Great atmosphere and great rooms. It feels like one big family. Would stay there again and again whilst in Cairns. Lots of restaurant choices within 200m of Castaways. Great pool table. Wayne, owner, is a gem and has so many interesting stories.
Me and my boyfriend got into Cairns after travelling up the east coast of Australia. Our first hostel was castaways and we loved it so much we stayed for a week. When we arrived we booked a 3 bed dorm and the owner put us into a nice room and also gave us special treatment by not putting anyone else in there with us which we were very grateful for. We wanted to go onto the Gt Barrier Reef which Wayne (manager/owner) recommenced us to go onto the best one to dive and snorkel - the company also picked us up outside the hostel. This was probably the best experience we have been on since staying in Australia. It’s nice being able to play pool and table tennis in the evening and socialise with the other guests and staff. 20 minute walk into the town, 2 minute walk to a bottle & food shop. Friendly and clean place to stay! Highly recommend!
Hi Olivia,
So great to hear we made your experience in Cairns wonderful, thank you for taking your time to write a lovely review. Wayne and the rest of the castaways family wishes both you and your boyfriend happy travels! Hope to see you again if you choose to visit Cairns in the future. Thank you for staying with us.
Kieran :)
Upon arrival we were greeted by the owner at reception who had no issue in storing our luggage as we arrived before check in, he kindly showed us around the small but homely hostel and showed us to our rooms. The room itself was exceptionally clean and offered a spacious mini fridge, a double and a single bed (we only expected two single beds so this was a nice surprise) and there was also space to hang our clothes with hangers provided. The room had a ceiling fan which worked perfectly fine and additional air con was $1 which lasted for 3 hours but it cooled down the room very quickly and seemed to keep us cool throughout the night. Whilst the location of the hostel itself isn’t in the centre of Cairns (approx 20 min walk away), we didn’t mind this so much as it meant that at night it was quiet and we could get a good nights sleep. The toilets and shower rooms were again very clean and also very spacious - not your typical cubicle but had more of a homely bathroom vibe. The kitchen was fully equipped, very clean, and offered free amenities such as tea and coffee, as well as other dried goods which other backpackers had left. I would recommend this hostel to someone who is perhaps looking for a quiet hostel - especially if you’re staying for a prolonged period of time as it did feel very homely and safe.
Thank you for taking you time to write such a nice review. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your time with us. Happy Travels :)
Awesome hostel with nice staff and a very kind owner. It was my first hostel during my first trip to Australia and I felt very comfortable and familiar.
The rooms are nice and clean like the bathrooms. It's easy to get to know with the other poeople. I would definetly come back. Thanks for this amazing start, you made my trip to Down Under!
Hi Brigitta,
We are glad to have made your first stay in Australia! Thank you for writing us such a nice review. Wishing your safe and happy travels.
Kieran :)
Recommended by our friends we (my partner and I) checked in without hesitation and we were not disappointed. We had initially planned to stay in Cairns only for a few days but we enjoyed Castaways that much we stayed for 2 weeks (reluctant to leave when we did).
The owner made you feel immediately at home, as did the staff. They took the time to get to know you and were very helpful and accommodating - you felt like you were staying with friends within a matter of minutes.
The facilities are good. We stayed in one of the private rooms with bathrooms within close reach. The bed was comfy, the room was clean - I like having my own space and I found there was ample space in the room as well as throughout the hostel.
Want some quiet time? No problem. Want to socialise? No problem; pick and choose the environment you want as you want. I especially respect their rule of ‘quiet after 10:30pm’.
They also provide loads of information on local tours/activities. My partner and I went on a trip to Cape Tribulation with the hostel; it was like a lovely family day out! On the way we saw crocodiles and ate ice cream (they even brought along sandwiches and drinks).
If you are looking for home away from home; this is the place to stay.
Thank you so much Castaway’s!
(We will be back in 2021 when we return from New Zealand!)
Thank you for the lovely review. I'm glad to hear you and your partner enjoyed your time with us. I wish you happy travels and hope to see you again.
