Doubletree Cairns and Cairns Hilton - Family Friendly Accommodation
As the Barramundi hit the prawn at warp speed and the water churned I knew that this would be the perfect spot to stay if you had a young family in tow.
As a Cairns local, I’ve had the pleasure of staying a couple of times at two places belonging to the Hilton Hotel brand. There’s DoubleTree Cairns and Hilton Cairns (their flagship hotel). Both hotels boast waterfront views, and if your room faces the other way? Well don’t fret, we do have that beautiful rainforest that cascades down the mountains behind Cairns and which offer stunning sunsets.
So how do you compare DoubleTree Cairns and the Cairns Hilton? Well, I genuinely feel that DoubleTree Cairns has a more playful and quirky feel about it, PLUS the prices tend to be a lot more family friendly.
The main drawcard for the youngsters would have to be the Barramundi ponds that are set in amongst the lush rainforest that lies in the central part of the hotel. The twice weekly feeds, which happen just after midday on a Monday and Friday, incites screams of joy from both kids and parents alike…. If you never seen a barramundi feed then you definitely need to stay for a feed. Blink and you’ll miss them scoff the prawns on offer.
There’s the DoubleTree Cookies (world famous apparently) that are dispensed upon check-in as a welcome, and a tropical garden with secret paths, ponds and fountains PLUS a table tennis table sitting near the ‘jungle zone’. It’s obvious that family fun with a sprinkle of quirkiness is part of DoubleTree Cairns mission.
News Flash
Recent renos at DoubleTree Cairns has meant that the furnishing in the lobby and rooms have enjoyed a revamp. Inside the rooms, walk-in showers now have rain-shower heads 🌧️ 🚿 which have replaced those step-in shower/bath thingy’s.
AND I’m loving the emphasis on sustainability too ♻️ Gone are all those throwaway shampoos and lotions and soaps and they’ve been replaced with dispensing bottles containing the @CrabtreeandEvelyn range of body products….SO LUXE.….. PLUS the key’s are environmentally friendly now - made of bamboo I think 🎋🤔
Food wise, the DoubleTree Cairns Head Chef Rajneesh, who has Indian heritage means that breakfast-wise (which is an amazing buffet with a range of different food stations) you may be lucky enough to find some staple Indian dishes. I got to try some curry pops and Poha and Masala Chai Tea for brekky……it’s enough to inspire me to get the samosa maker out of the cupboard. 😋
And for lunch and dinner there’s a great poolside menu (which is awesome if you do have kids ‘cause you don’t have to wrench them away from some good ol’ water play) and in the evening the Vine Room opens.
There’s nothing like sitting on the Cairns Esplanade taking in all that early evening action whilst enjoying a fantastic range of beverages, scrummy gourmet share platters and Tapas dishes. There’s also cobs (a loaf loaded with dip and a popular Aussie party pleaser), pizza, mains to share and Cubanos (toasted focaccia rolls). Add in live music on the weekend and there are some seriously good vibes happening here.
The other drawcard of DoubleTree Cairns is its proximity to Muddies Playground - renowned as being one of the best and most popular playground for kids in Cairns. It’s only a quick five-min walk along the Cairns Esplanade and there’s a splash park, climbing frames, swings, and a flying fox PLUS a whole lotta other stuff to entertain the kids. This place ticks all the boxes for exhausting kids of all ages and the Muddy Cafe also provides excellent coffee and food choices making it a great choice for families to hang out.
A few years back, the family and I stayed at the Hilton Cairns, a hotel that sits straight on the waterfront, close to where all the reef boats leave from. For the teens the Hilton Cairns was ‘da bomb’. The kids got a room all to themselves (which is available at DoubleTree Cairns of course 🛌💤 ) and although adjoining, we could lock them out of our space BUT probably better for them, they could lock us out!!
The Big Plus here was that we were close to plenty of activities that really engaged them and one’s that they were actually happy to do with us adults in tow. We used to visit the Cairns Esplanade at least weekly when the kids were younger but that lapsed when they reached that age when being out with the folks became seriously uncool.
There’s eBike and eScooter rental hire just underneath the Hilton building, as well as Beam Scooters that are pretty much parked everywhere now. The kids had a blast exploring the Esplanade on the eScooters and then racing each other down at hairy speeds down at the Cairns Wharf. Thankfully you don’t find a whole lotta people strolling along in this spot.
The Cairns Marlin Marina, where all the boats leave to the Great Barrier Reef is virtually spitting distance from the Hilton BUT instead of choosing a Great Barrier Reef experience (because we’ve done plenty of them in the past) we chose to hire out a boat from the Cairns Boat Hire, and enjoy the fun of skippering our own boat and checking out the Trinity Inlet
So, for us with teens, the Hilton Cairns was perfect. If they had been any younger however, I reckon I would’ve felt more comfortable with a family stay at Doubletree Cairns.
News Flash 2
The Hilton Cairns has also enjoyed a face lift with a soft renovation of their rooms - new bedding, smart 55-inch TVs, and new carpets.
Ultimately, if you want to spoil yourself and your family you really can’t go past either of the two Hiltons in Cairns. From the moment you book in, to the moment you leave the ‘feels’ are sublime. AND of course, let’s remember that both can easily be enjoyed by parents in need of a break from ‘adulting’ duties.
Good things to know:
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These barramundi were introduced as fingerlings into this pond in 1990 and now they’ve grown in excess of 90 cm and 50 kg!! It’s enough for you to want to throw a line in 🎣😆
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DoubleTree Cairns is a 2-5min short walk from Cairns Aquarium, Cairns Art Gallery, the Esplanade Lagoon, and the city center.
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Secured and covered parking is available
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The ‘Winter Season’ (April – October) - is seen as the most perfect time to visit the Tropics with sunny days, little rain and balmy 23C days. The ‘Green Season’ (or Wet) normally goes from November – March AND this is when you’ll find the best deals.
Have you stayed along the Cairns Esplanade before? Have you seen the Barra Feed at DoubleTree Cairns? Leave a comment below 👇
