Villa Marine — Hotel in Yorkeys Knob

What a pleasant surprise! Arrived in July (winter time) to glorious sunshine very near to a gorgeous coast line and golden beaches. Such a lovely slice of paradise nestled away in a quiet spot of Yorkey's Knob. We were greeted by the incredibly friendly and knowledgeable owners and arrived earlier than expected for check in but they straight away set us up in a temporary room whilst ours was finished - no hassle at all. I get immediately relaxed walking in to the small garden nestled in the centre of the surrounding single storey apartments - about 7 in total. They face out over a beautifully kept lawn to a good sized sun soaked pool with a small shallower kid's section with water fountain in the middle that can be heard trickling away whenever you are outside. The place is lined by palm trees - a good nesting place for flying foxes which can be seen taking off at dusk. We also got to see glimpses of some miniature skink lizards hiding in the greenery at times - indeed the whole area is a feast for nature lovers and the owners know all the right places to direct you in for the best nature spot. The apartment was well equipped with a kitchenette and many utensils - we felt we could have stayed there very happily for a lot longer than the three nights we had booked for a friend's wedding. I would choose this place over anywhere else in Cairns - we had stayed in Pullman's Reef Casino before this but though that is a nice establishment Villa Marine would be my top choice as it is more of an escape and I felt just as well attended to. It will be that place I imagine when I need to relax and unwind and I am already longing to go back! We are planning a longer stay next time to give us time to sample the tours and trips that the owners sell also...

We stayed in the honeymoon suite for 2 weeks. The good stuff: The location is very attractive and quiet. The occasional aeroplane noise wasn’t a problem, and the bird song is a delightful reminder of your location. Although this suite shares a wall with the (pay) laundry, the noise from the laundry is minimal. Villa Marine is just 140m from the beach reserve, and 200m from the beach. The overall unit is large, and had two comfortable outdoor seating areas. The one at the back of the unit is private, and has a pleasant view of the rainforest. The bad stuff: The kitchen had very little bench or storage space. The night we arrived, the microwave did not work, the oven was filthy and the coffee plunger had no plunger. When we rang the next morning at 8 am, the manager wondered if we knew how to use the microwave, then said she would pass on the message. When we rang again at 1 pm, that manager also questioned whether we knew how to use the microwave, thought it would be impossible to get another one (although there were vacant units), and didn’t think the oven could be cleaned as there were no cleaners and no oven cleaner. I suggested that we could find alternative accommodation. Happily, the microwave was replaced and the oven clean when we got back that night. Villa Marine’s website says it has DVDs that can be borrowed, but does not say that one needs to hire a DVD player and DVDs. If you are in the honeymoon suite it is a 50 metre walk to your car. The light switches are in crazy locations and the kitchen lighting is poor. The unit had insufficient detergent and no kitchen hand towel (I’ve never had to request these before) and we were given only two small garbage bags for a two week stay. It’s a 70m walk to empty your...

My boyfriend and I stayed in a lovely little villa at Villa Marine for our first week in Australia. The apartment was more like a well-appointed vacation rental than a hotel room as it was equipped with a full kitchen, pool with BBQ, and front and back balconies from which the lush green of the rainforest beckoned. Everything in the unit was sparkling clean and well-maintained, and we appreciated the use of a washer, dryer, and clothes line as well since we are on a long backpacking trip through the South Pacific. The beach was visible from the front of the property, and accessible via a two minute walk to white sand and turquoise waters. We loved floating in the pool surrounded on all sides by the exotic trees of the tropical rainforest; it was easy to spend an afternoon in such an idyllic setting with no pressing need to reach for a phone, computer, or any connection with the outside world. For us that is one of the joys of slow travel, finding little jewels like Villa Marine that entice us to sleep in, move slow, have another cup of coffee, read books instead of emails, pick mangos and coconuts, open a bottle of local wine around sunset, and settle in for another peaceful evening on Australia's...