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YHA Cairns Central

2.0 star property
Hostel near Cairns Esplanade in Cairns

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Photo gallery for YHA Cairns Central

Outdoor pool
Shared kitchen
Boating
Free WiFi, bed sheets
Property entrance

Reviews

8.4 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Breakfast available
  • Parking available
  • Business services

Explore the area

View in a map
20-26 McLeod Street, Cairns, QLD, 4870
  • Place, Cairns Central Shopping Centre
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Cairns Night Markets
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Place, Reef Hotel Casino
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Airport, Cairns, QLD (CNS-Cairns Intl.)
    ‪10 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Bed In 4 Share Mixed Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed In 4 Share Mixed Dormitory

  • Sleeps 1
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed In 6 Share Male Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed In 6 Share Male Dormitory

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 1
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed In 6 Share Female Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed In 6 Share Female Dormitory

  • Sleeps 1
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 10 Share Mixed Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 10 Share Mixed Dormitory

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 4 Share Mixed Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 4 Share Mixed Dormitory

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Double Room, Shared Bathroom

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(2 reviews)
  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Queen Room with Ensuite

Queen Room with Ensuite

Queen Room with Ensuite

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Double Plus Two with Ensuite

Double Plus Two with Ensuite

Double Plus Two with Ensuite

  • City view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Twin Bunk Beds and 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 10 Share Female Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 10 Share Female Dormitory

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 6 Share Female Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6 Share Female Dormitory

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 6 Share Male Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6 Share Male Dormitory

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 6 Share Mixed Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6 Share Mixed Dormitory

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 6 Share Female Dormitory with Ensuite

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6 Share Female Dormitory with Ensuite

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 6 Share Mixed Dormitory with Ensuite

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6 Share Mixed Dormitory with Ensuite

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Bed in 4 Share Female Dormitory

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 4 Share Female Dormitory

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Twin Room with Ensuite

Twin Room with Ensuite

Twin Room with Ensuite

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(2 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Queen Plus Four with Ensuite

Queen Plus Four with Ensuite

Queen Plus Four with Ensuite

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Bunk Beds
  • Free WiFi

About the area

Cairns

Cairns Central Business District stay.A stay at this Cairns Central Business District hostel places you steps from Cairns Central Shopping Centre and within a 10-minute walk of Cairns Esplanade. Cairns Museum and Reef Teach are also within half a mile (1 km).
View more Hostels in CairnsOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Cairns Central Shopping Centre - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Cairns Night Markets - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Reef Hotel Casino - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Cairns Esplanade - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Esplanade Lagoon - 10 min walk - 0.9 km

Getting around

  • Cairns Station - 4 min walk
  • Cairns Intl. Airport (CNS) - 13 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Grand Hotel - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪T2 Tea - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪KFC - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Jimmys Burger & Co - ‬3 min walk

About this property

YHA Cairns Central

Hostel near Cairns Esplanade in Cairns
Public spaces have free WiFi. A business center and a meeting room are available. An outdoor pool, barbecue grills, and a vending machine are also featured at YHA Cairns Central. Parking is available for a fee.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this Cairns hostel.

  • 52 guestrooms or units
  • Business facilities
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Express check-in
  • Express check-out
  • Staff is multilingual
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Pool or billiards table
  • Garden
  • BBQ grill(s)
  • Smoking in designated areas
  • Water dispenser
  • 1 conference room
YHA Cairns Central offers 52 accommodations with air conditioning. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Guests can make use of the shared/communal kitchen.

Similar properties

Terrace/patio
Hides Hotel Cairns
Cairns Central Business District
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Breakfast available
  • Business services
3.6 out of 5, Good, 1,002 reviews
The price is CA $97
CA $108 total
includes taxes & fees
Jun 29 - Jun 30
Hides Hotel Cairns

Property amenities

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Self parking on site (AUD 5 per day)

Food and drink

  • Daily continental breakfast available 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM for a fee: AUD 12 for adults and AUD 12 for children

Things to do

  • Billiards/pool table
  • Outdoor pool

Accessibility

  • No elevator

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Shared kitchen access

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Bulk dispensers for toiletries
  • Energy-saving switches in guestrooms
  • Recycling
  • Water-efficient showers
  • Water-efficient toilets

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 9:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours), lockbox

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cribs (infant beds) are not available.

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Fee for continental breakfast: approximately AUD 12 for adults and AUD 12 for children
  • Self parking fee: AUD 5 per day

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Special cancellation policies or charges may apply for group reservations (more than 8 rooms for the same property / stay dates)
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. Special cancellation policies or charges may apply for group reservations (more than 8 rooms for the same property / stay dates). This property accepts Visa and Mastercard. Cash is not accepted. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit in each accommodation. Cashless payment methods are available for all transactions.

Property is also known as

Cairns Central YHA Hostel
Cairns Central YHA
Cairns Central Yha Backpackers Hotel Cairns
Cairns Central Yha Backpackers Hotel
YHA Cairns Central Cairns
Cairns Central YHA Hostel
YHA Cairns Central Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
YHA Cairns Central Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Cairns

Frequently asked questions

How close is YHA Cairns Central to the airport?

YHA Cairns Central is 4.3 mi (13-min drive) away from the Cairns Intl. Airport (CNS) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

How much does it cost to stay at YHA Cairns Central?

As of Jun 11, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at YHA Cairns Central on Jun 17, 2026 start from CA $89, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Does YHA Cairns Central have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at YHA Cairns Central.

How close is YHA Cairns Central to the beach?

This hostel is 14.4 mi (27-min drive) from Palm Cove Beach and 7.9 mi (19-min drive) from Holloways Beach. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does YHA Cairns Central offer free breakfast?

Free breakfast isn’t provided at YHA Cairns Central, but continental breakfast is offered for a fee of AUD 12 for adults and AUD 12 for children. It's available every day from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

Is there a casino at YHA Cairns Central?

No, there is no casino at this hostel, but Reef Hotel Casino (12-min walk) and Cazalys Cairns (5-min drive) are nearby.

What time is check-in at YHA Cairns Central?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM.

Is there free parking at YHA Cairns Central?

Free parking is not available at this hostel. Self parking is available for AUD 5 per day.

Does YHA Cairns Central have a pool?

YHA Cairns Central features an outdoor pool.

Does YHA Cairns Central have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this hostel.

How close is YHA Cairns Central to downtown Cairns?

YHA Cairns Central is 0.4 mi away from Tropical North Waterfront.

YHA Cairns Central Reviews

Reviews

8.4

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 86 out of 223 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 101 out of 223 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 24 out of 223 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 8 out of 223 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 223 reviews

8.4/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ryoichi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Had a great stay, thanks!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Had a great stay there. Would recommend staying here. Super central and clean
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Paul

Great staff. Decent amenities. Location is a ten min walk to lagoon
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

6/10 Okay

Matias

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really good place to be a hostel. The staff is very friendly and nice, the kitchen that’s fine. In the outside of the hostel to many homeless around the place
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Johnny

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean, nice green area to share and good parking.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff lovely, areas clean, quiet.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

??

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely graetest hottel Ive ever stayed.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ed

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very friendly and comfortable!
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Matt

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice hostel, quiet area, easy street parking
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Great property would recommend
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Janford

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Would definitely choose and recommend YHA to a friend the next time. 👍
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emily

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was a great place to stay in Cairns! 10-15 minutes walk to the wharf and great shopping and dining. Large kitchen and shared area in the hostel and I loved that they advertised local events and activities happening.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

HERMANN

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
easy to get to places
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Asher

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good, cheap accommodation in central Cairns
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shinji

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff is very kind.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
As a first time backpacker, I couldn't fault this establishment. It was impeccably clean, staff were friendly, bedding and beds impeccably clean and comfortable. Sheets even had iron marks on them. I would go there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

david

Fine
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

HIKARU

Great kitchen
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Jordan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good experience all around.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Steven

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Cairns Dive trip

Great facilities, great staff and a great experience all round. Will definately recommend and use again
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

KYLE

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was my first stay at a hostel. It was great. The folks at the front desk were very friendly and helpful. The kitchen facilities were great. The pool looked nice just didn’t get a chance to use it. All of the people staying there were friendly. Only complaint was there was only one dryer operational in the laundry room. I would highly recommend staying here if you are traveling to Cairns.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Comfortable and good value

Nice hostel with friendly and helpful staff. Private room is very comfortable and good value for money. Hostel itself is quite social through the events they put on every night but relaxed in the day which makes a good mix.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

6/10 Okay

Rhiannon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Was great to meet some lovely ladies during my 2 night stay. Staff was excellent and accommodating. The bed was uncomfortable. Convenient location.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Samuel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Noelene

Disliked: Amenities
Room was clean and comfortable we had ensuited room. Kitchen was messy unwashed cookware and utensils etc . we washed cutlery before using and when finished. Shops all around was great. Staff always helpful. Near to train station which was a priority for us as needed an overnight stay close to the station.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025