Hotelaholic

Cairns · Queensland

The Benson Hotel

Corner Grafton And Spence Streets, Cairns, Queensland, 4870

Live availability

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Check-in
Nov 24, 2026
Check-out
Nov 26, 2026
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HAPPI EXPERIENCE

The stay, in detail

  • Luxurious Accommodations

    Experience the newly refreshed guest rooms at The Benson Hotel, featuring modern amenities such as 55" Smart TVs and stylish decor. Stay tuned for the upcoming refurbishment of bathrooms and furnishings to elevate your stay even further.

  • Prime Location

    Situated in the bustling central business district, The Benson Hotel is just a stone's throw away from major attractions including the Convention Center, Reef Casino, and Esplanade Lagoon. Enjoy the convenience of exploring the city on foot with the hotel's proximity to key landmarks and entertainment hubs.

  • Gastronomic Delights

    Indulge in a culinary journey at The Benson Bar & Restaurant, where you can savor a mix of cocktails, local delicacies, and modern dining options. With its elegant ambiance and outdoor seating, the restaurant is the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy the vibrant tropical surroundings.

Book your stay now and create unforgettable memories in the heart of the city.

HAPPI HIGHLIGHTS

  • Central, convenient location

  • Comfortable beds

  • Clean/tidy rooms

At the hotel

Popular amenities

78 listed
  • 24-hour front desk
  • Air conditioning
  • Bar
  • Breakfast takeaway containers
  • Broadcast Live sport events
  • Business center
  • Canoeing
  • Car hire
  • Cashless payment available
  • CCTV in common areas
View all amenities

Pools & wellness

  • Outdoor pool
  • Rooftop pool
  • Swimming pool

Dining & drinks

  • Coffee Shop on site
  • Kid meals
  • Physical distancing in dining areas
  • Restaurant
  • Sanitized tableware & silverware
  • Special diet menus - on request
  • Wine/champagne

Fitness & outdoors

  • Cycling
  • Garden
  • Hiking
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Sun loungers or beach chairs
  • Sun terrace
  • Terrace

Rooms & comfort

  • CCTV outside property
  • Lower bathroom sink
  • Non-smoking rooms

Safety & cleanliness

  • Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
  • Dry cleaning
  • Fire extinguishers
  • First aid kit available
  • Guest room sealed after cleaning
  • Guest rooms disinfected between stays
  • Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
  • Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
  • Physical distancing rules followed
  • Process in place to check health of guests
  • Property cleaned by professional cleaning companies
  • Safety deposit box
  • Security alarm
  • Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
  • Smoke alarms
  • Staff adhere to local safety protocols

Getting around & access

  • Facilities for disabled guests
  • Lift / Elevator
  • Parking
  • Parking garage
  • Private parking
  • Wheelchair accessible

Guest services

  • Concierge service
  • Fax/photocopying
  • Invoice provided
  • Ironing service
  • Laundry
  • Laundry washed per local authority guidelines
  • Luggage storage
  • Meeting/banquet facilities
  • Tour desk

Services & essentials

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Designated smoking area
  • Diving
  • Evening entertainment
  • Face masks for guests available
  • Fishing
  • Free WiFi
  • Happy hour
  • Higher level toilet
  • Horse riding
  • Key card access
  • Live music/performance
  • Mobile app for room service
  • Non-smoking throughout
  • Snorkelling
  • Toilet with grab rails
  • WiFi available

Review in focus

2,069 reviews
9/ 10
Location. Comfortable.
Theresa · family with children · 2026-10-17

The guest experience

8.3out of 10
2069 verified reviews

Loved most

  • Central, convenient location
  • Comfortable beds
  • Clean/tidy rooms
  • Spacious rooms
  • Strong shower pressure
  • Nice breakfast area (for some)

Worth knowing — Poor sound insulation / noisy · Expensive / not great value · Air-conditioning issues in some rooms · Very limited laundry facilities (single washer/dryer) · Hotel restaurant closed / poor breakfast quality · Some front-desk staff unfriendly or inattentive

How guests scored the stay

  • Location10.0

    Consistently praised as central and very convenient—repeatedly cited as a primary positive across reviews.

  • Overall Experience9.8

    Overall impressions skew positive (clean, comfortable, great location) though several stays were impacted by noise, price and isolated service/amenity problems; many guests nonetheless had an enjoyable stay.

  • Cleanliness9.7

    Multiple guests reported clean rooms, tidy accommodations and comfortable beds; one guest noted a mould-related misunderstanding and a rusty bathroom hinge as an isolated issue.

  • Room Quality8.8

    Rooms described as spacious with comfortable beds and strong shower pressure, but some guests reported poor sound insulation, noisy conditions, basic finishes and intermittent air-conditioning problems.

  • Service7.8

    Mixed reports: several mentions of friendly/helpful staff and good check-in assistance, but also complaints about unfriendly front-desk attitudes and an awkward staff interaction regarding a supposed complaint; laundry service was limited.

  • Food and Beverage7.0

    Mixed to negative F&B experiences: some liked the breakfast area, but others reported cold/undercooked breakfast items and limited restaurant service (closures).

Live guest feedback

Guest reviews

Mixed experiences

55% of 11 recent stays rated 8+

8.32069 reviews
  • Guest review

    9/10

    Theresa · family with children · 2026-10-17

    “Location. Comfortable.”

  • Clean, tidy & facilities good. Would consider staying again on our next trip to Cairns.

    7/10

    Laura · solo traveller · 2026-10-15

    “Clean room, 24hr reception, updated rooms & pool was lovely.”

  • Perfect stay

    9/10

    Michael · couple · 2026-10-14

    “It had what we needed its well located”

  • Hotel in sehr zentraler Lage

    9/10

    Thomas · couple · 2026-10-13

    “Hotel in zentraler Lage. Zimmer komfortabel. Hafen u. Esplanade (Strand, Restaurants) ca. 10 Minuten zu Fuß entfernt.”

  • Godt

    6/10

    Christina · couple · 2026-10-13

    “God morgenmad og venligt personale.”

  • Wouldnt return or recommend. 4star misleading

    3/10

    lauren · solo traveller · 2026-10-12

    “Not much unfortunately”

  • Average

    7/10

    Madhavan · solo traveller · 2026-10-11

    “Location is good”

  • We are always happy with our stay.

    9/10

    Lindsay · couple · 2026-10-11

    “Very good”

  • Guest review

    9/10

    Kim Le · solo traveller · 2026-10-11

    “The hotels room is good,clearn and the staffs helpful.Very close everything you need.”

  • Guest review

    2/10

    Aravinthan · solo traveller · 2026-10-11

    “Closer to facilities”

  • Guest review

    9/10

    Harry · solo traveller · 2026-10-10

    “The pool, the location, the freindly staff, the room and the hotel is opposite Gilligans! I'll be sure to come here again”

View all guest reviews

Hotel info and reviews come from third-party sources.