Booked a private room for two people, so I don't know about the dorms, but anyway, YHA always the best. The kitchen was massive ans clean, the staff very kind and the bathrooms super clean. The hostel it's in the town centre, in front of a big mall so it's even super easy to do groceries. They have a free billiard too! Really an amazing stay.

Clean room at good location close to centre and shopping centre. However the street itself is quite. However i booked it for the spa and it didn't work during the 3 nights I was there. Quite disappointed. I have my own room with my old bathroom which are clean but very basic. The reception works on a reduced time. The look and equipment are quite old. Small swimming pool. Not a fun place for sure as it was quite and the guests are elder. I changed to another place similar price, even slightly cheaper and I could get a much better room.

Cindy is a literal saint. Honestly recommend the place just because of her. She will literally hook you up with deals for restraunts and activities. She is absolutely amazing (and helped me out when most of my plans came crashing down). Rooms are clean, have aircon, and across the street from the mall and only a 15 min walk from most of the main city attractions including takeoff for the great barrier. This is honestly the place if you are trying to find spontaneous stuff to do as there is always something going on like parties or wakeboarding etc. Also has a pool

Basic rooms, but everywhere is very clean. The kitchen is well stocked and there are good common areas to hang out in. The staff are amazing. Cindy went well out of her way to find us a trip to the reef (we left it very late) and to give us the benefit of her local knowledge on everything in Cairns, from places to eat, to where to go on a rainy day. Definitely recommend!

YHA is hands down the best hostel in Cairns. The staff are all amazing, Alice and Sam are so lovely and we’re so accommodating to us. The backpackers Lars and Angela who were working the front desk are amazing people with great personalities who always made us feel welcome. The hostel is so clean and sociable too, all the guests are very respectful and I’ve made friends for life here. Thanks endlessly to the YHA team hope to see you soon!!

Good for the price and great location - close to town and supermarkets across the road. Rooms were good enough and pretty big (stayed in a four-bedroom dorm and was one of the biggest on my trip). Aircon worked a treat (you definitely need it), and the beds were decent. Could've done with more power points, especially near the beds (as they were only over the other side of the room). Facilities were kept clean but in need of a bit of an upgrade (a few taps and showers out of order). Pool was a great addition; outdoor area was very nice and relaxing, they even had free pancakes for breakfast one morning. Late check-in was super easy. Only major gripe was there a large number of groups (20+ people) staying when I was there (schools, volunteer groups, etc), which made many of the areas quite noisy and crowded. Was great and relaxing when these groups weren't here. Would stay here again!

I had extremely great memories in Cairns YHA, Sam, Cindy, Phoebe, Jen are really nice and helpful person. I really enjoy the culture diversity vibe in there and some events they host like Aboriginal culture events is engaging and funny. they try every effort to give backpacker at different age and culture background a home feeling. Just give big shout to YHA Cairns and it’s team before I leaving there. Love you guys! —-Nikki

A nice clean friendly place. The only downfall was our dorm was too small we could hardly move around each other. And we had to get the remote control for the aircon system as our room was like a sauna. Other than that great place to stay.

This is THE hostel to stay at in Cairns. The facilities are clean, central location close to all services, and they provide blankets (not just a sheet). I stayed here for multiple months and was so happy with my entire stay. The staff were incredible and made the whole experience. Big shout out to Alice, Brooke, Rick, Sam, Lars, Angela and José!! Thank you for making YHA feel like my home away from home!

Best hostel I’ve stayed in Australia, the staff is AMAZING. Gave us a lot of recommandations on what to do around and we had a really great time discovering the Great Barrier Reef, rain forest, etc. Rooms are really clean and beds are comfortable (we stayed in differents rooms and it was always very very good). Huge kitchen with a lot of space to cook and to store your food. Special mention to the women at the front desk who’s really helpful and so kind (sorry we didn’t ask for your name but it was lovely to meet you !). Thanks for everything I’ll come back if I’m around !

I was charged for a future reservation which clearly stated I can cancel up to 2pm the day of arrival and won't be charged for it until that time but was already charged more than a week earlier. The money was refunded immediately when the staff noticed their mistake but I didn't receive the full amount in my account, most likely because of fees. When I brought it up at the front desk, two of the staff members told me it was indeed their mistake and there will be most likely a solution as the guest should not have to pay $16 for the hostels mistake. The problem was that the manager tried to blame everything on my bank and was unfortunately not able to own up to the mistake his staff made and find a solution. CONCLUSION: be prepared to pay for the hostels mistake if they mess something up with the payment, the management doesn't care.

The suite was perfect for us and when we needed to solve an issue, we had the help of the personal immeditaly. The girls in the recepcion are very nice. The hostel is close to the Explanade (around 12 minutes walking).

Great location. Rooms are small especially when more the 2 people but price wise very good. Pretty much everything within walking distance. Very friendly and helpful staff.

Absolutely loved my time at YHA but was cut short when told last minute they no longer took long term tenants. Sam - the manager at the time - and all the reception staff from January to June were absolutely fantastic, can’t fault the team. Everyone in the hostel made me feel welcome and appreciated! I made some life long friends here! However, since not staying here I have been disappointed in the things I’ve been told that certain staff members have been saying about myself and the people that stayed here at the time. We all caused no problems and gave YHA a lot of exposure and to hear the staff who arrived just as we all had to leave speaking negatively about us all does not paint a good picture for the hostel. At the time I paid upwards of $200 per week for a 10 bed dorm, in total $6000-$7000 in the 6 months I stayed here, that’s a lot of money however I felt appropriate due to the nature of the people and staff. To find out we have been degraded in such a way is heartbreaking and it seems to be one member of staff in particular. However, in the time I left YHA abruptly, I have found comfort in the team and people at Mad Monkey Central! The fault in YHA lays with the new staff members and it’s a shame to see this happen!

The staff were all extremely friendly, but the rooms were a big let-down. They were dirty, damaged, and had broken appliances such as air conditioning. The community in this YHA was nice, and there were plenty of outdoor areas, including a great pool. A solid base product, that would benefit from some maintenance and more regular cleaning.

Nice hostel with friendly and helpful staff. Private room is very comfortable and good value for money. Hostel itself is quite social through the events they put on every night but relaxed in the day which makes a good mix.

Absolutely best hostel I've stayed. Central location, Squeaky clean amenities and right across the street from Cairns Central Shopping Centre. But the staff are the real stars of this show. From cleaners and maintenance guys were great. The front desk dynamic duo of Johanna and Katie were always friendly, helpful went out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. Thanks everyone, your kindness and generosity did not go unnoticed.

I was discriminated against. I get vertigo and my ankle is in the process of healing from being broken. Manager didn't care being on a power trip. In her ego trip she also committed bait and switch at the end of our email chain. She first stated I could have a single room at the same price of a dorm , then in the last email she wanted me to pay 67$ more/day, were a hotel would be cheap, the old bait and switch. Corporate didn't care that these fraudulent act were committed. There were other legal breaches, also that I told corporate but they didn't care. In the frustration, they were not willing to even give me my money back, which, I had to fight for and stand my ground. I highly recommend that this place is not worth staying. In fact I didn't....

Highly recommended! There’re movie nights by the swimming pool once a week. Clean kitchen and bathrooms, and great common areas with hammocks and music. I go back to YHA Cairns every time I’m in the city.

I usually can't be bothered to write reviews but I'll do one for this place. I had the BEST time here. I wish I booked it for longer. I met the most amazing and fun loving people. The pool helps a lot with socializing if you're traveling solo. They did a movie night while I was there which I thought was really nice. It's clean and staff is very friendly. I highly recommend it if you're looking to make friends and wanna have a good time! :)

We were really lucky during our visit to Cairns. First, the weather was nice, and second, we met Sam in YHA. Unlike most travellers, we arrived in Cairns with only accommodation reservations and no tour reservations (because we were lazy). However, when we met Sam from YHA, we felt that it was a good thing that we came to Cairns without any tour reservations because we loved the tour that he recommended and reserved for us. Crocodile viewing, waterfalls, rafting, and the Great Barrier Reef! We would like to thank Sam to no end for making these unforgettable memories! I encourage all travellers visiting Cairns to ask for Sam at YHA!

Lovely chill hostel in the middle of the city. 500m walk to the water and restaurants, across the road from the shopping centre. Rooms are basic but clean. We stayed midweek so definitely quieter, but everyone was respectful. What more could you want!

Well located, Cairns Central just in front and you can walk everywhere from the hostel. The pool area is nice and the rooms are pretty big. I was staying in one with 4 beds and it was big and clean even though they don’t have plugs close to the bed. The kitchen is well equipped and the bathrooms are clean. The only thing is the common areas don’t get cleaned often, so the hammock area and the tables in front of the kitchen are dirty and sticky and full of abandoned plates that can be there for days. Friendly staff.

Great budget accommodation! We enjoyed our four nights in a twin room with private bathroom, which was clean and a decent size for two people. Air conditioning worked great in our room, and WiFi was strong everywhere on the property. Shared kitchen had plenty of plates, silverware, and cookware for simple meals. Modern laundry and drying machines for an extra fee. Secure covered parking, also for an extra fee. Front desk folks were so friendly and helpful, some of the nicest hostel staff we’ve had in Australia! Soundproofing towards the walkway could be improved. Although the shared kitchen was cleaned really well once a day, it gets pretty dirty after dinner time because of the guests. Directly across the street from Cairns Central (shopping mall, railway station, grocery stores, etc.), and a 10-15 minute walk to the Esplanade and marina.

Everything you could want from budget accommodation in Cairns. The kitchen looks very good although I didn't use it myself. The rooms are basic, but clean and have everything you would need. The staff were very friendly, helpful and happily helped with all the enquiries I had. The location is great for diving in Cairns as it's roughly a 10 minute walk to the Marina and also for visiting the rainforest as it's a 2 minute walk to the bus stop which takes you straight to the car rental locations to drive up to Daintree.

Great place for short term stay in Cairns Cindy.Cindy, Phoebe and team looked after our group really well. Clean rooms good facilities. Entertainment events, activities for kids. Overall very happy with the stay!

Great hostel, stayed in a single room which was very basic. It could use a bit of a spruce up and easy handyman jobs, including the bathroom's taps that need fixing. What matters most to me is that the mattress is comfy, linen is clean, bath towel is provided and showers work fine. Guys at the front desk were helpful and friendly.

Location is very convenient. You can book tours from front desk. Nice place. Everything is in walking distance from here. Many tours do pickup from this hostel but also the pickup location of tours are all in walking distance if not from the hostel. The room I stayed felt that ceiling is too low which makes the light too bright when turned on and if you are on upper bed it’s a bit inconvenient. Also, the lights had a single switch which is a bit odd. Storage lockers are present in room for each bed. Room is quite big. Hammock are also present at few places in the premise. Parking is also available in the hostel.

They don't wash the duvet covers between guests. Otherwise a chilled place.

Staff! They have excellent and helpful staff. Location is great too. Thank you Cindy for helpful advice and tips.

$59.00 yes fifty nine dollars a night for an ensuit room in the middle of Cairns. Quiet. Comfortable across the road from Cairns central and railway. Staff are wonderful and can direct you to Cairns secret little places. If you can handle clean basic this is great. No wardrobe backpacking at its Best

Had a great staying there. Nice facilities and pretty clean rooms. Very affordable and super close to shopping center .

If you want to have an experience as a tourist or backpacker, this is not the right place. There are a lot of people living permanently so the hostel has no holiday vibe at all and feels weird

Its clean, well located, but its not cozy, neither beautiful. Its practical. Good to spend just few nights. They offer good sheets, which helps. The aircon is controlled by reception, rooms are dark, almost no light get in. But as I said...for few nights its cheap and worth depending on your budget. Staff was friendly.