Paradise Palms Resort Cairns

We booked four nights at this place through Air New Zealand's website "Holidays" section and received a 20% industry discount. They also threw in a Barrier Reef excursion for $1 per person (normally worth AUD$180 per person). Basically the accommodation was cheaper than free!!!

It is part of a golf and country club complex with this resort-hotel and housing lots for sale. The development doesn't appear to have taken off big time but it is pretty well maintained. The hotel is nearly deserted which isn't a bad thing.

While the room itself is 4-star, you're pretty much left to your own devices much like in a motel. We found out later that for the rate we paid, the rooms are not serviced (cleaning, sheet-change etc). The property has two pools ... one being a lap pool (quite cold being July).

The country club next door is great if you're here over the weekend. AUD$20 for a bucket of prawns (supposed to be 12 but we counted 18) plus two Coronas. Then there's the AUD$5 mango daquiris.

With a car, the location isn't a problem ... set near Trinity Beach, it is between Cairns and Palm Cove. I'd happily stay here again.