Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns

Overall, I'm very satisfied. Hygiene: I booked the hotel for a total of 4 nights. The first night, it wasn't a sea-view room, but the room was quite spacious, and the large bed was comfortable enough. However, I kept feeling like the pillows had an odor, perhaps due to foreigners' body odor. I eventually called service and had all four pillows replaced, which helped a bit and I was able to sleep. On the second day, I paid an additional 80 AUD to upgrade to a sea-view room. In the end, I really felt it was worth booking a sea-view room; the visual impact and experience are so important. Plus, perhaps because of the sunlight, the room felt fresh and smelled pleasant. You know what I mean, haha. Location: The hotel is located in the heart of Cairns. Right outside, you'll find the ticket center for boat tours, making it super convenient to get your tickets and head straight to the pier. The night market and the Esplanade are just a short walk away. I was particularly surprised and impressed that the bus was free, haha. Facilities: The hotel was very thoughtful and human-centric, providing four bath towels in the bathroom. These were perfect for taking with us when we went out on a boat trip!

The room was spacious, but the facilities felt dated. Rooms facing the bay have a balcony, perfect for watching the sunrise and sunset. It's also extremely close to the cruise terminal. What was disappointing, however, was that Ctrip stated the hotel offered a service to hold koalas for photos, but this is actually a separate shop in the adjacent mall, requiring a separate reservation and payment.

Extremely close to the pier, which is super convenient for island hopping. My kids really enjoyed the pool too. Downstairs, you can even cuddle with koalas 🐨, but you need to book that in advance. Breakfast options were a bit limited, but as a Shangri-La member, I got a discount, making it a better value than eating out.

The location is fantastic! It's very close to the kids' water park, the night market, and the pier for boat trips. We booked a sea-view room, and it was quiet and comfortable. They even provided complimentary bottled water, which was a nice touch as it's the only hotel we've stayed at that offered it.