Little Drifter Cairns

This was my first time staying here. Our room was directly above the terrace, so we could hear the lively chatter, which actually added to the travel experience in a fun way. I was a bit worried the noise might keep me from sleeping, but every night around 10 PM, it quieted down, and I was able to rest peacefully. I highly recommend buying groceries from the nearby supermarket and enjoying a meal on the terrace. Also, you can walk to the seaside promenade in about 10 minutes. It’s a safe location for a solo early morning stroll.

I stayed here for 2 nights. The shared bathrooms and toilets were new, clean, and despite being busy, I never had to wait. The kitchen area was a bit crowded, though. On my first day, when I checked in, it looked like someone had used my bed. I reported it to the front desk, and they promptly and kindly changed the sheets and pillow set for me. I would definitely want to stay here again.

The toilets are great, there are plenty of showers, toilets, and sinks. Plus, there's a lovely outdoor area and a large kitchen.

This is my second stay here. You can drop off your luggage for free if you arrive early. If you haven't planned your itinerary yet, there's a dedicated staff member in the lobby who can help you with your plans and even get you some good deals. The whole place is clean and bright, and the bathroom provides shower gel. The location is convenient, just a five-minute walk to the night market.

This hotel is centrally located in Cairns, close to the Esplanade and the Great Barrier Reef departure terminal. It's right next to a large Woolworths supermarket, making shopping incredibly convenient. An Uber from the airport was only about $20. The terrace off the kitchen is fantastic; dining out there in the tropics is just perfect. Each bed has a reading light, a charging outlet, and a privacy curtain, which is very convenient. The shared bathrooms are clean. The indoor air conditioning was too cold. On my first night, someone in the dorm coughed all night, making it impossible to sleep. I ended up having to sleep on the sofa in the common lounge. The only downside was the front desk staff – they were cold and often absent. I checked in at 5 PM, and there was no one there; it was all self check-in via QR code. When I asked staff for help, the most common responses I got were "I don't know" and "it's not my responsibility."

I suppose this might be the best backpacker hostel in Cairns... but the room was completely different from the pictures. It had no windows and was extremely cramped. There was absolutely no ventilation, which made the room humid and the air quality poor. The room was always dark :( It's a good thing my luggage wasn't too big; I don't think I could have stayed more than two days. However, the bathrooms were quite clean and seemed well-maintained. I'd recommend that others request a room with a window.

This was my first solo trip to Cairns. It was also my first time staying in a hostel, and with my limited English, I arrived feeling quite anxious. However, everything from check-in to getting my room key could be done online, and since the online system supported Japanese, I had no issues at all. Any questions I had were quickly answered via chat, which was a huge relief. Being a hostel, I didn't have high expectations for cleanliness, but I was pleasantly surprised by how incredibly clean and comfortable it was. Before check-in, I used a locker to store my luggage; it was past the front desk and cost around 800 yen. My room did have a locker, but it didn't have a lock, so remember to bring your own padlock. I was able to borrow a hairdryer from the front desk by leaving my passport as a deposit. For my first solo trip, my first time abroad alone, I was extremely satisfied with my stay at this hostel!

The beds have privacy screens, which is a nice touch for privacy.