Reef Palms Motel

Photos did not reflect the neglect of the motel. Unfriendly staff at front counter. Motel room in serious need of updating. Bathroom not clean. I would seriously rethink it if you were considering this place. For $290 odd, spend the extra $ and book somewhere nice.

Rooms were old and needed a lot of repairs, rooms were only fully cleaned agter 7 days.

This was a stopover close to the airport. Very convenient as only a 5 min taxi ride to airport. There is a grocery store and a gas station a good 5 min walk from hotel for snacks. Also a bus stop close by to catch free bus into cairns city centre.

Photos are misleading for the current condition. WiFi connectivity was terrible. Pool was ok.

Room was clean and smelt nice on arrival. The staff were very lovely and helpful. Fresh towels and the blankets for the room hadn’t been replaced when we first checked in at 2pm, but there was a sign in the office saying they apologise that early check-in wasn’t possible that day as they were understaffed, so I understand that they were extremely busy. The pool and BBQ area was clean and a nice spot to relax. The motel overall was nice and peaceful, and was very quiet at night- even on a Friday. Only thing I could say is it could do with a few upgrades of the TV’s and facilities, and some minor repairs. Other than that it’s a great place to stay, and I’ll 100% be happy to stay there again.

Room was a good size. All taps were leaking. BBQ had run out of gas. Hot plate in room was difficult to use, with numbers not readable and no instructions to use it. No dish cloth. Trouble using the air conditioning. Lots of dirt around bathroom taps. Freezer in fridge almost frozen up completely.

Pick something else, the place is decades past its prime.

The property is old and maintenance of the rooms are not up to the standard.

I liked the balcony and the view. Beds were comfortable. The motel was not very clean the walls very dirty especially the bathroom. Drawers were broken and power points hung off the wall. The place needed maintenance. Staff were nice but seemed to understand little English.

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Needed some well needed cleaning and maintenance, shower was mouldy doors dirty and a few fixtures in the room needed attention.

$100 deposit for what nothing in the room was worth $100

Not a great stay at the Motel. The room was OK but in our room the WiFi didn’t work so we were reliant on going elsewhere with WiFi. It also wasn’t very clean, our sheets were stained and the ceiling fan was incredibly dusty. The motel in general is very dated and doesn’t look as modern or tidy as the advertised photos. You are a 20+ min walk to the main restaurants, markets, lagoon etc. There was also some construction work happening which meant loud construction work at 8am in the morning.

Practically no WiFi and very ordinary cleanliness

- Driveway access was blocked on arrival (bus + multiple cars), making it difficult to enter and unload belongings—was told to unpack in the rain. - No elevator access to second floor (not suitable for mobility issues or heavy luggage) - Large portion of parking unavailable with no explanation - First room had faulty air conditioning and an unpleasant smell - Second room was in unacceptable condition: dirty, broken mirror, belongings left behind, bugs in drawers - Front entrance locked at night—had to use side/rear access which felt inconvenient and less secure - Serious safety issue: staff member used a key to try to enter my room without knocking (room change not recorded) - Security deposit ($150) takes 2–3 weeks to be returned - Received a late-night call accusing me of non-payment despite already paying via Wotif - Staff were pushy on the phone and did not communicate professionally - Overall: very disappointing experience, poor cleanliness, lack of organisation, and major safety concerns - Would not recommend staying here

On the plus side, Reef Palms is conveniently located mid way between the airport & Cairns City. It is off the main busy road, & within easy walking distance of the city bus stop & the foreshore. The couple running the place are hard working & obliging. However being below aircraft flight path it is very noisy during the day. The hotel is in need of a major injection of resources - staff & maintenance - e.g. the spa pool - an annexure of the main pool has wires cut & doesn't work, room service is only every 4 days with linen change every 7. Guests must remove own rubbish daily & clean rooms, with a sign saying that cleaning products are available from reception. It looks as if the breakfast restaurant, now closed due to staffing will never re-open -disappointing as there are no breakfast places within easy walking distance. During rain, water pools in part of the downstairs corridor which is quite dingy. Bathroom tiles are mouldy, taps old, mismatched and difficult to turn on and off. Room service seems ad hoc e.g. no conditioner in dispenser & 6 light bulbs missing when I arrived. On request, the proprietor did install some bulbs. The little balcony was grubby & the sliding door lock was difficult to operate. The driveway in front of the steps was always covered in seeds which could get slippery. Despite 'no smoking' signs, the smell of smoke from rooms was everywhere. Wish I could say better as the proprietors are obviously trying hard, but this is just how I found it.

The room was in very good condition. The receptionist or staff member at front desk could of at least had a smile & be a bit more courteous, especially when dealing with multi- cultural backgrounds.

Room was great

Great stay!

I originally book two nights at this motel: the night when we arrived and second night after visiting the great barrier reef. The first night we arrived around midnight. It felt wet and humid as soon as we walked in. We found out there was NO AC in the room if people leave the room. Think about how humid in the higher 20's in Carins! No surprise we found mold in the fridge, on the window, etc. The room smelt so moody that my younger daughter who has sensitive airway was unable to breath. We all needed to wear N95 masks to sleep through the night because we had no choice. The second day we had to spend over $300 for another hotel to spend the night--of course last minute and same day booking is always expensive. But I would rather spend this money rather than spending another night in this filthy hotel. Besides my younger daughter was coughing the second day. Nobody should sleep in that hotel filled with mold. When I told the owner about the mold issue, he shrugged his shoulder and did not feel serious about it. He told us it was normal to have mold in Carnes which was humid. I told him that in the US, his hotel would be shut down if there is mold because of public health concern. He told me it was Australia. There was no such as thing as mold remediation. Do not live in this filthy place. It is full of mold ! See my pic of the mold in the fridge!