Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Located in the heart of the city, the Hilton Cairns hotel is the perfect base for exploring the diverse wonders of this truly unique region, famous as the meeting place of two natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage Rainforest. Our modern and inviting Cairns hotel rooms and suites are luxurious oases of comfort and convenience, offering pristine bathrooms and spacious balconies with views of Trinity Inlet or Cairns Esplanade and the unique cityscape and blue-green mountain ranges beyond. The large lagoon style pool has ample deck chairs and umbrellas, soft seating spaces and a Pool Bar with cold beverages and light bites and snacks. Enjoy relaxed dining in Signature Restaurant. Experience modern, tropical, paradise today!
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
Hilton Cairns has garnered praise for its exceptional waterfront location and the friendly service provided by its staff, though some guests encountered slow service at the restaurant. The value for money received mixed reviews; while the room rates and Executive Lounge access were appreciated, concerns were raised about additional costs.
While many travelers enjoyed the comfortable rooms with views and the variety of breakfast options, there were comments about the basic nature of toiletries and the early closure of the pool bar. Guests also enjoyed the hotel's clean environment and inviting tropical atmosphere, despite some noting the need for updates in room decor.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Pricey
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
Very nice top floor room with a great view over the river. The shower over the bath is a bit dated but otherwise no complaints at all. The room is quiet with minimal external noise. Always slept well.
Wifi mostly worked ok but seemed to require a daily login and blocked some apps from working. This meant I had to swap from wifi to 4G.
The lounge was excellent. The breakfast there was a highlight - so quiet and tranquil with sufficient selection that varied from day to day.
The evening canapés were good but the 6pm to 8pm time slot is a bit odd and seems to encourage people to eat their dinner there. (Maybe that’s the intention??) the food was good but the wine selection was super cheap.
The pool area was relaxing and quiet. The pool was refreshing.
Hotel location is brilliant. Surrounded by parks and water but also right on the edge of the Cairns CBD a short walk from the entertainment strip. Parking worked well for $25 per day.
Dinner at Signature was very pleasant.
All staff interactions were professional and very friendly. It’s unfair to name names but Alexandra at the front desk and Jarvis, Ingrid and Lucia in the lounge were the real stand outs for me.
Thanks Hilton Cairns. I’ll return.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adila R, Marketing at Hilton Cairns
Responded 5 Nov 2024
Dear PeterG873, thank you for taking the time to leave a review about your recent stay at Hilton Cairns. We are pleased to read you enjoyed all aspects of your stay. We appreciate your feedback and rest assured this will be passed onto the relevant teams. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This hotel was an amazing experience. Exactly what we were looking for in Cairns. We had originally checked into the other Hilton property in Cairns (don’t like ripping properties), but it was horrible. Came down to the Hilton and it was awesome. Great breakfast, great pool, good service. Thank you, Hilton Cairns!
Read more
Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Right next to the Great Barrier Reef’s Marina
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monique B, Marketing at Hilton Cairns
Responded 5 Sept 2023
Dear hotelmarriot, thank you for taking the time to leave your recent review of Hilton Cairns on Tripadvisor, we truly appreciate it. We were so thrilled to read we contributed to an amazing experience in Cairns and do hope to welcome you back again soon!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
The staff at Hilton Cairns are what really make this hotel. Everyone we interacted with were friendly, helpful and welcoming. Eli on the front desk was amazing. Locations is ideal as it is next to the departure point for boat trips to the reef and easy walking distance to the main streets of central Cairns.
We booked the Premier Suite on the Executive floor for two nights. Unfortunately the air conditioning in the suite is undersized for the volume of space and it was uncomfortably hot in both the living room and bedroom with Air conditioning set to the coldest temperature and highest fan speed. The engineer attended to attempt to fix the issue, however it made no difference. Alvin the guest services manager was extremely helpful and arranged a pedestal fan however this just blew the hot around the room and it was extremely noisy with only one loud setting. We were then provided with a standard room to use to sleep in for the two nights and still access the suite. However air con in the standard room was also ineffective. So we spent two sweaty and restless nights in the Cairns Hilton.
The Hilton building services have not been updated (since the hotel was constructed in the 1980s?) so the rooms have a very old aircon system that cannot cope…which is unacceptable in a tropical location particularly when you are paying for the best room in the hotel.
As mentioned the staff are excellent however I cannot recommend the Hilton in Cairns if you want to have a comfortable nights sleep!
Read more
Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adila R, Marketing at Hilton Cairns
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review about your stay at Hilton Cairns. We are sorry to hear about the air con in your room and rest assured we will look into this immediately. However, we are pleased to read you felt well looked after by our team. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My husband and I travel all over the world and are Hilton Diamond Members. We exclusively stay at Hilton Hotels. Our stay at the Hilton Cairns Hotel was impressive and we wanted to thank and recognize the following people.
Aida and Jordan provided excellent Front Desk customer service and was extremely accommodating. I had an injured leg and they helped provide items to ensure my ice maker from the United States worked properly given the differences in voltage. Without their assistance I would have not been able to use my device.
Tu greeted us every night in the Executive Lounge. She was friendly and always made us feel welcome. Her and the Executive Lounge staff provided outstanding customer service nightly.
On 4/20/2024 Joy played the harp in the Executive Lounge. The music from her harp was magical and transformed the entire atmosphere. I spoke to several hotel guests that also thoroughly enjoyed her music.
Anne the manager in the Cafe Sunrise restaurant located in the hotel serving daily breakfast welcomed us every morning with a smile. Her attention to detail was fantastic and provided professional and excellent customer service. Anne and her staff work very hard every morning because the restaurant was very busy every morning we were there. All restaurant staff were friendly and helpful every morning.
John Weisman the hotel manager allowed us to borrow a pair of scissors and gave us bubble wrap for extra delicate gifts we had purchased during our stay.
Our experience at the Hilton Cairns Hotel was one of the best experiences we have had worldwide. We will cherish the memories and look forward to coming back again.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
These reviews are machine translated from their original language. Show machine translations?
Plausible Hilton Hotel, but this has already become very old. The rooms, especially the bathroom, need urgent renovation, as do other areas such as the hotel pool area. The staff is very friendly and always at pains. The breakfast buffet is basically great but it is no longer timely that you have to pay a Barrister cappuccino separately. For the Wi-Fi you have to register at the Hilton members Club otherwise it is charged.
Read more
Automatically translated
Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
However, threats at the entrance about towing your car from a sign on the walkway is not a good first impression. Porter to assist with luggage, welcome drink and refresher towel? Ha, dream on! Not at this Hilton.
Great reception. Check in process was smooth and quick.
Restaurant staff are efficient, incredibly polite but impersonal. Focused on getting the next thing done. You feel processed. Tables not set properly and cutlery is severely rationed. Staff are overworked, overstretched and under trained in hospitality.
Breakfast is fairly good, but tea lovers need to know that tea at breakfast is not brewed. A tea bag, lukewarm water and lukewarm milk awaits. If you need anything close to decent, you need to pay extra for it from a barista, and you need to order it before 9:30am or else hit the street, because the same servers in the breakfast room are also the same servers in the other restaurants around the hotel.
The pool bar food was simply awful.
The hotel is dated and redolent of the past. Mattresses are lumpy and the shower is in the bath tub. There was a strand of hair from the previous guest left on the bathtub wall. Main restaurant has a leaking roof and buckets were set out to capture the drip. Drinking water is not provided in the rooms. Fetch it yourself from the dispenser along the corridor.
Basically, this Hilton is a MoH-Tel; A hotel that is like a motel that still insists on charging top dollar. It is definitely being run by corporate ‘hot shots’ in a head office somewhere who have lost touch with their customers and their brand. It is very clear that all they care about is cost management and their cost efficiency numbers adding up. Staff numbers that are lean and mean may look good on a spreadsheet but are terrible for customer experience. You need to have a balance. You can only stretch your staff numbers so far before your guests feel it.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adila R, Marketing at Hilton Cairns
Responded 1 Jan 2025
Dear 80njerin, thank you for taking the time to leave a review about your recent stay at Hilton Cairns. We appreciate your in-depth feedback and rest assured this will be passed onto our management team to look into and work on. We are pleased you enjoyed our central location and that your check in experience was a positive one. We always look to deliver the best possible service so we do hope you choose to stay with us again soon so we are able to provide you with a more memorable experience.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
While the hotel is beautiful and the staff friendly, it was a disappointing experience. Early arrival led to a 3pm room ready with no text message that the room was ready. While waiting was told that the bar did not open until 1pm. A few days later upon returning from a GBR tour, found that the Pool Bar closed at 5pm! No wonder the beautiful pool is generally empty. Pool bar only open from 1 pm tp 5pm is ridiculous. Now consider the breakfast, I drink hot tea every morning. The buffet has a small corner area where you can get coffee, tea, hot chocolate and juices. One expresso machine, one hot water dispenser, one coffee dispenser. None of which is very hot. For tea drinkers you have to grab a tea pot, fill it, get a tea bag, sugar, and cup; then find a glass to put milk in if you want that. Oh yea, don't forget to find a stir while you are at it. There are no table numbers so if you oder a hot item, you have to go get it from the back of the serving area (And wait if its not ready) or they try to find you if you are lucky. Very unpleasant experience after the wonderful experience at Tahiti Hilton.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adila R, Marketing at Hilton Cairns
Responded 15 July 2024
Dear chessntampa, thank you for taking the time to write a review about your recent stay at Hilton Cairns on Tripadvisor. We are sorry to hear you did not have a memorable stay with us in relation to our facilities. We appreciate your feedback, and this will be passed onto our relevant teams. We hope you do choose to stay with us again, so we are able to provide you with the high quality of standard that we strive for. Kind Regards, Adila - Commerical Team
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I arrived early to Hilton Cairns about an hour and a half and they didn't have any rooms available for an early check-in but they were able to hold my luggage so I could explore in the mean time.
Location-wise, Hilton Cairns is in a great location. It sits along the waterfront and has access to many restaurants and is close to the Esplanade (within walking distance). You are also able to walk to many of the boats if you plan on snorkeling or diving or taking a helicopter ride. I did have the buffet breakfast in the hotel one day and it was not up to par for the price. There is a wide variety of options like hot and cold food, juices, made to order, but for the quality and price (I think it was like $38 AUD), it didn't feel worth it to me.
Getting to the room was pretty easy since they had 3 elevators and they were quick and all functional. The room I got was facing the city and was on a higher level floor and the view was actually pretty good since I could see the city and the water in the vicinity of the airport. Street noise was very minimal, however, there were these loud birds you could hear daily chirping away. I saw a sign indicating that some rooms were going through refurbishment and I felt that mine was one of them as the TV I got was an upgraded TV that welcomed me and the overall room felt modern with enough outlets although I wish there were more USB outlets provided. The bathroom was large and the shower had a good amount of pressure and I didn't have issues with any hot water. The room did come with a big empty fridge which was perfect for storing drinks. The bed itself seemed like a usual Hilton bed, plush and not firm.
The one area for improvement is the free WiFi. It was very slow when I used it and even when trying to use the lobby WiFi, it was very slow where it was basically for reading news or getting email; social media didn't work well. I ended up using cellular and it was way better.
Overall, I was happy with my stay at Hilton Cairns. I would recommend it since it was within a reachable price range for me as well as the location being great. Other than the WiFi, everything was clean and comfortable and the staff were nice on checkout to hold luggage as well.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kristy Williams, Revenue Management at Hilton Cairns
Responded 28 June 2022
Dear Techsavy1315 We appreciate you taking the time to leave a detailed review of Hilton Cairns on TripAdvisor. Overall your review is really positive and I thank you for noting some of the key features of the hotel like our convenient central location and and our newly refurbished, modern rooms all with brand new 55" SMART TVs. I was disappointed to read your experience with the wifi... we only recently upgraded our wifi capacity so this is not good to read at all. We totally understand the need for fast and reliable wifi for guests so I will raise this with the IT team later today when I meet with them.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
One of the best stays I’ve had in around 10 years of using Hilton.
The hotel itself is in a handy location in the centre of Cairns, just a few hundred meters from the main marina from which most Great Barrier Reef tours leave from. It’s also next door to the casino and easy walking distance to the night markets etc. in town. Around $20 to Uber to Cairns airport.
Upgraded ahead of arrival to Hilton Spa Room with views over to Carins Wharf and the creek. The room’s shower and spa looking out to the view thanks to a window on the spa. Balcony with seating to enjoy the views too. A welcome note, wine and chocolate were waiting for us in the room.
Executive lounge on the 9th floor evening service was excellent with a good selection of drinks and nibbles. The lounge itself had views over Cairns towards the airport with outdoor seating available - a great spot to watch bird flocks and fruit bats as the sun starts to set. The staff in the lounge were particularly attentive and welcoming. A nice touch on Saturday night being a live harpist playing during the evening service, which is a first for me!
Diamonds can have breakfast in the restaurant or in the lounge free of charge. We opted for the restaurant which had a wide selection of food, all of which was tasty and fairly fresh. Again, staff very welcoming. Barista coffee free of charge for Diamonds.
Large well maintained pool area with a decent bar (happy hour 2pm - 3pm). Pool is a lagoon style, there is a spa too which could have been warmer as it was luke warm at best. Currently no spa treatments onsite, though plenty of very good local options only a few minutes walk away.
Late checkout given as we had a late flight without any fuss.
Overall a great stay, excellent hospitality from all of the team we encountered and we’ve left feeling very well treated as Diamond members. If only every Hilton was this good.. (spoiler, they aren’t)!
Read more
Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kristy Williams, Revenue Management at Hilton Cairns
Responded 26 Mar 2023
Hi offononereviews Many thanks for your wonderful review of Hilton Cairns on TripAdvisor (and also on Google). What is really pleasing with your experience is the way you have been recognised as Diamond members by the whole of the Hotel Team - we are very grateful to our most loyal travellers and this is exactly the service you should expect. Thank you once again and I am sure we will see you in the Hilton Cairns in the very near future.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Simply amazing. This was my second stay at the Hilton Cairns and I can’t wait to come back again. Their hospitality is incredible and every staff member is kind, polite and willing to help with anything. The breakfast buffet is amazing- it has what seems like an infinite amount of breakfast options, all fresh and delicious! The rooms are clean and the beds/linen feel like you are sleeping on a cloud. Both of my stays I’ve been able to check in early, and in the instance where anyone is too early, the Hilton will safely store your luggage in their lobby which allows you to explore sunny Cairns. The pool is clean with dozens of adjustable deck chairs and benches- you will always have a seat in the sun. I attended sushi nights on Wednesday and Thursday- Chef Hiro was sensational and the sushi was incredible. The rainforest plants in the middle of the hotel make it feel like you are staying in luxury in the middle of the Daintree. The Hilton Cairns is incredible and I can’t wait to return for a third time!
Read more
Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adila R, Marketing at Hilton Cairns
Responded 9 Oct 2024
Dear BronteS, thank you for taking the time to leave a review about your stay at Hilton Cairns. We are delighted to read you enjoyed your time with us especially that you felt well looked after by our team. We appreciate your feedback regarding our rooming, dining offers and amenities. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Guaranteed room check in is from 3pm I would imagine there would be staff on duty to check you in but I would definitely pre-warn them of your estimated time of arrival and update if you are delayed as I should think there may be just one person on duty. I hope you enjoy your stay.
Late checkout depends on the day of the checkout and availability of the rooms on that day. Being a Hilton Gold or Diamond member also helps. Reception expects the guest to request late checkout at least 2 days before.
There are more places to choose from in the Cairns area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$218 - AU$262 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hilton cairns hotel cairns, hilton international cairns, cairns hilton international
LOCATION
AustraliaQueenslandCairns RegionCairns
NUMBER OF ROOMS
263
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
