The Espy Hostel Hotels in Cairns City – GayOut Guide
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The Espy Hostel

Google (162) 4.0
Tripadvisor (1) 3.0
What reviewers say

Visitors frequently praise the Espy Hostel for its excellent location and friendly, helpful staff. However, a significant number of reviews mention a roach infestation, with some guests reporting seeing them on their beds.

70
/ 100
GayOut Score
G4.0 🦉3.0
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Address
83A Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia
📞
Phone
0404 354 444
🌐
Website
hotels.cloudbeds.com

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About this place The Espy Hostel

The Espy Hostel is a gay-welcoming accommodation option located right on Cairns City's iconic Esplanade, putting you in the heart of the action. As a hostel in this popular tropical destination, it offers an accessible way to experience Cairns while connecting with other travellers in a friendly, inclusive environment. Cairns City has become an increasingly popular destination for LGBTQ+ visitors, thanks to its vibrant waterfront precinct, laid-back tropical vibe, and proximity to natural attractions like the Great Barrier Reef. The city offers a welcoming atmosphere for queer travellers, with various venues and hospitality businesses catering to the community. Staying on the Esplanade means you're perfectly positioned to explore the dining, entertainment, and social scene the city has to offer, whether you're looking for daytime activities or evening outings. As a hostel, this venue typically appeals to solo travellers, backpackers, and groups looking for budget-friendly accommodation with opportunities to meet other guests. You can find more information about facilities, room types, and current availability through their booking platform. Whether you're visiting Cairns for a weekend getaway, a longer tropical escape, or as a base for exploring Far North Queensland, this centrally located hostel provides a convenient LGBTQ+-friendly place to stay.

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Community Reviews

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Google Reviews

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4.0
162 reviews

Based on 162 Google reviews.

Reginald Holloway
Reginald Holloway Jun 2026

I had a great stay at Espy Hostel Cairns. The staff were thoughtful, conscientious, and always willing to help with a friendly attitude. The location is excellent, making it easy to explore Cairns and access local attractions. A comfortable and welcoming place to stay—I would happily recommend it to other travellers.

María Luisa Josa
María Luisa Josa Jun 2026

Great value for money. Totally worth it! Staff very nice and friendly.

christian brito
christian brito May 2026

i would like to reply to the review the roaches were shown to management i even left a roach in a piece of toilet paper that said open me which i know you guys saw because i heard the scream this place is dirty and they genuinely don’t care , infested and disgusting place

Eva Larsson
Eva Larsson May 2026

Everything is best! The top 10 is the team, clean, no instects, atmosphere, service, TV, kitchen, clean room, bathroom/ shower/toilet, luggage storage, no Keys - pin code access and the area right on the Esplenade. Extra towels and schampo, body wash. You only need to buy tooth brush and tooth paste. Thousand thanks Eva Attention: Hurry up to book it will be quickly booked with the cheap price and they try after 10 pm. have it quiet. Thousand thanks for everything! Eva

Djamila Askri
Djamila Askri May 2026

I had a great time at espu hostel the staff was super friendly :) The location is THE BEST!

Leidy Rodriguez
Leidy Rodriguez May 2026

This hostel has wooden beds & a roach infestation. If you stay here, you are guaranteed to see them. If the roaches weren’t in the direct space I was sleeping in, I probably could’ve ignored them but the fact that it got to a point were my sleep was getting interrupted because everytime I turned the light on I saw roaches running ON MY BED was actually disgusting. We raised a complain to management and tried getting refunded for the remaining nights of our stay because we truly didn’t feel comfortable staying in a bed where roaches are guaranteed to come out every night, especially when I sleep with my mouth open…. At this point we had 3 nights left, & just wanted to look for a new hostel where we can sleep comfortably without worrying about critters being on us. We moved hostels from Gilligan’s to this one because we wanted a more chill vibe. Within the first few hours, we realized we were probably better off in Gilligan’s, even if that meant dealing with music blasting all night. We were told that roaches were expected when being in Australia & that they wouldn’t issue a refund, the best the did was change our sheets & pillow, which in retrospect does nothing to truly address the roach infestation we were dealing with in our rooms. The fact that they tried blaming the issue on Australia’s ecosystem felt like they were trying to gaslight us, especially when i have been in Australia for the past 3 months & never dealt with a roach issue like the one here. The kitchen counters also had roaches there which proves it’s a cleanliness issue they have. I reckon they start advertising that you are paying to sleep in wooded beds with a roach infestation within it. If you are planning a stay, you are better off staying literally anywhere else, but here.

Daymon Johnson
Daymon Johnson May 2026

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Last updated on 14 August 2026

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