In the heart of Cairns, The Espy Hostel offers a vibrant atmosphere with an outdoor pool and laundry facilities. Connect to in-room WiFi, grab tickets for local attractions with tour assistance, and unwind on the terrace. Previous guests rave about the helpful staff.
Cairns Central Shopping Centre - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
Getting around
Cairns Intl. Airport (CNS) - 11 min drive
Cairns Station - 13 min walk
Freshwater Station - 16 min drive
Redlynch Station - 18 min drive
Restaurants
McDonald's - 2 min walk
La Pizza Trattoria - 1 min walk
Skewers Lover 炸串 - 5 min walk
Phở Street - 3 min walk
The Dairy by Mungalli Biodynamic - 3 min walk
About this property
The Espy Hostel
The Espy Hostel offers a great location, putting you within just a 10-minute walk of Cairns Esplanade and Reef Fleet Terminal. An outdoor pool and a terrace are offered, and in-room conveniences include refrigerators and microwaves. Fellow travelers say great things about the helpful staff.
At a glance
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Hotel size
17 rooms
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Arriving/Leaving
Check-in time starts at 2:00 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out time is 10:00 AM
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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
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Required at check-in
Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
Minimum check-in age is 18
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Children
Children (17 years old and younger) not allowed
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Pets
Pets not allowed
WIFI
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
Free WiFi in rooms (speed: 250+ Mbps (good for 3–5 people or up to 10 devices))
LOCAL_PARKING
Parking
No onsite parking
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Other information
Designated smoking areas
Property amenities
Food and drink
Shared microwave
Shared refrigerator
Services
Front desk (limited hours)
Tour/ticket assistance
Laundry facilities
Facilities
Terrace
Television in common areas
An outdoor pool
Room amenities
Home comfort
Air conditioning
Sleep well
Bed sheets provided
Freshen up
Towels
Stay connected
Free WiFi (speed of 250+ Mbps (good for 3–5 people or up to 10 devices))
Food and drink
Refrigerator
Microwave
Shared kitchen access
Stovetop
Toaster
Cookware, dishes, and utensils
Kitchen island
More
Housekeeping (once per stay)
Cleaning supplies
Fees & policies
Policies
This property does not have elevators.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit on site.
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly).
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards. Cash is not accepted.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard, JCB International, Union Pay
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 offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, The Espy Hostel does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Is there a pool at The Espy Hostel?
Yes, there's an outdoor pool.
Are pets allowed at The Espy Hostel?
Sorry, pets aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at The Espy Hostel?
Sorry, there's no onsite parking at The Espy Hostel.
What are the check-in and check-out times at The Espy Hostel?
You can check in starting at 2:00 PM. Check-out time is 10:00 AM.
Is there an onsite casino at The Espy Hostel?
No, this hostel doesn't have a casino, but Reef Hotel Casino (6-min walk) and Cazalys Cairns (5-min drive) are both nearby.
What is there to do at The Espy Hostel and nearby?
The Espy Hostel has an outdoor pool.
What's the area around The Espy Hostel like?
The Espy Hostel is in Cairns Central Business District, a short 1-minute walk from Cairns Esplanade and 7 minutes' walk from Reef Fleet Terminal.
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Reviews
The Espy Hostel Reviews
7.6
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers 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.
7.4
Cleanliness
6.8
Amenities
7.6
Staff & service
7.8
Eco-friendliness
7.0
Property conditions & facilities
Popular mentions
Room
Location
Waterfront
Towns
Bathroom
Kitchen
Reviews
10/10 Exceptional
Aug 13, 2025
Food flair and flavors
Peaceful and easy with the added bonus of international aromas
Timothy
Timothy, 2-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Mar 4, 2025
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
THECKLA, 5-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Apr 7, 2025
It was a quiet and comfortable environment
Yuki
Yuki, 1-night trip
8/10 Very good
Mar 25, 2025
Location excellent
Greatest location. Right on the esplanade. Small private room. Simple, clean, safe, affordable.
Jurdy
Jurdy, 3-night trip
6/10 Good
Jan 16, 2025
Best location
Difficult to check in but friendly staff, not tidy rooms but best location in cairns!
Verified traveler
2-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Apr 10, 2022
Great location, good vibes.
Harinath
Harinath, 1-night trip
8/10 Very good
Oct 2, 2024
Right in the middle of town
Enough hostel eating area
Hans
Hans, 4-night trip
8/10 Very good
Jan 17, 2025
Very easy to find hostel. Convenient in and out. Room and facilities were clean. Bed was comfortable. Shower was hot. Good value for money.
Valerie
Valerie, 2-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 20, 2023
It was great, in the centre of town, cheap, good kitchen with everything you need and a pool!
Drew
Drew, 2-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Nov 1, 2022
A hostel with everything I needed, a great location and a friendly staff.
Jason
Jason, 7-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 25, 2022
Central location, easy walk to absolutely everything,clean facilities and lovely staff.
amanda
amanda, 8-night trip
4/10 Fair
May 20, 2025
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.
Fiona
Fiona, 4-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
May 28, 2024
Awesome staff and great location! Thanks Monica!
Jackson
Jackson, 1-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 8, 2025
Good
Gaku
Gaku, 4-night trip
8/10 Very good
Aug 18, 2023
Covenient location. Close to everything. Nice and quiet.
Ruveen
Ruveen, 4-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 27, 2023
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
Clifmond, -12-night trip
8/10 Very good
Jan 19, 2024
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.
Laura
Laura, 5-night trip
8/10 Very good
Jul 6, 2023
Great location and comfortably room and bed
Bit dingy with no windows to outside and very noisy until at least midnight
Hugh
Hugh, 4-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 31, 2022
You can enjoy a free life. The staff cleans it every day, and you can make friends with other users.
tomoko
4/10 Fair
Feb 13, 2023
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
Vaia
Vaia, 2-night trip
2/10 Poor
Sep 25, 2024
A fuir absolument
Extremely noisy air conditioning, dilapidated bathroom with elastic closing system, hot water 1 out of 2 times. Very basic room equipment. Uncomfortable bedding
VALERIE
VALERIE, 3-night trip
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 23, 2023
Great location on the boardwalk
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
Evan, 2-night trip
6/10 Good
Mar 1, 2024
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!
Richard
Richard, 2-night trip
4/10 Fair
Sep 2, 2022
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
david
david, 5-night trip
6/10 Good
Sep 20, 2022
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.