PACIFIC in Cairns - Hotel Review with Photos

SD › Cairns Hotels › Pacific Hotel Review
Updated: January 4, 2022
By Santorini Dave

Essentials
• Location: On the corner of the Esplanade in downtown Cairns.
• Hotel website: pacifichotelcairns.com.au
• Hotel phone: +61 (0)7 4051 7888
• Check prices for Pacific Hotel

A Tropical Luxe Room at the Pacific Hotel on the Esplanade in downtown Cairns.

Pacific Hotel – Comfortable, great value, tropical-style, and in a perfect position surrounded by amenities.

The only four-star hotel in the city center, the Pacific looks a little dated from the outside, but all rooms are modern and nicely furnished, and it exudes a tropical vibe surprisingly lacking at rival hotels. The recently-renovated Tropical Luxe rooms feature décor and furnishings appropriate to Far North Queensland, and some also have direct access to the decent-sized pool lined with sunbeds. No gym or spa, but the competitive rates reflect this. The main selling point is the location: very close to the terminal for boat trips around the world’s greatest reef, the remarkable public swimming pool, and all the shops, cafés, and bars along the Esplanade and city streets. Additionally, the hotel overlooks a serene park and the staff is particularly friendly.

Pacific Hotel – The Location

Address: 43 Esplanade, Cairns. On a corner where the Esplanade becomes Wharf Street as it crosses Spence Street.
Area: Beautifully positioned at the end of the Esplanade and surrounded by amenities.
How to Get There: The only option to/from the Cairns Airport (7km) is by Cairns Taxis. See “Local Transport” below for information about local buses and trains.
Handy to: Casino. Terminal for boat trips around the Great Barrier Reef.

Pacific Hotel – The Basics

Guests: Caters to all – as much for business people as holiday-makers.
Pets: Not allowed.
Views: Rooms from the 4th to 9th floors feature private balconies that face the sea, inner-city parks, and/or Esplanade.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not really expected (or provided) at this sort of hotel in the city center.
Parking: Secure parking available for a small daily fee, and may be included in the rates depending on how the room was booked.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +61 (0)7 4051 7888
Email: info@pacifichotelcairns.com.au
Website: pacifichotelcairns.com.au

Pacific Hotel – Amenities

Pool: Decent enough, with a wooden deck and plenty of sunbeds. Some shade-cloth provided.
Spa & Fitness Center: None.
Other Facilities: Laundry/dry-cleaning. Guests lounge. ATM cash machine. Currency exchange. Business services.

Pacific Hotel – Food and Drink

Restaurant & Bar: At night, Bushfire Flame Grill offers a sumptuous Brazilian-style churrasco where waiters bring giant skewers to each table and slice off chunks of kangaroo, beef, lamb, and seafood. An experience and more than just a meal. The attached bar offers lighter meals and very Happy Hours.
Breakfast: Available, but usually for an extra cost. Served at the restaurant which transforms into the Bushfire at night (see above).
Room Service: Available during limited hours; ask management for details.

Pacific Hotel – Rooms

Room Types: Standard Room • Superior Room • Executive Room • Deluxe Room • Tropical Luxe Room • Tropical Luxe Premium Room • List of all rooms
Smoking Rooms: No smoking allowed anywhere on the premises.
Best Room: The large Tropical Luxe Premium Rooms are attractively decorated and some have direct access to the pool.
For Families: Several rooms have connecting doors. With lower rates than most rivals, this is a great option for families.

Pacific Hotel – Local Transport

Walking & Cycling: Cairns is so compact and wonderful for walking. Cycling is also popular along a path that extends about 3km alongside the water. Bikes can be rented at Cairns Electric Bikes, just 200m down Wharf Street.
Buses: Services operated by Sunbus head to the lovely tropical beaches less than an hour away. A bus station is 600m from the hotel, on Lake Street. Greyhound Australia offers buses all over Queensland and the rest of Australia from near the Reef Fleet Terminal (200m).
Trains: Running between Cairns and Brisbane 5 times a week, the Spirit of Queensland is one of Australia’s most spectacular train services. Just as amazing – and far shorter – are the daily trips on the Kuranda Scenic Railway. All trains use the terminal (1km) attached to the Cairns Central shopping center (see below).
Taxis & Ride-shares: Best to book ahead for Cairns Taxis. Uber also operates as far as Port Douglas.
Car Rental: Most internationally-known agencies (and several locally-run ones) offer rentals, including Avis and Hertz.
Boats: All sorts of boats for sightseeing, diving, fishing, and sailing depart from the Reef Fleet Terminal, barely 200m away. Book online, at any travel agency in downtown, or at the official booking office opposite the terminal.

Pacific Hotel – What’s Nearby?

Almost every restaurant and café in Cairns is licensed to serve alcohol.

Best Nearby Restaurants

Perrotta’s – attached to the (free) Cairns Art Gallery one block behind the hotel (300m). Pleasant open-air dining, especially popular for coffee and breakfast.
Ochre Restaurant – divine waterfront setting 200m from the hotel. Award-winning Australian cuisine with an ever-changing menu and focus on sustainability.
Dundee’s Restaurant on the Waterfront – alongside Ochre. Waterside tables and top-class service for seafood, steaks, pastas, and salads. Another outlet attached to the Cairns Aquarium (see below) has a wall alongside a tank of marine life.
Miss Chief Bar & Eatery – fab position on the second floor of an old building with a wide balcony 2 blocks behind the hotel. Contemporary cuisine and ‘clever cocktail list’.

Best Nearby Bars

Rattle ‘N Hum – as popular with locals as tourists for its esplanade setting, garden seating, and daily specials (especially pizzas). About 300m.
P.J. O’Brien’s – huge, popular, and in a shady setting along vehicle-free Shields Street (500m). Hearty meals, live music, and other nightly events.

Nearby Shops

On Abbott Street, one block up from the hotel, is a major Woolworths supermarket. About 300m along the Esplanade are the Cairns Night Markets. Open every day, with souvenir stalls (from 5pm) and cafés (from 10am), they are a bit of a tourist trap. More vibrant is the Asian-style Rusty’s Markets (open from early, Friday to Sunday), 500m up Spence Street. Mostly fresh produce, but also souvenirs, live music, and food court. The massive Cairns Central shopping center is 1km along Spence Street.

Nearby Attractions

Boat trips – from the Reef Fleet Terminal (200m), all sorts of organized trips are available – whether diving/snorkeling, fishing, sailing, water-sports, or whale-watching among the most extraordinary coral reefs on the planet. Others just swim, snorkel, hike, or dine at Fitzroy Island or Green Island – both only 45 minutes one-way by boat.
Casino – smaller than some, but no less popular and vibrant. All sorts of gambling available, as well as live music and inexpensive bars and bistros for all. Easy to spot, just across the park.
Lagoon – in lieu of any beaches in the city, this massive open-air swimming pool is 300m away, alongside the Esplanade. Surrounded by shady lawns with free barbecue facilities. Open from about 6am to 9pm daily. Free entry.
Cairns Aquarium – the city’s newest attraction (open daily) is about 850m via Abbott Street. Among the 15,000 marine creatures are giant sawfish, hammerhead sharks, and turtles, as well as crocs, frogs, and snakes unique to the region.
Beaches – some will be disappointed that the coastline within Cairns is swampy and muddy. Thankfully, perfect tropical beaches – Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, and Palm Cove – all with plenty of places to eat, drink, shop, and stay can be found within an hour north by local bus. Note the warning signs about stingers (jellyfish) and even crocodiles.

Pacific Hotel – The Hotel

The hotel is located in the city center.

The Pacific Hotel is superbly positioned on a corner overlooking a park in the most convenient section of the city center.

The hotel is surrounded by facilities around the streets and attractions along the Esplanade.

A pleasant surprise is the colorful guest lounge on a mezzanine level above the lobby.

The sort of tropical décor and furnishings throughout the Pacific Cairns are surprisingly lacking at many rival hotels.

The bar at ground level serves light meals and is particularly popular for the excellent happy hours.

A substantial buffet breakfast is available, usually for an extra cost.

Bushfire Flame Grill is a meat lovers' heaven.

Each night, the restaurant where breakfast is served transforms into Bushfire Flame Grill where meat is sliced off giant skewers by waiters at each table.

On the ground floor of the hotel, Bushfire Flame Grill is an experience, rather than just somewhere to eat.

The pool is a decent size and offers some shade-cloth (not seen in the photo).

All Tropical Luxe rooms are spacious and decorated in a suitably tropical style.

Some Tropical Luxe Premium Rooms have pool access.

Some of the Tropical Luxe Premium Rooms have direct access to the pool.

The beds in all Tropical Luxe rooms are huge.

Most types of rooms provide plenty of windows, while a few also feature balconies facing the park.

Tropical Luxe rooms have beautiful bathrooms.

One standout feature of all Tropical Luxe rooms are the huge and recently-renovated bathrooms.

Attached to the (free) Cairns Art Gallery, Perrotta’s is the finest of several casual open-air bistros just a block behind the hotel.

Laguna Tapas and Wine Bar is very popular.

Laguna is the most inviting café along the esplanade within 200m of the hotel.

Just along the boardwalk from the Pacific Cairns, the Ochre Restaurant serves contemporary Australian cuisine.

Dundee’s Restaurant on the Waterfront is next to Ochre.

Next to the Ochre, Dundee’s is very popular for its waterfront setting and top-notch service.

Miss Chief Bar & Eatery is in an old building.

On the second floor of an old building near the hotel is the Miss Chief Bar & Eatery.

P.J. O’Brien’s is located on Shields Street.

Along a vehicle-free street 500m from the hotel, P.J. O’Brien’s bar is very welcoming.

Rattle ‘N Hum bar & grill is very popular.

Only 300m along the Esplanade, Rattle ‘N Hum is a very popular watering hole.

A 3km-long walking and cycling path stretches by the water.

A walking path (also popular for cycling) stretches about 3km alongside the water from the hotel.

A fab way to get around Cairns is by bicycle. This agency is just 200m down Wharf Street from the hotel.

Along the Esplanade near the hotel, the inviting Lagoon swimming pool is free for anyone.

Cairns is beautifully located by the water.

Cairns is attractively positioned along a bay.

A walking/cycling path and boardwalk extend along the water’s edge for about 3km through the city center.

Just across the park from the hotel is an entrance to the casino.

Boat trips to the Great Barrier Reef depart from the Reef Fleet Terminal.

One attraction of the Pacific Cairns is its proximity to the Reef Fleet Terminal where boats leave daily for trips around the Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns is great for walking and cycling.

With a compact area of flat streets, walking and cycling around Cairns is wonderful.

The newest attraction in the city center is the Cairns Aquarium, home to some 15,000 marine creatures.

Cairns Central shopping center is nearby.

About 1km up Spence Street from the hotel is the massive Cairns Central shopping center.

Cairns Night Markets has several souvenir stalls.

Although a bit of a tourist trap, the night markets are worth a look.

Rusty’s Markets is vibrant and Asian-style.

Particularly vibrant are the Asian-style Rusty’s Markets, about 500m up Spence Street from the hotel.

Public buses connect to the beaches in the north.

While there are no beaches in Cairns, less than an hour north by public bus are several glorious stretches of sand.

An easy day-trip by public bus from downtown is the classic tropical beach at Palm Cove. Check rates and availability: Pacific Hotel

All Cairns Hotel Reviews

About Santorini Dave

I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.

Pacific Hotel in Cairns, Australia

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