Cairns Central Shopping Centre - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
Getting around
Cairns Station - 13 min walk
Cairns, QLD (CNS-Cairns Intl.) - 11 min drive
Restaurants
Rattle N Hum - 1 min walk
Flynn's Italian by Crystalbrook - 1 min walk
Crepe - 4 min walk
La Pizza Trattoria - 1 min walk
Imm Thai Cafe - 4 min walk
About this property
The Espy Hostel
Hostel near Cairns Esplanade
Close to Reef Fleet Terminal and Cairns Central Shopping Centre, The Espy Hostel provides a terrace, laundry facilities and more. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
Other perks at this hostel include:
An outdoor pool
A TV in reception and tour/ticket information
Guest reviews say great things about the helpful staff
Room features
All guest rooms at The Espy Hostel feature thoughtful touches, such as air conditioning, as well as amenities, such as free WiFi and kitchen islands.
Other conveniences in all rooms include:
Communal kitchens with fridges, microwaves and toasters
Stovetops, cookware/dishes/utensils and kitchen islands
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 transport
No on-site parking available
Things to do
Outdoor pool
TV in common areas
Conveniences
Laundry facilities
Limited-hour front desk
Shared microwave
Shared refrigerator
Guest services
Housekeeping (once per stay)
Tour and ticket assistance
Outdoors
Terrace
Accessibility
No lift
More
Designated smoking areas
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Towels provided
Food and drink
Cleaning supplies
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Hob
Kitchen island
Microwave
Refrigerator
Shared kitchen access
Toaster
More
Air conditioning
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
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children 17 and younger are not allowed at this property; all guests older than 17 are welcome
Payment types at the property
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 smoke detector, a security system and a first aid kit
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
Children 17 years old and younger are not permitted 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
Frequently asked questions
Does The Espy Hostel have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.
Is The Espy Hostel pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at The Espy Hostel?
This property doesn't offer parking.
What time is check-in at The Espy Hostel?
Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Espy Hostel?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is The Espy Hostel located?
Located in Cairns Central Business District, this hostel is steps away from Michaelmas Cay and Cairns Esplanade. Reef Fleet Terminal and Cairns Central Shopping Centre are also within 15 minutes. Cairns Station is 13 minutes by foot.
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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.More informationOpens in a new window
I loved the spacious kitchen and clean bathrooms facilities. The location was perfect! Just next to the lagoon, shopping malls, bus stop and the beach front.
THECKLA
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2025
8/10 Good
Jurdy
25 Mar 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Location excellent
Greatest location. Right on the esplanade. Small private room. Simple, clean, safe, affordable.
Jurdy
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
6/10 Okay
Verified traveller
16 Jan 2025
Disliked: Cleanliness
Best location
Difficult to check in but friendly staff, not tidy rooms but best location in cairns!
Stayed 4 nights – central location, budget accommodation. Check-in via email code worked well. You get what you pay for – affordable stay, but basic standards. Some bathrooms out of order, and the rest could use maintenance. Kitchen okay but messy inconsiderate guests (my food was left outside fridge overnight). Very noisy overall – AC had to run constantly in the room and was extremely loud. Staff were friendly and helpful. 40+ solo traveler on a budget, two nights would’ve been enough.
Covenient location. Close to everything. Nice and quiet.
Ruveen
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
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.
I was so impressed at the quality for a low budget place. The guests were very respectful, friendly. The kitchen facilities were good. I would stay again. I did notice someone was sleeping kitchen when I woke up at 5am. Not sure if he was guest in the hotel.
Clifmond
Stayed -12 nights in Jan 2023
8/10 Good
Hugh
6 Jul 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Great location and comfortably room and bed
Bit dingy with no windows to outside and very noisy until at least midnight
Extremely noisy air conditioning, dilapidated bathroom with elastic closing system, hot water 1 out of 2 times. Very basic room equipment. Uncomfortable bedding
You can enjoy a free life. The staff cleans it every day, and you can make friends with other users.
tomoko
4/10 Poor
Vaia
13 Feb 2023
Disliked: Staff & service
We paid for a room to be on the Esplanade. It was a Hostel, not a Hotel so the expectation wasn’t high. The room and amenities were clean and tidy. The cleanliness m
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.
Evan
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
6/10 Okay
Richard
1 Mar 2024
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
It’s a hostel - so not super clean or modern, as could be expected. But the Bed and Mattress were horrible, sure wouldn’t hurt to change Mattresses from time to time!
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.
The pictures on Expedia made us believe that we were staying at an apartment
Turn out it was a hostile we were extremely disappointed but the management was excellent and promised a full refund after we found and moved to an apartment
This is hostel and not a hotel. It was a nicer hostel, but I wish I had known that it was a hostel before booking. The bedrooms are nice with minimal furniture - no TV. The bathroom was not nice and bare bones. When thinking this is a motel/hotel - it is not good. For a hostel, it would be one of the nicer hostels.
Good location. Friendly, polite manager. Room very basic-no coffee/tea making, fridge or tv. Insufficient sealing off of door into adjacent room meant noisy and light pollution and felt intrusive. Very overpriced for so called deluxe king room