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Aparthotel

181 The Esplanade

4.0 star property
4-star beach aparthotel near Reef Fleet Terminal

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Photo gallery for 181 The Esplanade

Deluxe Apartment, 2 Bedrooms, Ocean View | Terrace/patio
Lobby
Outdoor pool, sun loungers
Full-size fridge, microwave, stovetop, dishwasher
Front of property

Reviews

8.6 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Hot Tub
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Pool
  • Kitchen
  • Parking included

Explore the area

View in a map
181 The Esplanade, Cairns North, QLD, 4870
  • Place, Cairns Esplanade
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Cairns Central Shopping Centre
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Reef Fleet Terminal
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Airport, Cairns, QLD (CNS-Cairns Intl.)
    ‪6 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Apartment, 2 Bedrooms, Ocean View

Deluxe Apartment, 2 Bedrooms, Ocean View | Terrace/patio

Deluxe Apartment, 2 Bedrooms, Ocean View

  • 1292 sq ft
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Bed

View all photos for 2 Bedroom Apartment

2 Bedroom Apartment | Private kitchen | Full-size fridge, microwave, stovetop, dishwasher

2 Bedroom Apartment

  • 1292 sq ft
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for 2 Bedroom Ocean View Apartment

2 Bedroom Ocean View Apartment | Private kitchen | Full-size fridge, microwave, stovetop, dishwasher

2 Bedroom Ocean View Apartment

  • 1292 sq ft
  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 5
  • 2 Twin Beds and 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Two Bedroom Garden view apartment on Ground floor

Two Bedroom Garden view apartment on Ground floor | Living room | 42-inch TV with cable channels, DVD player

Two Bedroom Garden view apartment on Ground floor

  • 1292 sq ft
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Bed

Two Bedroom Apartment with Ocean View (Upper Level)

  • Sleeps 4

View all photos for Two Bedroom Ground Floor Apartment

Private kitchen | Full-size fridge, microwave, stovetop, dishwasher

Two Bedroom Ground Floor Apartment

  • Sleeps 4

Deluxe Two-Bedroom Apartment With Ocean View (Free Wifi Access)

  • Sleeps 4

Two-Bedroom Apartment

  • Sleeps 5

Two-Bedroom Garden View

  • Sleeps 4

View all photos for Two Bedroom Apartment

1 bedroom, pillowtop beds, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Two Bedroom Apartment

  • Sleeps 4

About the neighborhood

Cairns

Seaside stay .A stay at this Cairns North aparthotel places you steps from Cairns Esplanade Charles Street Parkland and within a 5-minute walk of Cairns Esplanade. Cairns Base Hospital and Cairns Private Hospital are also within half a mile (1 km).
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What's nearby

  • Cairns Esplanade - 1 min walk - 0.0 miles
  • Cairns Base Hospital - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Cairns Central Shopping Centre - 2 min drive - 1.1 miles
  • Reef Fleet Terminal - 3 min drive - 1.3 miles
  • Esplanade Lagoon - 4 min drive - 1.6 miles

Getting around

  • Cairns Station - 3 min drive
  • Cairns Intl. Airport (CNS) - 7 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Smith Street Cafe - ‬16 min walk
  • ‪Muddy's Cafe - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Atrium - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Cock & Bull - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Bayleaf Balinese Restaurant - ‬9 min walk

About this property

181 The Esplanade

4-star beach aparthotel near Reef Fleet Terminal
181 The Esplanade offers its guests an outdoor pool, a hot tub, and a sauna. Public spaces have free WiFi. A vending machine, tour/ticket assistance, and a garden are also featured at 181 The Esplanade. Free self parking is available.

This 4-star Cairns aparthotel is smoke free.

  • 1 building
  • 21 guestrooms or units
  • 10 levels
  • Built in 1995
  • Childcare (surcharge)
  • Poolside lounge chairs
  • Dry cleaning
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front-desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Garden
  • Newspapers in lobby (free)
  • Elevator
  • No smoking on site
181 The Esplanade offers 21 accommodations with private hot tubs and washers/dryers. Rooms open to balconies. Accommodations offer separate sitting areas. Beds feature pillowtop mattresses. Accommodations at this 4-star aparthotel have kitchens with full-sized refrigerators/freezers, stovetops, microwaves, and separate dining areas. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Televisions come with cable channels and DVD players. Additionally, rooms include coffee/tea makers and irons/ironing boards. Housekeeping is offered weekly and in-room massages can be requested. Housekeeping is provided on a limited basis.

Similar properties

Outdoor spa tub
Cairns Harbourside Hotel
  • Pool
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
4.4 out of 5, Excellent, 1,028 reviews
$104 nightly
The price is $114
Nov 1 - Nov 2
Total with taxes and fees
Cairns Harbourside Hotel

Property amenities

Pool/Spa

  • Hot tub
  • In-room massages
  • Outdoor pool
  • Pool loungers
  • Private hot tub
  • Sauna
  • Steam room

Internet

  • Available in the apartment: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car rental
  • Free extended parking on site

Family friendly

  • Childcare (surcharge)
  • Crib: AUD 11 per night

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Full-sized refrigerator/freezer
  • Microwave
  • Stovetop

Bedrooms

  • Bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Pillowtop mattress
  • Rollaway/extra bed: AUD 25 per night

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Living room
  • Separate dining area
  • Separate sitting area

Entertainment

  • 42-inch TV with cable channels
  • DVD player

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Garden

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Laundry service
  • Washer/dryer

Climate control

  • Air conditioning

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Elevator
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Blackout drapes
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Housekeeping (weekly)
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Vending machine

Location highlights

  • In a business district
  • Near a train station
  • Near the airport
  • Near the sea
  • On the boardwalk/promenade
  • On the Strip
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Bicycle rentals nearby
  • Boat tours nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Parasailing nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Rock climbing nearby
  • Scooter/moped rentals nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Snorkeling nearby
  • Water skiing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • 1 building
  • 10 floors
  • 21 units
  • Built in 1995
  • Connecting units available
  • Garden

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 2:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions and an access code; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 6 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Access code, front desk (limited hours), private entrance

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for AUD 25.0 per night.
  • Cribs (infant beds) are available for AUD 11.0 per night.

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Crib (infant bed) fee: AUD 11.0 per night
  • Rollaway bed fee: AUD 25.0 per night

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

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 major credit cards; cash is not accepted
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
This property is professionally cleaned
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. This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children. If you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room. This property accepts major credit cards, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB International, and Eurocard. Cash is not accepted. The property is professionally cleaned.

We should mention

  • Please note that this property can refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, which include pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties.
  • Connecting/adjoining rooms are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property at the number on your booking confirmation.

Property is also known as

181 Esplanade
181 Esplanade Apartment
181 Esplanade Apartment Cairns North
181 Esplanade Cairns North
181 The Esplanade Aparthotel
181 The Esplanade Cairns North
181 The Esplanade Aparthotel Cairns North

Frequently asked questions

How close is 181 The Esplanade to the airport?

181 The Esplanade is 3.4 mi (7-min drive) away from the Cairns Intl. Airport (CNS) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does 181 The Esplanade have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at 181 The Esplanade.

How close is 181 The Esplanade to the beach?

This aparthotel is 6.7 mi (11-min drive) from Holloways Beach and 10.3 mi (17-min drive) from Yorkeys Knob Beach. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does 181 The Esplanade offer free breakfast?

181 The Esplanade does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at 181 The Esplanade?

No, there is no casino at this aparthotel, but Reef Hotel Casino (2-min drive) and Cazalys Cairns (5-min drive) are nearby.

What time is check-in at 181 The Esplanade?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

Is there free parking at 181 The Esplanade?

This aparthotel offers free self parking and extended parking.

Does 181 The Esplanade have a pool?

181 The Esplanade features an outdoor pool.

Does 181 The Esplanade have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this aparthotel.

How close is 181 The Esplanade to downtown Cairns?

181 The Esplanade is 0.9 mi away from Cairns.

181 The Esplanade Reviews

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 151 out of 349 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 139 out of 349 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 43 out of 349 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 12 out of 349 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 349 reviews

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Quentin

Traveled with family and small children, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed in 2 bedroom ocean view apartment on 3rd floor. While slightly dated still excellent and would highly recommend, clean and very generous amount of space throughout. Great location, 15 minute walk along the Esplanade to the marina terminal. Restaurant next door was fantastic also.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sam

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very accommodating- early check in, late check out
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025

4/10 Poor

Mark

Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property is a 30 minute walk to city centre. Nothing near hotel. Also, reception desk is only open until 12:00 on Sundays but check isn’t allowed until 2:00. They were supposed to send me check in instructions but didn’t even after I sent an email from the airport. When I showed up at11:30 I couldn’t get onto the property because the address is on a street with a locked gate. Go somewhere else. Terrible location and worse service and poorly maintained property.
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Colleen

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This properly was clean and neat. The 2 bedroom is a large unit with a large kitchen and sitting area. I do recommend getting some more AC in the bedrooms, but the living area was comfortable.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

4/10 Poor

Thierry

Disliked: Cleanliness

Mr T

The place is nice and pleasant with a nice esplanade. Wonderful view. But now fir the price we have paid thats nit enough. I stay for 1 week. The furniture are old Nobody come to change for towels or change the sheet of the bed. If it's only to pay for 1 week in advance and after the Tartare Desert with nobody... better to go to the hotel for the same price. Very desapointed.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

LEWIS

booked an ocean view room and didn’t get one they blamed Expedia
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shellae

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Jacob

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Not a 4 star hotel - just a very decent apartment

Clean enough - there was dust on top of fridge and under bed (it moved). Overall it was clean and good location. Didn’t appreciate we had to take the garbage out and put in the chute - wish it was known. Furniture was dated could use an upgrade. Better coffee instead of just powdered. Maybe a bottled waters when people arrive. And WiFi range was not great in bedroom. I would still recommend this - we were staying in some 5 star properties before getting here - hence my expectation was higher. Appreciated having the laundry after all the cairns adventures.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dennis

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
At the quiet end of the esplanade with great views over the ocean . Easy walking distance to muddys and playground, cafe and beach volleyball and and not much further to main activity hub We walked to RSL and cenotaph on the esplanade for 11/11 commemoration and then on to public pool for a dip. Really easy walk. Staff were really friendly and accommodating as we needed to stay a bit longer, no problem for them Everything we needed in the apartment, really comfortable lots of room , large lounge and balconies,full kitchen and good bathrooms. Really nice pool. Would highly recommend and will definitely stay again
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Sharron

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Excellent location and our apartment had a fabulous view of the sea and esplanade. Furnishings and the bathrooms would benefit from some updating, but this would not deter us from staying again. Car parking was very secure - great to have a dedicated, numbered bay.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Arnola

Traveled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Perfect location, view and wonderfully helpful and friendly proprietors, that being said the apartment is untouched circa 1990's, run down to the point of threadbare. The couches need to be thrown out, and all the kitchenware is in such a degraded state that an op shop wouldn't resell it. Please fix these things and you would be on a winner.
Stayed 8 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Sharon

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Barry

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
There are lots of good points that should have scored this apartment higher - the location is good, and very quiet; the sea view was wonderful; the secure parking in the basement was outstanding; the apartment was spacious, clean and well kitted out; the shower was very powerful and it was great having two bathrooms. However, the flat was quite tired; the spa bath had been disconnected (so was only a bath, which was not as advertised); there was no DVD (so also not as advertised); TV channels were limited; there was no remote for the bedroom TV; and the internet connection was poor. Overall, it could have been so much better with some attention to detail. The owners might want to take note, as this apartment is no longer exactly as advertised on Expedia.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lisa

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joey

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stay as long as you can in this delightful spot. The building itself was clean and secure. The apartment, specifically, was roomy, well maintained, and easily felt like home as soon as you walk in. Fantastic views of the ocean and mountains (and bats at sunrise!). This is on the north end of the esplanade, so it was a bit quieter but within a few minutes walk you are in the heart of the hustle and bustle of it all. I would recommend this spot highly to my friends.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location and big open rooms. View was excellent. Had issues with the water pressure, which was fixed by a plumber that day.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2023

6/10 Okay

Peter

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
A/C was broken. Furniture tired. Floor coverings tired
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gayle

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The apartment we stayed in had a beautiful view of the esplanade, it had all the amenities we needed for a long stay it was clean and the staff are very friendly and helpful
Stayed 6 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Yu

Traveled with family and small children, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Location is perfect, we also liked the pool and spa there. Staff are kind and helpful. Will definitely come back again!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Veronica

Liked: Room comfort

Ocean View?

Ocean view or Garden view? If you look closely you can see the ocean through the trees but I paid for an ocean view. This was not it! Lots of great space with two bathrooms, laundry and all the basics in a kitchen. A local phone in the apartment/lobby would have been very helpful. Bit of a hike to get to the Esplanade/Marina but definitely doable. Surfaces were all very clean but if you look up or down you will find plenty of dirt, ants and even mold. For a short term stay this place will do the trick but a bit of investment or even fresh paint would do this building some justice.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2023

4/10 Poor

Ningappa

Traveled with family
Disliked: Amenities
Old apartment , amenities are limited , A/C was too cold in one room vs nothing in the other bed room, blinds were not closing property . Need revamp . no nearby convince store as well .

6/10 Okay

Robin

Traveled with family and small children
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Nice sea view and very spacious accommodation. For the price however, it all felt a bit old and tired. Mmmmm beige. The kitchen was well equiped but the cups were all filthy with coffee rings. The laundry was great but the machine was excessively loud which meant we couldn’t have it on while kids were in bed. We were woken at 2am each night from a loud plumbing noise that we guess was the cistern filling when a person in another apartment used their toilet. Being directly under the 6am flight path capped off the lack sleep.

10/10 Excellent

Maureen

Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2022

8/10 Good

Lisa

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really spacious and great layout. Full kitchen and allowed easy cooking. While supplies were good, the packaged dish detergent etc is just not as good as dishwasher tablets or a bottle of dishwashing liquid but we realise that is hotel style. Very secure and lock up parking but hard to get a park. Having numbered car parks for guests units would be good, instead of having to find one.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Yeng

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Great place with view. It's a little out dated but still functional. Great time and place to stay
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2022