Palm Cove.

I agree with the general advice - definitely Port Douglas not Cairns. We stayed at the Mirage in a 2 bedroom villa. Trip advisor had quite a few negative comments about being run down, but I didn't find that. It has kms of lagoons that you can swim around and that was a plus for me as I wouldn't put a toe in the sea from October onwards, but then that is me - I just hate being stung by jelly fish. You are on the beach if that is what you like.

There is a bus to get you to and from the town and heaps of nice restaurants in the town. The breakfast buffet was rather nice too.

We've been to both Dunk Island and Bedarra - Bedarra is fabulous for a honeymoon, but is outside the budget. Dunk is more family oriented, but wouldn't have kids from mid October onwards. There is rain forest that you can takes hikes around and turtles in the streams and an artist colony, as well as lots of water sports.

I would suggest visiting various websites for the accommodation you are interested in and having a hit list. Then visit Wotif and the hotel sites 4 weeks out from your visit and pick the best valued. Wotif usually has all the nice hotels at huge discounts and as long as you are outside school holidays, you won't have trouble getting accommodation. According to my 2010 diary 10 October sees the finish of all school holidays and Victoria and Queensland go back on 4th.

Firstly, congratulations on the forthcoming nuptials.

May I suggest you join us in the very friendly Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific-461/) forum, lots of locals who may be able to offer all sorts of weird and wonderful advice.

Dave

Personally I preferred the area up around Cape Tribulation to Cairns or Port Douglas .. ... http://www.daintreecoast.com/ has lots of accommodation options up there.... It's a bit less developed certainly, but in my view that was a plus - and still easily drive-able from CNS airport.

May I suggest you join us in the very friendly Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific-461/) forum, lots of locals who may be able to offer all sorts of weird and wonderful advice.

Indeed -we'll let this run here for a day or two before moving over :)

Indeed -we'll let this run here for a day or two before moving over :) Thanks for that - it often amazes me (and I am also often guilty of exactly the same offence) that people post in the forums they are used to, without looking for more appropriate forums.

Again, as I said, I am often guilty of doing exactly this myself, so I am not laying on a guilt trip here, just a gentle reminder that FT is a GREAT resource, where just about anything travel related already has a forum dedicated to it.

Dave