Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort

I like so much about this hotel I stayed at for 5 nights during 2 snorkel dives at the GBR and a day trip to Kuranda.||This hotel was booked by my tour group so we took over about 40 rooms.||You are going to have a hard time finding a better breakfast buffet. I put up some photos of just some of the items.||The beach like large sand pool is a cool scene, and you can drink and dine there too.||Walking distance to the GBR boats and tons of restaurants. The GBR boat docks are a 15 minute walk away--easy. The Train Station mall is also a 15 minute walk in another direction.||It's a great staging location for your Cairns Trip.||My room was modern contemporary and looked like it was recently refurbished with a cool walk in shower. Bed was very comfortable and room was quiet. No bar soap--only pumps. I brought my own bars.||The neighborhood is relatively safe but don't be surprised if you see homeless and mentally ill wandering around Cairns--not as bad as Santa Monica but more than you would expect.||Hotel staff was mainly nice.||Airport was $12.00 USA Dollar by Uber--about a 15 min ride--easy.||Here are the things I did not like at this hotel:||1) They are stingy on towels. They do not like to give you extra towels. One clerk quizzed me on how many people I need in the room to require an extra towel? And when they did deliver extra towels and I put them up in the closet for the next day. Housekeeping went into the closed closet and took them away before I got back and I had to call for more towels again.|2) Clean rooms, but not super clean. There were errant long hairs on the floor and bedding. Not a crisis--but this is not the Hilton--it's the Novotel--and I am Novotelling you what it was like.

Our room was excellent. We were upgraded to a room looking over the pool and the top floor. The bed was very comfy, the staff very friendly. Mel who has looked after us many times for breaky is the best. So nice to have a bubbly happy and colourful person to greet you. She is a delight and makes everyone very welcome.

Pros: 1) excellent location near the waterfront 2) buffet breakfast for kids is free and if you have accor plus you only have to pay for one adult (we had family of 2 adults and 2 children) 3) Great lagoon pool for kids with sandy area 4) Excellent service and food from the bar was great Cons: 1) We had a standard two double bed basic room which was very small and the beds are a bit small even for 2 kids so get a suite if you want more room. 2) bathroom was a bit old an dated. Otherwise there was nothing to complain about

My stay was alright but I was put in a ground floor room, next to an elevator and the swimming pool. It was extremely noisy at almost all times of the day. The only way I was able to sleep was casting rain storm noises on my TV. I felt because I bought my room at a heavily discounted price from a third party website that they put me in the worst room in the hotel. Pros: - Was in a central location in Cairns city centre. - I had to pay for it but it did offer parking underground and was almost always able to park (outside the weekend parking on the street is also convenient. - The room itself was in a good state, the bed was reasonably comfortable and the TV had casting capabilities. Cons: - My room in particular was situated in the worst location in the hotel. - Parking was not free but a paid expense. - I think there are better hotels to stay at in Cairns. Would I stay here again? Most likely not due to the above mentioned issues.

There is no Vibe and just a sleepy resort only exception is the pool area during the day only. My room door couldn’t be locked and was told will be fixed next day but was not during the stay, felt very uncomfortable. Please don’t brag about location, cairns is not big and 80% of the resorts are better situated than Novotel. I will definitely come back to Cairns, family loved it but will stay at some other place.

Rooms were great, clean and tidy, close to the pool. Unfortunately check in was a bit overwhelmed, as they had a conference going and it was lunchtime when we arrived. As we couldn’t check in until 2pm we asked to store our bags and change into shorts and they directed us to the toilets in the reception area which wasn’t great as all the conference attendees kept coming in and tripping over our suitcases etc as we got changed. They also had a live band playing that evening at the pool bar for a private function which was pretty loud for a Thursday night - luckily we all had ear plugs packed. But other than that, it was a pleasant stay.

I’m writing this review based on value for money, and unfortunately, the Novotel Cairns misses the mark. This isn’t a cheap hotel, but the experience definitely doesn’t justify the price. The Good: Location is decent. Staff were generally fine, but that’s about where the positives end. The Bad: The pool is freezing—like an ice rink. It’s pretty much unusable unless you enjoy a shock to your system. The rooms are small and cramped. Definitely not what you'd expect for the price. There’s a fruit bowl in near the lobby, but depending on who’s working, you’ll either get a complimentary piece or be charged for it. And forget about any unused fruit—rather than giving it away, they just let it go to waste. Kids’ activities are a joke. They canceled things like table tennis for days on end to make way for events like a union meeting. I guess the union is like in general. Towels are not even available near the pool—you have to ask for them at reception, which is ridiculous. We booked an adjoining kids’ room, but instead of the convenience we expected, we got rooms three doors down. Not exactly ideal when you have little ones. In the end, it's the little things that really add up. For the price, this hotel is absolutely not worth it. The value for money is nowhere near where it should be.

Rooms at the Novotel appeared to be recently renovated and clean. Bathroom was very small but very clean. Rooms were nice and spacious and clean as well. But there were these tiny bugs that were crawling around in our room, and our AC literally leaked on the floor. They came and sprayed for the bugs and put some towels under the AC. The staff were all nice and pleasurable. The exterior of the property looked terrible though. Very dirty and old and run down. The location was great - close to lots of shops and restaurants. Very busy hotel - lots of guests and the lobby was full of people. Breakfast was okay, just the same options every day. It was an okay stay for the short time we were there but I wouldn't stay again. It just didn't "feel" comfortable or welcoming.

This was a super nice & fun hotel to stay at! My kids loved the pool! We also loved the Moku food & drinks. Staff is super friendly as well!

Perhaps it was the time of year, the Novotel Oasis Resort has definitely room for improvement. From previous reviews, the Novotel Oasis Resort was - and seems to remain- in a constant state of repair. Beyond the beautiful exteriors including the lobby area and the pool, cracks in the form of repairs and staffing are readily apparent. For example, as we entered, the whole front area was under construction for the whole duration of our trip. This made it difficult for the constant flow of tour buses to come in and out which added undue stress on the trip. The first room that our receptionist sent us to had people doing construction in the room above. The noise was so loud that even the receptionist was saying that they couldn't even hear me. What was odd was that they preferred we stay in our room and wait it out rather than switch us out. On that note, the receptionist area is weirdly staffed. There would be a short line of people but it always felt the receptionists were overwhelmed with the work. Perhaps because they are responsible for everything from the guests who are checking in and those who have problems. While the Novotel Oasis Resort is a pretty reasonably priced place in Cairns, it definitely has many issues that need to be fixed in order to provide the resort like feel that it tries to portray.

We stayed at this hotel for three nights recently, and overall we were pleased with our stay. The previous reviewer (from March) indicated that there was a lot of construction during his stay, and our Uber driver did mention that the hotel had recent undergone extensive renovation. I'm happy to report that major construction seems to be completed now, just in time for the school holidays and the high travel season for this area. The hotel is very conveniently located close to shops, restaurants, waterfront, and the Reef Fleet Terminal, which is where all the trips to the Great Barrier Reef start off. The relatively new Cairns Aquarium (definitely worth a visit) is right next door. The lobby is bright and airy, with a bar at the back that serves coffee in the morning and drinks in the afternoon and evening. There is a nice pool set among greenery and trees at the heart of the hotel complex, which was attractive though we did not use it during our stay. Check-in was a breeze, and the front-desk staff was very helpful. However, calling the desk was a problem as the we had to let the phone ring for several minutes before we could get through - it would have been faster to walk to the lobby. Our requested wake-up call was never received. We booked a so-called superior room, which was advertised as being quieter room overlooking the pool, and that's exactly what we got. However, with a "superior" moniker I also expected it to be a little larger, but in fact it was a standard-sized room. There was a small balcony that didn't really have any place to sit, but it was quite useful for drying out our wet swimwear. The bathroom appeared to have been recently updated as well. Our hotel booking included breakfast, and this was very good, with a variety of hot and cold options. It also had offerings that would appeal to the sizable Asian tourist crowds, with fried rice or noodles every morning, miso soup, and congee (rice porridge). They also had a nifty pancake machine that we enjoyed. The restaurant staff was friendly and my custom-ordered omelets were delicious. Overall, we had a very nice stay at the Novotel Cairns Oasis. The price we paid was quite good (helped by a very favorable exchange rate as well). I did have a problem with online booking, however, which is more a function of Accor's (Novotel's parent) subpar system. I had made a reservation but then had to modify it due to a change in the number of travelers, but the website does not make it easy to do this, and it took a lot of sleuthing to find the right link. This desperately needs to be fixed.

Do you ever find a setting, an untouched piece of earth, a patch of green so special you don't want to share it with anyone. Well as Hotel's go, you just found it in your next visit to the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort. After a few wonderful stays over the years, I feel it's time to let the Novotel Cat our of the Cairns Bag, even though I am sure this will drive up demand. With a family of two young kids, I truly love the Novotel and always stay here with my family when in Cairns. Though there are more prestigious hotels which are probably nicer in terms of rooms and restaurants, for us it's all about the kids. There really is no better place in Cairns to for the kids, if it's the School Holidays this is the place to come, run by the institution that is Debbie, she'll keep your kids entertained in a safe and awesome environment (no extra cost). During the hols there are activities everyday around 10:30, 2:30, 4:30 and 6pm. Some of the activities allow for adult participation and is encouraged, or you can keep a close eye on them as you sip a Pina Colada or your favourite cocktail which the Novotel team always make to perfection from the pool bar or get it delivered to your deck chair. Focusing on the pool area, one end has a beach so the little ones have a nice incline before reaching the 1.2m limit. If your kids aren't strong swimmers they can be kept nice and close and safe. Especially the toddlers with the sand nice and soft. All whilst you can lounge back in the numerous deck chairs and table sitting area nearby, or jump in and have a swim with them as you order another cocktail from the pool bar including pool seating. Definitely do the Kuranda Rail, Aquarium next door, but the great thing about the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort you will be more than happy to spend lazy days near the pool and really unwind. Rooms are clean and well kept, I would suggest they are on the smallish side but your not going to be spending much time in them given the Hotel and Cairns has so much to offer. Other complaint was the water pressure in the shower was rather weak. Staff from reception, dining and throughout the hotel are warm and friendly. With Max at reception an absolute standout, Max was as happy as I felt every morning and every day of our stay, it's nice to be able to build a repour with a staff member when you are one of hundreds of guests and only staying a week. I highly recommend the Hotel for lunch or Diner with all the dishes having a very tropical and unique Cairns flavour to them. We had 2 lunches and 2 diners at the hotel over the week we stayed and we never disappointed. But given the great location, you will want to go for a leisurely stroll and try the many restaurants nearby. The 10-15min walk to the Marina is well worth it for the delicious and affordable seafood. On the topic of location, the Novotel is literally next door to the Aquarium and 3mins walk to the main bus interchange. Breakfast can get really busy and depending on times of the morning you may have to wait to be seated, or to use the toaster, but nothing that's out of the ordinary. Great selection and variety of food, though I do feel the bacon spoils it (yuck and I love Bacon). You often you have to wait for the fruit to be filled up, but this is more of a testament to how good the fruit is, rather than then anything else. Sadly the only thing I would not recommend is making a tour booking through the tour desk found in the lobby, absolute nightmare and just went from bad to worse. Do it online yourself, which is easy given the decent wifi in the Hotel, but the tour desk is separate and you can't charge the room anyway. I probably wouldn't stay here as a couple or business traveller. But with a family with young kids, it's really the only place to stay in Cairns.

I'm hard pressed to recommend this place. Upon arrival, there was nobody to help us with our bags. We had to find a cart and move things ourselves. It wasn't a strong first impression. The receptionist was friendly and accommodating, but the staff could use some training in professionalism. While I was at the counter, another receptionist got off the phone and started talking about how she was surprised that a guest was willing to pay a very large sum to get a room. You don't say things like that in front of other guests. The rooms themselves were a decent size, but felt icky. The carpet had stains and felt sticky in a few places. The bed was lumpy, although clean. The air conditioner would work fine for a few minutes, then go into power saver mode, and thus, it was hard to feel comfortable for very long. Other issues included a tiny gym with some equipment not working, an odd phone that required you to dial "9" to get to the front desk (dialing "0" got nowhere). The restaurant was schizophrenic. If you prepay, the breakfast buffet is $20 for an adult and free for a child. The first time we did this, they somehow lost our payment. There was a decent assortment of food, including bacon and eggs, congee, fried rice, pancakes, and fruit. None of it was very good and they would do annoying things like add salt to the scrambled eggs. Dinner there, however, was surprisingly good. The kangaroo was quite tasty, as was the hamburger. The hotel is home to about 3,500 bats that hang from the trees surrounding the hotel. This might be a pro or con depending on how you feel about them.

One of the reasons you select a chain is that you probably know what to expect when you arrive. You sacrifice uniqueness for familiarity. The Novotel could fit in that category but it has shimmers of its own identity. One of the great features of the Novotel is its Mizuna restaurant. We weren't really expecting anything special when we sat down for dinner there but we had a great meal. In the middle of humid Queensland you aren't expecting a meal you'd find in a metropolitan locale: excellent beef carpaccio plus gnocchi with wild mushrooms seasoned with rosemary plus crisp, coconut crusted prawns, plus a trio of ice creams like lychee, mint chocolate chip, and mango. We really appreciated a restaurant that wasn't completely catering to parents and kids although a burger is always available. The staff does their best to keep the place clean; there is a somewhat damp smell throughout the hallways---I know carpet is a safe choice for most hotels that worry about people slipping but this location might benefit from another floor surface that dries quickly and has some slip resistance. Then there are the bats that ring the trees on the surface streets around the perimeter of the hotel. There is a underlying hum of their presence that you hear when you're at the pool but you quickly realize that it's kind of a they won't bother you if you don't bother them relationship. When you walk to the esplanade you will have to walk under these trees which is a surreal experience. The lobby sports two imacs for internet use. The internet times out after twenty minutes and you have to reboot. Usually there is some unparented child playing games on the monitor and you have to gently redirect them. Wi-fi is strongest in the lobby which is why you'll find most people hanging there staring at their phones when you first arrive. We spoke with the front desk in the mornings and in the evenings. The staff in the evening: not nice. Staff in the mornings: nice. Plan your interractions accordingly. Oh and the pool---sandy on one end...warm and relaxing.

We had a terrible experience during our stay. We reserved two rooms and both were treated terribly. We stayed here for two nights and after the first room cleanup, our towels were not replaced despite leaving them on the floor, our toiletries were not replaced, and our trashcans were not emptied. They did not pick up pillows that we put on the floor. When we tried to call the front desk for new towels, we were on hold for 20 minutes with no response. Very disappointed in our stay.

Good location. Room spacious enough. Lack of amenities in bathroom. Gym ok but a bit small. Concierge was nice and helpful. Check in was not as good. As ACCOR club member I generally arrive and key, welcome pack are ready. Here it wasn't the case plus lacking of a water bottle in the room. Average for a Novotel.