A stay at The Espy Hostel places you in the heart of Cairns, steps from Cairns Esplanade and Esplanade Lagoon. .This hostel is 0.4 mi (0.6 km) from Reef Fleet Terminal and 14.3 mi (23 km) from Palm Cove Beach.
Cairns Central Shopping Centre - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles
Getting around
Cairns Station - 13 min walk
Cairns Intl. Airport (CNS) - 11 min drive
Restaurants
McDonald's - 2 min walk
Rattle n Hum Cairns - 1 min walk
Villa Romana - 1 min walk
La Pizza - 1 min walk
Boardwalk Social by Crystalbrook - 1 min walk
About this property
The Espy Hostel
The Espy Hostel offers 17 air-conditioned accommodations with shared/communal kitchens. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access (speed: 250+ Mbps (good for 3–5 people or up to 10 devices)). Guests can make use of the in-room refrigerators and microwaves. Housekeeping is provided once per stay.
Recreational amenities at the hostel include an outdoor pool.
Make yourself at home in one of the 17 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and microwaves. Prepare your meals in the shared/communal kitchen. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected.
Enjoy recreation amenities such as an outdoor pool or take in the view from a terrace. Additional amenities at this hostel include complimentary wireless internet access, a television in a common area, and tour/ticket assistance.
Featured amenities include laundry facilities, microwave in a common area, and refrigerator in a common area.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
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 transportation
No onsite parking available
Things to do
Outdoor pool
TV in common areas
Conveniences
Laundry facilities
Limited-hour front desk
Shared microwave
Shared refrigerator
Vending machine
Guest services
Housekeeping (once per stay)
Tour and ticket assistance
Outdoors
Terrace
Accessibility
No elevator
More
Designated smoking areas
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Towels provided
Food and drink
Cleaning supplies
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Kitchen island
Microwave
Refrigerator
Shared kitchen access
Stovetop
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
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
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
Property payment types
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 elevators
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
The Espy Hostel Reviews
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.
A hostel with everything I needed, a great location and a friendly staff.
Jason
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2022
Verified
10/10 Excellent
THECKLA
Mar 4, 2025
Liked: Amenities
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.
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.
You can enjoy a free life. The staff cleans it every day, and you can make friends with other users.
tomoko
Verified
8/10 Good
Laura
Jan 19, 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.
Laura
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2024
Verified
4/10 Poor
Vaia
Feb 13, 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
As much as i want to keep this hostel a hidden gem, they deserve all the business possible. A simple yet welcoming environment, this place completely changed my prospective on hostels. It's not a party place and everyone respects one another, a very relaxed place. Location is centeral to everything in town on the waterfront, but the sounds of outside arent heard.
I cannot recommend this place enough and cannot wait to return.
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.
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.