The Benson Hotel

I really didn't want to leave this kind of review, but after much thought, I've decided to share my honest experience. At least one side of the hotel rooms is extremely noisy at night, continuing past 3 AM. There's a shop directly opposite the room that makes an unbearable racket all night long, enough to wake anyone up.

The room was spacious and well-equipped with a microwave, cutlery, and a fridge. It's super close to both the ferry terminal and Cairns train station. There's a breakfast spot right opposite the hotel and a supermarket nearby, perfect for grabbing bread to heat up in the microwave. The front desk staff were really helpful, even assisting us with booking a taxi. The laundry facilities were fantastic, with large washing machines and dryers. Just a heads-up, the hotel doesn't provide slippers or toothbrushes, so remember to bring your own!

Putting the price aside, the location is quite convenient. You can walk to the night market, pier, and other places. The room is probably what you'd expect for this price point; it's likely not as luxurious as rooms in China.

Choosing The Benson Hotel for my Cairns trip was a brilliant decision! The location is absolutely superb – super close to the airport, just about a 15-minute taxi ride. It’s also only a 10-minute walk to the Lagoon Pool and the Marina, making it incredibly convenient for an evening stroll along the waterfront to the pool for a swim, or heading to the Marina to catch the sunset. The surrounding area is incredibly well-equipped too: right outside the hotel, you’ll find a huge variety of restaurants, from local seafood specialties to Asian cuisine, so you can try something new every day. There’s also a large supermarket nearby, perfect for grabbing fruits, snacks, or travel essentials. Shopping here gets full marks! The hotel rooms are spacious and bright, with all the amenities you could need, including air conditioning, making it feel just as comfortable as home. The front desk service was exceptionally thoughtful and attentive; they patiently recommended nearby attractions and restaurants, and any issues were resolved quickly. In short, this stay far exceeded my expectations. I will definitely choose The Benson Hotel again on my next visit to Cairns! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for convenient travel and comfortable accommodation – you won’t be disappointed!

Great service, good location, and a spacious room. The deposit was refunded to my Visa card just three days after check-out, which was a nice touch.

The hotel's location is quite good, about a 6-7 minute walk from Cairns Wharf, and directly opposite the farmer's market. However, the service attitude was very average. When I asked for a few extra hangers, they refused. This is also one of the few hotels where I've seen staff members not greet guests, which shows a certain level of indifference, although the restaurant staff were very enthusiastic. The hotel facilities are very outdated. The air conditioning could only be set to a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius, and the air it blew out wasn't refreshing at all. The room was stuffy and humid, though the hallway was quite cool...

The hotel has been renovated, but the air conditioning sounds like a jet engine. There's no service to speak of.