Hotel Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns (Cairns, Australia)

Set amid tropical gardens in downtown Cairns, Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns is a modern, multi-storey chain hotel offering upscale lodgings. Perks include three outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts painted in Australian Open blue and a health and fitness centre featuring a gym, spa and sauna. The smart, air-conditioned rooms feature flat-screen TVs, en-suite bathrooms and tea and coffee-making facilities. The private balconies offer mountain, city or Coral Sea views. Family rooms add games console links for the kids. Apartment-style units with kitchens are also available. Besides free Wi-Fi throughout and paid parking, amenities comprise a 24-hour reception with a tour desk, lifts and extensive function rooms. The swish on-site CHB Restaurant & Bar serves a full buffet breakfast. It also provides all-day dining, with a focus on Australian dishes and tasty tapas. Boat tours of the amazing Great Barrier Reef depart from the main marina, which is five minutes’ drive from Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns. The Centre of Contemporary Arts Cairns is nine minutes’ stroll away.