Aquarius on The Beach Resort Townsville

The first thing I noticed when I walked into my 8th floor room was the amazing view of the Strand, Magnetic Island, and the beach in general. Well, worth the admission fee alone.

Don't be put off by the bland foyer area or the eternally slow elevators (9 seconds for the doors to open once it stops at a floor). Each room has its own balcony that you can sit outside and have a drink whilst watching the sun set, or just people watching the streets below. The rooms aren't necessarily huge, but they contain all the necessities, including some decent kitchen supplies and a good size sitting area (inside and out).

The bathroom is a bit cramped and oddly put together, where you have to step over the toilet to get out, but it's clean and tidy and not a major hassle in the scheme of things (although may be a problem if you have had one too many!).

The staff are friendly and do a great job keeping the place in shape, and they have a decent after hours access and valuables safe. The desk is not manned 24/7, so check outs outside of opening hours need to be prearranged, but are possible and relatively smooth.