Stopped in a 2 bedroom apartment with three children for six days. Location is outstanding, opposite the lagoon pool, great for kids and on the esplanade with eateries outside the door. "Driftin" cafe is next door, great food and well priced. Staff were really helpful all the time. Room layout was fantastic, plenty of space and tvs everywhere including some free pay TV channels and movie channels (extra cost). We even had a view of the ocean and lagoon pool, but did not pay for this. Only negative was noise from the nightclub across the road in Shields St and the garbage trucks early in the morning, but the air conditioning running helped block out the noise. Got a cheaper rate by booking direct than using websites eg Wotif (260 per night). Ask for a room not facing Shields St when booking to avoid noise. The heated pool and spa was also fantastic, kids didn't want to do anything else. Great pub right next to hotel and woolworths supermarket in the next street. Recommend this hotel even though it is quite pricey, its location allows you to avoid a car and enjoy Cairns on foot, without having to move too far.

We stayed at the Mantra for six nights in one of the hotel's one-bedroom apartments with a city view. We booked the hotel through the internet and then followed this up with a phonecall direct to the hotel as we had a query relating to the rate and inclusion of breakfast. This was clarified with a hotel staff member and yes the rate included breakfast. There is a small restaurant in the hotel complex where we were supposed to have breakfast. On arrival we were given vouchers to give to the restaurant each morning. However, this was not the case. The restaurant was closed for breakfast (they didn't have a breakfast cook)and we had to go to the coffee shop and choose something from their display cabinet. This would be ok for one or two mornings but after the sixth morning we were getting a little tired of toast or fruit salad or a few other things they had available. Not the sort of breakfast we had paid for!! Hotel staff didn't seem to know what the arrangement was and really didn't offer to assist. Despite all this, the apartment was very comfortable and the hotel is in a great location, close to heaps of restaurants.

There is no doubt this hotel has a great location. Situated right on the esplanade but actually in town. Don't get fooled, the esplanade is very long and some hotels that advertise on the Esplanade are actually quite far from the centre of town. It's right in front of the lagoon and on a quiet stretch of the strip. Furnishings are excellent, especially since the hotel is used by some for long stay visits or owners using it as a condo. Free parking is a plus. Smallish but quiet pool with a great French patisserie off the lobby. Rooms are big and clean. Front line staff are friendly and helpful with tourist advice. Our biggest problem was with their handling of a housekeeping mistake. They had thrown out a wine box container which had souvenirs in it. Front desk staff when informed this was indifferent in demeanor and only offered to advise housekeeping management of the mistake. No formal apology was given nor was any offer of reimbursement made. Items were of nominal value and management could have easily provided compensation (less than $40). Contrast this to my experience at LA's Westin when housekeeping accidentally threw out my pile of old newspapers I had been meaning to read. I was automatically comped $50 of parking fees without solicitation and given a sincere apology! Later on we read that Queensland's Inn Keepers Act indicated that hotels are required by law to reimburse room losses (below a certain limit) due to the hotel's negligence.

This hotel was very clean and nice, the furniture is modern, full kitchen and washer & dryer were very helpful with children. We got 2 adjoining bedrooms and I would say the only problem is that since we had little children it was a pain to try to keep the 2 doors open so we could go back and forth because they have that mechanism that when you let go they close automatically, and then you need the room key to open them (we had to wedge a flip flop so they would stay open). But other than that the hotel is very well located in the center of all and right next to shopping, restaurants, right in front of the swimming lagoon and the boardwalk along the esplanade and the marina. Cairns is very very expensive (for the U.S. traveler), a total tourist trap, I would highly recommend Port Douglas if you have a longer stay, it's only an hour away, it's more beautiful and the shopping is considerably cheaper. Stay in a hotel within walking distance to downtown, it's the best.

The choice of the Mantra Esplanade was suggested by our travel agent after the previous hotel didn't seem to fit into our plan. We were pleasantly surprised to find the accomodations were more than we expected. They were painting the inside when we arrived and that was good. The room was more like a suite with sliding doors which could close off the bedroom from the living room. My husband was impressed with the full kitchen facilities as he is a muncher late at night. The balcony overlooked the city and it was very quiet. Both rooms had TVs which was fine with me as we like to look at different things and I like to sleep without interruption. The front desk was very helpful as were all the people we met in Cairns. The beach access is a little out of the way, but there is a large pool that appears to go to the ocean right across the street. If you really want beach action, take the bus for about $4.00. There are many, many restaurants that cover all budgets. The one thing we found that occurs at this time of year is that everyday between 4:00 and 5:00 the rains come. The good part is the days are clear and warm as is the rain. Some evenings we got "take away" (carry out) and just sat on the balcony and watched the rain. I would love to go back to Carns and will stay at the Mantra Esplanade when we do.