Lynda2475
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2009
- Posts
- 8,617
- Qantas
- Platinum
- Virgin
- Red
I could not find a thread for the Crystalbrook Collection, but thought Id post a review for recent stay at the Crystalbrook Bailey Cairns.
There are 3 Crystalbrook hotels in Cairns - The Bailey, The Flynn and and The Riley, all located centrally within easy waking distance of the Esplanade, shops and marina. I opted for the Bailey as had the best pricing for my dates.
Check-In - very quick and despite being a couple of hours ahead of official check-in time, room was available immediately. Was also advised that if I decided to pre-book breakfast (the day before) the buffet would be $25 instead of the usual $38 which seemed like a decent deal to mull over.
There are two sections, permanent residences / hotel apartments and then the hotel. My preference as always is for hotel, I have no desire to cook when I am on vacation.
Room met my needs adequately. Comfortable bed, plenty of powerpoints and USB ports for charging devices, good set of lighting presets, fabulous air-conditioning that stayed at set temperature despite raging humidity outside, plenty of hanging space and drawers for unpacking, useable desk.
Excellent walk in rain fall shower with decent water pressure, room in the in-shower niche for your own shampoo etc and the bathroom has good shelf + storage behind mirror too.
Close up of the sugar ants on the leaf art-work above the bed.
The pool is small but adequate, although best utilised in the evening as no shade over the pool itself. There was a gym but i didn't check it out. The hotel also has bicycles you can use for free, but in the humidity that didn't seem like it would be fun.
There was a cute Christmas tree in the foyer made from all the books past guests have left behind in the lending library.
CCs Bar n Grill and Arte Wine Bar were chockers most nights, I didn't manage to try either. I did end up at the buffet breakfast on New Years Day because virtually no other options were going to be open near by. It was the usual hotel buffet options and extra for barista coffee, nearly fell off my chair when they wanted $6.50 for a small cappuccino, just as well I paid the discounted $25 and not $38. Also turned out that they were only serving guests and not walk ins due tot he PH.
Pacha Mama bar/restaurant on pool deck was closed, seems they have been struggling to find a new operator/staff for several months. This however worked out well on NYE, as instead of picnicking along the esplanade with the great unwashed, I was able to nab some of the Pacha Mama tables, positioned nicely in the cross breeze and under a fan. My local friends brought the fancy nibbles and cider; and I provided wine and we chilled out listening to the Spanish themed music and chatting until 8:30pm when we grabbed some gelato and managed to lucky out with prime seats to watch the fireworks on the Esplanade at 9pm. Then back to pool deck for a swim, more drinks and nibbles ahead of the midnight fireworks. There were a handful of other guests who did the same thing, great minds and all that.
Check out was painless, I had a late flight but rather than store luggage and wander; opted to go to my friends house and then tag along to go swimming at the Babinda Boulders, then after cleaning u at hers she drive me to the airport.
I usually stay in Port Douglas, I generally like the compactness and chilled out vibe of PD over the throng of Cairns, plus the reef is IMO in better knick that bit further north. But the Bailey was certainly more modern and nicer than any of the hotels in PD proper, so I would stay again.
Last bonus is that all the Australian Crystalbrook hotels are listed as Qantas Sustainable Properties so you will earn a green leaf towards Green Tier following you stay (the leaf along with 600 GT bonus points posted within 2 days of check-out).
There are 3 Crystalbrook hotels in Cairns - The Bailey, The Flynn and and The Riley, all located centrally within easy waking distance of the Esplanade, shops and marina. I opted for the Bailey as had the best pricing for my dates.
Check-In - very quick and despite being a couple of hours ahead of official check-in time, room was available immediately. Was also advised that if I decided to pre-book breakfast (the day before) the buffet would be $25 instead of the usual $38 which seemed like a decent deal to mull over.
There are two sections, permanent residences / hotel apartments and then the hotel. My preference as always is for hotel, I have no desire to cook when I am on vacation.
Room met my needs adequately. Comfortable bed, plenty of powerpoints and USB ports for charging devices, good set of lighting presets, fabulous air-conditioning that stayed at set temperature despite raging humidity outside, plenty of hanging space and drawers for unpacking, useable desk.
Excellent walk in rain fall shower with decent water pressure, room in the in-shower niche for your own shampoo etc and the bathroom has good shelf + storage behind mirror too.
Close up of the sugar ants on the leaf art-work above the bed.
The pool is small but adequate, although best utilised in the evening as no shade over the pool itself. There was a gym but i didn't check it out. The hotel also has bicycles you can use for free, but in the humidity that didn't seem like it would be fun.
There was a cute Christmas tree in the foyer made from all the books past guests have left behind in the lending library.
CCs Bar n Grill and Arte Wine Bar were chockers most nights, I didn't manage to try either. I did end up at the buffet breakfast on New Years Day because virtually no other options were going to be open near by. It was the usual hotel buffet options and extra for barista coffee, nearly fell off my chair when they wanted $6.50 for a small cappuccino, just as well I paid the discounted $25 and not $38. Also turned out that they were only serving guests and not walk ins due tot he PH.
Pacha Mama bar/restaurant on pool deck was closed, seems they have been struggling to find a new operator/staff for several months. This however worked out well on NYE, as instead of picnicking along the esplanade with the great unwashed, I was able to nab some of the Pacha Mama tables, positioned nicely in the cross breeze and under a fan. My local friends brought the fancy nibbles and cider; and I provided wine and we chilled out listening to the Spanish themed music and chatting until 8:30pm when we grabbed some gelato and managed to lucky out with prime seats to watch the fireworks on the Esplanade at 9pm. Then back to pool deck for a swim, more drinks and nibbles ahead of the midnight fireworks. There were a handful of other guests who did the same thing, great minds and all that.
Check out was painless, I had a late flight but rather than store luggage and wander; opted to go to my friends house and then tag along to go swimming at the Babinda Boulders, then after cleaning u at hers she drive me to the airport.
I usually stay in Port Douglas, I generally like the compactness and chilled out vibe of PD over the throng of Cairns, plus the reef is IMO in better knick that bit further north. But the Bailey was certainly more modern and nicer than any of the hotels in PD proper, so I would stay again.
Last bonus is that all the Australian Crystalbrook hotels are listed as Qantas Sustainable Properties so you will earn a green leaf towards Green Tier following you stay (the leaf along with 600 GT bonus points posted within 2 days of check-out).
Last edited:
