The buzzier, more energetic of the Cairns Crystalbrooks, Flynn is the friend who always has something going on. You can too but you’ll need to stack your schedule: a visit to Eléme Spa is a must, as is ordering from the snack list at Whiskey and Wine. When you’re ready to drop, hit the pool and admire the views.

Read our review of Crystalbrook Flynn and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Set around a stunning, sprawling pool with its own beach, lap and lagoon sections, Crystalbrook Riley knows what you’re in town to do. The breezy, sea-hued decor also lends itself to relaxation, as do the incredible Panoramic suites, which deliver Trinity Inlet views so generously sharp that you won’t even need to leave your bed to admire them.

Read our review of Crystalbrook Riley and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Crystalbrook Bailey is no shrinking violet. From the minute you enter, you’ll get a sense of the hotel’s character, from its rainbow-splashed doona covers to its ever-changing collection of art in the lobby. It’s all part of the property’s personality, which is all about fun: best experienced poolside, with a cocktail in hand.

Read our review of Crystalbrook Bailey and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Earn or use Qantas Points when you book hotels and accommodation. Visit qantas.com/hotels today

You can’t get more Queensland than a swim-up bar. At Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, it’s one of the property’s highlights, as well as the huge lagoon pool and fresh-focused eatery. Sitting under one of the swaying palms and picking through a poke bowl, you’ll feel well and truly transported.

Read our review of Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Families and revellers alike flock to Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, a stay with a galaxy of activities for every kind of traveller. For the kids (and the kidults), the domed Cairns Zoom & Wildlife Park is where it’s at, with reptiles and ziplines for maximum daytime distraction. The casino — and the hotel’s eateries and bars — are for the older contingent, with the excitement continuing well into the morning.

Read our review of Pullman Reef Hotel Casino and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Taste the best of Tropical North Queensland at Shangri-La, The Marina. There’s an on-site eatery serving fresh local seafood, spacious suites equipped with gloriously deep soaking tubs, selection of palm-fringed pools and cocktail bar, where drinks are as fresh as the breeze. We’ll cheers to that.

Read our review of Shangri-La, The Marina and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Earn or use Qantas Points when you book hotels and accommodation. Visit qantas.com/hotels today

If it’s luxury you’re after, Pullman Cairns International is for you. There’s an indulgent spa with an extensive menu of soothing treatment options, a meandering outdoor pool for lazing alongside and bright, light-blushed rooms with bathrobes and comfy beds.

Read our review of Pullman Cairns International and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

You’ll have front row seats for Cairns’ wonderful views at Hilton Cairns, which sits right on the waterfront. The hotel’s lush gardens are lovely, providing a peaceful setting to explore the property’s lagoon pool. The other benefit of being so close to the water’s edge? The proximity to the marina where trips to the Great Barrier Reef depart — you’ll have no excuse to be late for your boat.

Read our review of Hilton Cairns and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Another budget-friendly wonder, Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside is perfect for a little break in the tropics. There’s a rooftop pool, waterside bistro and, most importantly, a central location to ensure easy Cairns exploration.

Read our review of Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Watching the wallet? Cairns Pacific Hotel ticks all the boxes for a budget-friendly stay with a central location in the heart of Cairns, as well as the all-important pool. Plus there’s a tasty on-site churrasco restaurant, perfect for hungry hoards.

Read our review of Cairns Pacific Hotel and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

Just a little north of Cairns is Palm Cove, where Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore stretches along the coastline. The fact this breezy, romantic hotel is right on the beachfront — the only one on the 800-metre beachfront of Palm Cove — is reason enough to take the car 30 minutes north.

Read our review of Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore and earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent when you book your next Cairns stay.

12 Luxury Gold Coast Hotels for a 5-Star Stay