The Espy Hostel Reviews

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.

Great place to stay in Cairns. Close to the port for the reef tour.

This hostel has a lovely atmosphere, much more chill than other hostels I’ve been in with a quirky indoor/ outdoor vibe. It’s clean with lovely staff and a great location. The beds are the most comfortable I’ve had while travelling Australia with your own personal fan. I will say that it may be a little outdated but it’s undergoing renovation. Kitchen was always clean. A little different but I enjoyed my stay here :)

I thought it was the perfect place to stay if you want to spend a weekend enjoying the activities near the Barrier Reef. It's very quiet and centrally located. Right in front of the Esplanade. I highly recommend it.

It’s a really nice hostel next to the beach. A bit hot in the corridors because of the A/C’s but except that everything was very good and clean.

Has issues with checking in but when that was all sorted had a good experience

Good location and friendly staff are there :)

It was great!

nice place

It's the cheapest, so if you just want to sleep, it's fine because the location is good. However, there was no one at the front desk, so it was difficult to do anything. Also, there were mites on the bed, so I was bitten in several places. I think it was just my room, but the drain in the shower room was clogged and water wasn't flowing.

Clean public kitchen and swimming pool. The cleaning lady tidied the room very cleanly and quickly. It is very close to the public swimming pool, so you can just change your clothes and walk over. It is right next to it.

I booked a basic double room, and the room was brighter when the lights were on. There are night markets on both sides of the hotel, and the front faces the sea. It is cost-effective, and the hygiene is average. It will feel very hot and humid without air conditioning, so the air conditioning is used 24 hours a day. There is a kitchen with a refrigerator, which is suitable for cooking.

The location was just the best. It was in the center of Esplanade, near the night market, so there was no trouble with sightseeing. It was the cheapest hostel with a private room that I looked at when booking. The room was small, but better than a dormitory. The water pressure in the shower was a bit weak, and sometimes there was no hot water, so it was just luck at the time. At first I had trouble opening the door, but there was a free public phone nearby, and they asked me to call from there, and they opened it for me. I was surprised that there were free public phones in Australia. Lol

There were no windows and it was very humid. The location was great.