Luxurious! (Hilton Hotel Cairns)

Member Name: jenniferjain

Product:	Hilton Hotel Cairns
Date:	20/12/08 (47 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic room, great location

Disadvantages: Pay for parking, dining in hotel expensive

My husband and I stayed at the Cairns Hilton in November 2007 as part of a trip around Australia.

We found Cairns pretty easy to navigate around in general, and the hotel wasn't hard to find by hire car from the airport. The location of the hotel is excellent, it's right on the waterfront and only a few minutes walk from the town centre. Another bonus is that it's a really short walk to the docks from where the ships for the Great Barrier Reef cruises depart, so you can leave the car at the hotel if you're planning a trip out (which I would absolutely recommend!). The tourist office is just around the corner. We did have to pay to park at the hotel, but it wasn't too expensive and it was secure underground parking.

We were on our honeymoon, and so we were lucky enough to be upgraded. We were given a much more luxurious room than we are used to! It was a spa room, which meant that in the en-suite bedroom was a huge spa bath, with a glass wall into the main bedroom (there was a blind, and frosted screen by the toilet for privacy!). A good selection of complimentary toiletries meant that I made full use of this facility. The room also had the usual television and fridge and also a safety deposit box.

The hotel also has a swimming pool, which looked nice although we didn't have chance to use it. The main reception areas were welcoming, spotless, and the whole hotel was tastefully decorated.

The staff on reception were very helpful and were able to guide us when deciding which reef trip to choose.

Breakfast wasn't included in our package so we ate outside the hotel. There were a number of small cafes close by which served simple breakfasts for a reasonable price.

It was a lovely walk from the hotel along the Esplanade. When we first arrived we couldn't understand why no-one was on the beach, until we saw all the massive warning signs about crocodiles! Instead there is a large lagoon for swimming on the waterfront, a wonderful evening stroll. There is also a large choice of restaurants and shops really close by.

Although the price for this hotel was somewhat higher than other places that we stayed on our trip, we felt that it was worth the extra money to stay somewhere like this on a few occasions, as it really helps you to relax and enjoy yourselves on a long trip. Would fully recommend this hotel.

www.cairns.hilton.com

Summary: If you can spash the cash (or bag a discount) then fully recommended!