NRMA Cairns Holiday Park — Hotel in Manunda

We have a camper trailer and requested a powered site. We travel with our pets and this park is listed as pet friendly. We were given the choice of 2 sites. Both the sites and those surrounding were uneven and low lying. Inadequate drainage and rainfall at this time of year meant water flooded down road ways straight into our site and through our camper.When assistance was requested staff were unhelpful. No apologies. No assistance with redirecting water or acquiring sandbags. Statements like “what do you expect me to do”, “it will drain away when the rain stops”. We had to attempt to redirect water flow with sandbags purchased by us.We ended up abandoning our camp. Had to find alternate accommodation at another location and at considerable expense as staff would not allow us to have a cabin onsite with pets. Their excuse “it’s illegal to have pets in cabins”Firstly that is not true. Many pet friendly parks allow animals in cabins. You pay a fee for the cleaning. It is just that you don’t allow it at your park. Secondly how hard is it to do your job? Site should be maintained, level and with adequate drainage. If you can’t be bothered to maintain your sites don’t offer them.Lastly if you can clearly see that your neglect has resulted in this sort of situation, be helpful. Would it have hurt to offer us alternative accommodation for one night? Very disappointed and as a result would not recommendWould like to say that we were able to resolve this issue.However that is not the case.We contacted the park on Tuesday to advise that we would not be returning. We requested a refund for the nights we had paid for as the site was uninhabitable due to continued rain and flooding.The manager contacted us and stated he would refund payment for the nights we were unable to stay on the site.After which he continued on and attempted to lay blame for the situation, changing his story and not accepting any responsibility for the situation and rudely terminating the call.It was Friday before we were able to safely pack up our camper and remove it from the bog.At this point we were advised that the next level management had become involved and we were no longer receiving a refund.This decision was made based on the parks version of events and without consulting us. Unfortunately for this manager her internal email, inaccurate statements and photos from the park manager made its way to my email. The language used in the of email reflect an appalling and judgemental attitude towards us.

Clearly NRMA parks hold their members...

Very nice site, helpful, friendly staff. Clean and very well maintained facilities. Kitchen area appears to be serviced several times per day.

I stayed in a cabin (#5) with a shared bathroom. First time experience and I won't be doing it again.

The cabin is flanked on either side by other cabins, in a configuration that's 4 cabins long. They're all on the same "foundation"/share the same floor, and people walk like elephants and that sound transmits through to every room. Even though there is no room above me, it sounds like there's a 250 pound person up there.

Though there is a placard in the room indicating it is non-smoking and that "smoking is prohibited in the community areas" the site provides sand-filled ashtrays along the walk to the rooms, which encourages all the smokers to sit outside their room and puff away. During my stay there was a couple that power-smoked at a table outside their room and situated such that lots of their smoke drifted directly into the men's bathroom. There are neat louvered windows that flank one side of the door to the cabins, but opening it lets in any nearby cigarette smoke and lots of noise.

Wi-Fi reception in the room is horrible and cell phone reception is even worse. The only way I could get a usable signal on my phone (forget trying to use their wi-fi) was to prop it in the partially opened louvered window next to the door and use it as a hotspot for my computer.

There is no place to hang the provided towels in the room after you've showered, and no hooks from which to hang anything else.

Provided chairs are too short for the one surface in the room you'd use as a desk.

I'd happily stay at this park in an unpowered site, but never again in their shared bathroom cabins.

Do note that there is only one restaurant within reasonable walking distance from this park. To get anywhere you're going to need to drive, bike, or be willing to cover a considerable distance on foot.

Bonus information: Their dryers appear to need A$3, but they'll start after inserting A$1 and run long enough that a short time hanging out in the sun is all that's needed to get your clothes the rest of...

My child and I were turned away from camping here as we don't have a car, while we were already on a 2 hour long coach to stay there! Confused as I had planned this trip a long time ago, ringing up at the end of last year and they had said I can just book on the day we stay there for unpowered tent sites. I had asked reception about not having a car, and other tips on camping in a tent with my young child. It would have been our first camping experience and last minute we were told that we could not stay there due to not having a car as this would be an evacuation hazard... Absolutely disheartening... I told her that I had a medical condition that prevented me from driving, and hence don't own a car and she said sorry and too bad. She was not sorry at all. Isn't this medical discrimination? I cannot see anything on any of the nrma websites stating this? I did see that they 'recommend' having a car at camp locations that are in more remote suburbs, but not essential. I will be trying to get in contact with someone from nrma holiday parks to see if this was acceptable behaviour, and I am glad now that I didnt purchase the membership last year like I was going to do, for this trip. The lady didn't seem to like me very much! I don't know if it would be a safe camping area now anyway due to the receptions behaviour? I don't let my children around that, what are the guests like if reception is this aggressive? Will be finding out further if I was turned away for no reason. Do not recommend! Such a shame as we live 2 hours away and we were planning to stay here every few months, including the cabins too perhaps. But not allowed entry without a car... Hmm what a...