New Riley 5 Star Hotel Cairns

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Limewood

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My wife and I had had a fabulous time at the brand new 5 star Riley Hotel part of the Crystalbrook Collection in Cairns last weekend, it was high tech all the way from checkin to the amazing lift with its information and changing glass picture wall as you look at the trees going up through a rain forest, yes really!.

The room too was massive with king sized bed and 65” TV, a large bathroom with rain shower plus super modern stand alone bath, also had iPad tuned to everything in the room from lights to music and then a great view of the waterfront. Its all Eco friendly recyclable too, thin wafer wooden chipped digital room key, thick cardboard coat hangers and of course water bottles in cardboard too.

Food was excellent probably best prawn teriyaki Ive ever had and breakfast that would suit every taste with a huge selection, and plentiful too. Downside was wine and coughtails on the expensive side yet $7 for beer in a resort like his acceptable.

The Hotel only opened Tuesday 5th Nov, its one of three the billionaire from Syria is building in Cairns to add to his collection. The staff were all decked out in white tops and light fawn shorts and skirts sure looked the part ,and from check in to checkout were efficient and ever so helpful. So considering it was only 4 days since the opening hats off for a job well done.

and I have no association with the hotel, its staff or developers.
 
Thanks for the report. I was going to book there as well, as my last Saturday Cairns stay coincided with APEC and it seems quite a number were staying in Cairns and commuting each day and the hotels were pretty full. I was procrastinating and a room turned up at DoubleTree instead (and I am running a few stays short of diamond requal this year) so I grabbed it.

Upon reading your review, I'm now starting to regret that decision. Funny thing is, they emailed me about the opening. I have no idea how they got my email address. I doubt that Hilton or DoubleTree gave it to them! ;)

I thought that Syrian was developing 7 Cairns hotels at the moment??
 
Three hotels in Cairns - Bailey, Flynn and Riley.

Riley is the old Rydges Tradewinds, heavily renovated...now open.
Flynn is the old Bellview backpackers...site demolished and all new buildings...under construction.
Bailey is a new site next to the Novotel...basically on the opposite corner to Flynn...under construction.

He also owns near Cairns, Crystalbrook Lodge out on a station near Chillagoe.
The Port Douglas Marina which he plans to renovate and add a hotel.
And a 28m charter boat MV Bahama at the Marina.

That is 6, so a 7th accommodation option might be possible somewhere though I haven't heard of it...yet.

Heard good things about Riley...one person said the staff were "Too attentive"
I guess because they are new and eager to please.
Some of the new areas are not quite finished yet though.
 
Thank you for such a detailed reply. I tried to find out if they are part of a wider hotel chain (with benefits to me, of course ;)), but it looks like they are a stand alone group. Do you know if they have any chain/loyalty program affiliations?
 
Agreed a very impressive property for Cairns which has been quite stagnant over the last few years.
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Room
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Looks good. I can't recall the rate I was looking at but if memory works it was considerably over $200 a night?? Was it worth it?
 
Was $209 for western view, but we took a ocean view made it $250.
 
Think they said a while back they were not going to let another chain operate them, so I guess they are not affiliated with others.
Maybe start their own rewards club soon...

There is supposed to be a rooftop restaurant/bar in the glass bit I think.
The locals are looking forward to that.

The company is pushing the council to close down the Esplanade main strip for street dining each night...
locals not so happy about that...especially restaurants at the Pier or on other streets.
 
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They looked at most of the major chains to operate the hotels but weren't happy in one way or another so they decided to go it themselves.

Yep there is an outlet at the top of the Salt n Pepper shaker structure which obviously has impressive views up and down the promenade.

An hour into the opening night party in PaperCrane, which included a DJ outside in the seated area on the esplanade, they had a noise complaint from next door. The neighbors haven't been overly happy during the last few years of construction.
 
That is why nothing ever gets done in Cairns...too many whingers about noise, views, bats, cars, parking, traffic, environment etc...
People move into the city for the party atmosphere and then complain about the atmosphere.
It is like buying a house next to the airport and wanting the planes stopped.

Cairns used to be a party town...dullsville now after 10pm.
Mostly since the stupid liquor lockout laws started.
 
Been watching the works over the last year ... this bloke is a massive one man building boom for Cairns and the region.

He’ll be getting my business.
 
He’ll be getting my business.

I can't say the same I afraid. So far it still looks like you are staying in a construction zone and no perks with OK, but far from best, rates.

HH will still be scoring my stays for the moment.
 
I can't say the same I afraid. So far it still looks like you are staying in a construction zone and no perks with OK, but far from best, rates.

HH will still be scoring my stays for the moment.

The Hilton is all yours. Stayed there half dozen times.... not my cup of tea.
 
I can't say the same I afraid. So far it still looks like you are staying in a construction zone and no perks with OK, but far from best, rates.

HH will still be scoring my stays for the moment.

Yep, me too.
 
Many including myself advised the council to shut the esplanade with steel poles 7pm to 5am over the years where the restaurants are, like they do in New Orleans and other cites around the world to make it outdoor eating and a mrketplace, they tried it out last year and it was a great success. Last week Crystalbrook at their expense came up with a design to enhance the waterfront.

Cairns is booming, most of the bat trees done, cranes are in the sky again and the can do council has spent millions beautifying the city, and the backpackers taking over the waterfront are gone. Now we have these new fantastic hotels like the Riley coming on board and which others will be judged by, bring it on.
 
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