Cairns Central Business District stay.With a stay at this Cairns Central Business District hostel, you'll be steps from Michaelmas Cay and Cairns Night Markets. Cairns Esplanade and Cairns Regional Gallery are also within half a mile (1 km).
As a guest of The Espy Hostel, you'll find an outdoor pool, a terrace, and tour/ticket assistance. WiFi is free in public spaces. The Espy Hostel also features laundry facilities, a television in a common area, and a microwave in a common area.
Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this Cairns hostel.
17 guestrooms or units
Self-service laundry
Front desk (limited hours)
Tour and ticket information
Terrace
Television in lobby
Smoking in designated areas
Microwave in a common area
Refrigerator in a common area
The Espy Hostel offers 17 air-conditioned accommodations with shared/communal kitchens. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access (speed: 250+ Mbps (good for 3–5 people or up to 10 devices)). Guests can make use of the in-room refrigerators and microwaves. Housekeeping is provided once per stay.
Languages
English
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
In-room WiFi speed: 250+ Mbps (good for 3–5 people or up to 10 devices)
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
No onsite parking available
Things to do
Outdoor pool
Accessibility
This property does not have elevators
Room amenities
Bedroom
Air conditioning
Bed sheets
Bathroom
Towels
Food and drink
Cleaning supplies
Cookware/dishes/utensils
Kitchen island
Microwave
Refrigerator
Shared kitchen access
Stovetop
Toaster
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 2:00 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
The front desk is open daily from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
Guests are required to download the property's Goki mobile app before check-in
Access methods
Front desk (limited hours), smart lock
Pets
No pets allowed
Children and extra beds
Children 17 and younger are not allowed at this property. All guests older than 17 are welcome.
Property payment types
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy. A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in. Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. No onsite parking is available. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, JCB International, Union Pay, and debit cards. Cash is not accepted. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit in each accommodation.
We should mention
Children 17 years old and younger aren't allowed at this property.
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly).
Property is also known as
The Espy Hostel Cairns
Cairns Waterfront Haven
The Espy Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
The Espy Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Cairns
The Espy Hostel Reviews
Reviews
7.6
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Great property in a great location. Clean and no bugs. Great shower pressure!!
Staff was friendly and helpful. Had a tour company on site to help with bookings, which was amazing.
Kitchen was helpful to have for making our own morning coffee or tea before heading out for the day.
Didn’t use the pool as had been out each day all day on boats to the reef, and this location is directly across the street from the lagoon.
At first we were worried as I hadn’t realized I’d booked a hostel and not a hotel room. This hostel was quiet at night. I would recommend this location for anyone travelling to the area. It was absolutely what we needed and right near everything we wanted to see or do. All the restaurant choices you could imagine and at least 10 ice cream shops in a one block radius. The bonus of the night market next door was great for nik nacks and things we’d left at home.
Jennifer
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024
6/10 Okay
Takae
2 Oct 2024
Takae
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024
8/10 Good
Hans
Travelled with partner
2 Oct 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Right in the middle of town
Enough hostel eating area
The property atmosphere was awesome! Everyone was really nice and it was calm and quiet. The reason it is ranking low there were ants in my room. The shower was broken. out of the two showers near me one was dangling off the wall and I had to hold it up. The other shower didn't drain and so I was standing in a foot of water during my shower. The staff was responsive but unprofessional. He came to solve one of my problems quickly but arrived in only underwear. the building is half inside and half outside do you can see roots of above trees in the bathroom and not all shared areas kitchen and hang out spaces had a full roof. However, induvial rooms are enclosed and have wall air conditioning units but you cannot adjust the temperature and I was really cold. Location was perfect and in walking distance to everything we wanted to do and or walking distance to a pick up location to the day tours we booked.
Extremely appalling experience staying at the Espy hostel. Staff unwelcoming and discriminatory towards people over 35 years of age. I was forcefully made to leave this place even though it has been prepaid in full and I did not do anything wrong or cause any disturbance. Just my age over 35 was not good enough for me to stay at this property and staff threatened me by calling security and demanding that I leave immediately without providing their names or offering any compensation or even a refund. DO NOT STAY HERE.
I shouldn't expect too much from any hostel, including the Espy. I found what appeared to be a cockroach in the room the first night
In the hallway, I dispatched of a very large one. I didn't receive an email with instructions for self check-in. Fortunately, there was someone who contacted a staff person who provided us with the necessary information to get in the room. Shower was good, but the handles fell off. Hot water in the sink never really got hot. Nonetheless, we got by and enjoyed the staff and tenants
Wayne
Stayed 6 nights in May 2024
10/10 Excellent
Hiito
2 Feb 2024
Hiito
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2024
8/10 Good
Laura
19 Jan 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Top position in the city center
The room was really big with a lot of space, the problem was humidity, there was mold in the walls and got worse during the days we stayed. The kitchen is well equipped and has also an airfryer.
The best was location really near everything supermarket , port and lagoon pool.
Super convenient, right on the Esplanade close to food, wharf, and you can book tours right at the "reception" desk. Reception folks were very helpful.
There were lots of cockroaches in my room -- scampering thru day and night. I was told "it's the tropics," "it's that time of year," and "we have exterminators in every month." The manager left with my a spray bottle of Raid.
Secondly, the kitchen facilities were packed. It was nearly impossible to find room in any of the fridges, and waiting in line to cook or clean at any mealtime was routine.
Excellent location right on the waterfront. Self check-in did not work for me either time staying here but they have a number you can call 24 hours to check in. Rooms are pretty sparse but decently comfortable. No comforter on the bed (only a bed sheet) but it's warm enough that you don't really need it. A/C units are also pretty strong. Not loud at night.
Great place to stay on the heart of Cairns, everything is on your doorstep. Rooms are very basic but the Espy is all about location. Other guests and staff were friendly and engaging, the shared kitchen was clean and had everything you could want for food preparation. Given the price, you can't go past this place. The code system to access the building and rooms needs attention and can be frustrating but support from management was immediate and always forthcoming as required.
steven
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
4/10 Poor
Wade
Business traveller
25 Aug 2023
Disliked: Staff & service
No clear directions for the door codes to enter the accomodation, when I did get codes they were incorrect and the 24 hour number was generally unreachable when needed