The Jack Hotel & Backpackers — Restaurant in Cairns City

It was an okay hostel to stay in, but definitely needs some care and attention.

Firstly, when we arrived the reception wasn’t open (it was 7:30pm) which we found a bit strange, and we had to wait 20 minutes in the busy bar next door until we were seen to to check in. Not had an experience similar to this, and we’ve stayed in a lot of hostels - we did anticipate to be greeted immediately by staff.

The rooms were laid out okay, but the lack of curtains always lowers it for me personally, but most people are okay with this. It was a bit odd we had to put our own bedding on too (again, first time this has ever happened), and the air con wasn’t the best, and kept turning off in the middle of the night. The beds were comfy though. There was a fridge in our room, but good lord it was so unkempt and unorganised, plus it didn’t get cleaned on the day it said it would. There was barely any space to put stuff in either.

Bathrooms in general were clean, both showers and toilets. Showers were good and powerful.

The kitchen area…oh dear. We witnessed a lot of mopping in terms of cleaning, but other than that, the kitchen was frankly a mess. One of the days we got told to leave and come back in five minutes because one of the staff needed to mop, even though we’d nearly finished making a sandwich. Very bizarre, would’ve been a lot more polite to ask how long we’d be, rather than telling us to leave.

The hobs were not clean, pans were old and scratched, knives were so blunt they couldn’t cut butter, and the sponges were actually disgusting. We really hated making food in this kitchen, so much so we avoided it mainly and ended up spending more money on food out. We appreciated the care and attention on the floor being cleaned, but the rest of the kitchen needed a lot more attention.

The common areas were okay to be fair, there were a few rooms, including one that had a big tv and free Netflix, and there was a lot of outdoor covered seating upstairs on the balcony.

We also appreciated the discounts we got at the bar for both food and drinks. Plus, the bar to watch live sport is fantastic. This hostel is in a good location, close to bars, shops and the beach.

Also, the lady who checked us out was fantastic, and very very friendly so we thank her for that.

Overall, okay for a couple of nights, but not great for longer term stays. Probably wouldn’t go...

If I could give this hostel a higher rating, then I would. Everything about it was brilliant. First of all, the price is very reasonable, which is important as most hostels have become super expensive following the pandemic. Also, the location is brilliant, only a five minute walk from the center of Cairns and ten minutes from the lagoon and waterfront.

The facilities here are also great. Everything is kept clean and tidy by the housekeeping staff. Plenty of showers and toilet facilities for everyone. The kitchen features not only cooking hobs but also ovens (a rarity in hostels). Moreover, the hostel has a good sized social area and a TV lounge which are great to chill out in. All rooms are also equipped with a fridge and Air Con which, believe me, you will need in Cairns.

The hostel has its own onsite pub (also called the Jack) which hosts live bands on some nights. The hostel does warn you in advance about the potential noise this may create as the pub is open until late on Fridays and Saturdays, but we did not find it to be that loud and experienced no noise issues. Furthermore, the legendary nightclub Gilligan's is only a two minute walk away and with the more relaxing atmosphere you find at the Jack, you really do get the best of both worlds when it comes to partying or just relaxing and taking it easy.

By far my biggest compliments, however, go to the manager, Harriet and her team at reception, who are not only very friendly and always up for a chat, but really do go above and beyond to ensure the hostel is well run, and to help out with any problems or queries you may have and to make sure your stay is as comfortable as possible.

I cannot recommend this place enough. Easily one of my favourite hostels. Needless to say, when I find myself back in Cairns, I know where...

Our stay started off on the wrong foot and only got worse. Despite their add on Booking clearly stating “pay when you arrive,” they attempted to charge our card beforehand. Since we weren’t expecting this and didn’t have funds in that specific account yet, the payment didn’t go through.

When we arrived, we found out that they turn off the EFTPOS machine at 5pm—a detail never mentioned anywhere. Here we were offered two choices, either go to find cash or leave our passports so they could charge the room next day when they decide to turn the machine on again, this was inconvenient since we were going out and needed our passports so the only choice was going to an ATM. When we returned with cash, she then told us we needed exact change because she had none. Why wasn’t that mentioned before we left to get cash?

To top it off, because of the lack of change, we ended up being charged more than we owed, which felt completely unfair given we were trying to fix a problem they created. It all felt disorganized and inconsiderate.

The room itself was spacious. One of the beds was comfortable, but my partner’s bed wasn't.

We would’ve been fine prepaying if they had just communicated properly. Instead, we felt like we were being penalized for their lack of transparency and planning. Not...