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Summer House Cairns is a resort-style backpacker accommodation located in tropical Cairns, the gateway to the Barrier Reef, and minutes from the Cairns Esplanade. Fully refurbished in 2019, the property boasts stunning facilities including an enormous lagoon style pool, volleyball court, onsite bar, restaurant, secure parking, numerous common areas, lounges, gardens and a travel desk. All rooms are air-conditioned with free lightning-fast WiFi available throughout the entire property. Free breakfast is provided daily as well as free coffee and tea, while guests can benefit from heavily discounted food and drinks every day. The property is located close to Cairns Airport at the start of the Esplanade. A pleasant stroll along the waterfront esplanade will have you arriving in the centre of town in 25 minutes where you will also find Cairns Central Shopping Centre, Cairns Night Markets and the famous Esplanade Lagoon. A free return shuttle bus is also available to drop guests off in town and back. We are a genuine international backpackers hostel best suited for foreign travellers aged between 18-35.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, German and 2 more
Location
341 Lake St, Cairns, Queensland 4870 Australia
Summer House Backpackers
550 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
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This hostel has 24-hour reception, which is very handy if you are arriving in Cairns on a late night flight. We also found the staff to be friendly and welcoming. It is worth noting that the hostel also provides a simple breakfast of cereal and toast and jam. The rooms are basic but you don't come to a hostel for luxury. Overall, it is a friendly, basic hostel.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip 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.
Summer House backpackers was a great spot to spend the night before flying out of Cairns. The desk is operated 24 hours so any issues are dealt with immediately. The vibe was great, with guests enjoying the bar and eatery on site which was very convenient. The pool was lovely and no strict guidelines regarding drinks around the pool etc. It was a very laidback easy atmosphere. They upgraded me to an ensuite room which was lovely. Downside would be no lift so if you have mobility issues that a problem. Need to bring your sheets and place in the washing basket when you leave. Overall a cheap place that fits the bill if you arnt expecting top of the line.
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Date of stay: March 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
very social hostel, but the kitchen is way too small for the size of the hostel. You get your own set of plates, cups etc which is pretty good also free towel hire. Free breakfast is nice but nothing special. A lot of activities but the Bingo is very boring in contrast to other hostels.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
Stayed here for a week in a private double room (thankfully). There was a lot of noise at night even though it Said on several posters that there had to be quiet by 10 pm. Grateful we had our own room so that we could get some sleep. Overall our experience here was not good. The Place is very old and dirty. To start with the bathroom, it was so disgusting. There was hair everywhere on the floor, in the sink etc. I Saw someone cleaning, but certainly not where it actually needed to be cleaned, and there was never any paper in the toilet. The whole common area is disgusting and you dont want to sit anywhere because it is so dirty. Ended up having breakfast in our room every day because we didnt feel like eating on a dirty chair and table. But to say something positive, there is free breakfast which is Nice. There is a pool at the hostel, which would have been great, if it wasnt for the fact that it to is dirty and the water is the opposite of clear. The wifi worked really bad and the aircondition were dripping on our floor the whole time, so we had to have towels covering the floors (the staff didnt do anything about it). The Place has a free shuttlebus to the city, which worked all right, except for the fact that the driver overslept the early trip so that a lot of people where late for their trips to the reef. Besides that, the minibus is old and very dirty inside and the driver drives really fast which makes it kind of uncomfortable. Would recommend to just walk to the city and back, it is a Nice trip along the esplanade and only takes about 30 minutes. Another thing that bothered me about this Place was the fact that they allow people to live here for free if they work a couple of Hours Per week. The idea is great, but we felt quite uncomfortable about the fact that complete strangers had access to our room and that they werent that helpful because they were all new and temporary staff. All in all a kind of bad experience, but our room and the breakfast was okay. Would find another place next time.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip 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.
Stayed at the summer house backpackers for a week with my friend and it was great! Bedrooms and bathrooms were regularly cleaned, the people were great and there was also a free shuttle everyday to town which was super helpful for us. Also, the staff were amazing, especially Stu. He helped us organise all our tours and activites while in Cairns, got us great deals and gave us great recommendations. Would 100% visit again!
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
Poor but not terrible. The outdoor space is what saves this hostel. The pool and volleyball area was lovely however that’s as far as compliments can go. Rooms are very basic, literally just a bed and small locker. Limited space for clothes and belongings however we were used to this having stayed in a few hostels. What we weren’t expecting was the disgusting bathrooms. Photos are attached. While I understand staff can’t help the fact that guests will inevitably leave hair in the sink, cleaning the sinks would help! The bathroom got ‘cleaned’ once a day but it was just a half hearted wipe of the surfaces and bleach in the toilets. The shower floors were not cleaned for days, hair stayed there for 4 days at one point. The kitchen downstairs is far too small to accommodate the number of guests (four hobs in total) meaning actually being able to cook was a challenge. The general atmosphere is unfriendly, other guests give dirty looks if you’re not in their ‘circle’. The shuttle bus running to town is helpful but again, be prepared to be stared down when you get on. Sleep quality is poor, the planes can be heard throughout the night and music downstairs is very noisy as well as other guests. Overall I wouldn’t stay here again and wouldn’t recommend to a friend.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
Diana at the front desk was the most helpful person I’ve interacted with on my almost four month backpacking trip. I had an injury to my foot leaving me unable to climb/walk very well and Diana immediately made sure I was on a bottom bunk and also upgraded my room so I had more space to be comfortable with my injury. Truly amazing, I was blown away by her kindness, I hope she has an amazing day everyday!!! The rooms are nice and the staff and tour guide are very friendly. Shuttle was helpful for my foot and bike rental too! I love that they keep the kitchen supplies as a rental and you get your money back when you return them— it makes sure the kitchen stays clean and everyone cleans up after themselves! The towel is free too and great price for everything and happy hour. This is the perfect hostel and I wish I knew they had this in Melbourne and Sydney so I could have stayed there. Thank you again Diana!
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
I would definitely recommend staying here. There is so much going for this place. From the daily free breakfast and tea/ coffee to the $5 meals and happy hour promos. The bar is well stocked and nice to hang in the aircon on a hot day. They offer a number of free activities each day from fitness classes, yoga and beach volleyball. Yoga with Yonna was a great way to start the day and she has a fun and enjoyable teaching style. All the staff are very friendly and helpful and will go out of their way to make sure your stay is stress free and enjoyable.
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Date of stay: January 2020
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.
Awesome hostel with great value for money. With a free shuttle bus to get into town, cheap drinks at the onsite bar, $5 dinner options, daily activities and a pool, we loved our stay here. Rooms and facilities were clean and maintained. Friendly staff which were keen to help in any way they could. Chef Roman’s food was absolutely delicious and highly recommend! Stu at the CheapAz Travel desk onsite was very helpful with finding us the best deals and tours.
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Date of stay: December 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â Rooms near the cleaning areas can be quite noisy at night.
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.
I’d booked for a private room here based on its good reviews. While trying to check in, I handed my drivers licence but the receptionist (young man) wanted my passport which I thought was odd as I’m an Australian. Drivers licence is usually the norm. Luckily I had my passport with me. He then proceeded to ask if I’m from any of NSW hotspots. I said no. The man then asked for PROOF that I haven’t been to hotspots. I asked how do I prove that? He said through bank statements or payslips. I thought that was ludicrous. I understand the importance of mitigating Covid risk but my payslip doesn’t prove anything! He wouldn’t check me in and said to wait for the manager. I stood at the reception for 20 min and no sign of manager. When she finally shows up, she was helpful and said that a driver licence was all that’s needed. That was what I offered in the beginning. That receptionist honestly needs training and a better attitude.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
There are more places to choose from in the Cairns area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$113 - AU$150 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
nomads serpent cairns hotel cairns
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Nomads Cairns Backpackers and Serpent Bar
LOCATION
AustraliaQueenslandCairns RegionCairns
NUMBER OF ROOMS
84
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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