Bay Village Tropical Retreat

This place is so subpar and so unsuitable for children, even dangerous, that we were forced to move out on the day we arrived. Apparently the hotel has 3 stars plus - but I cannot confirm this. The equipment is substandard and also extremely outdated and shabby. There is neither a lift nor a safety deposit box. One of the beds has a window facing the hallway, so you either have no privacy or no natural light. The entrance door doesn't close properly. The moisture condenses on the cold floor tiles that are laid throughout the room. Even if they are wet, they shouldn't be that slippery, especially in the tropics. Our son (22 months old) fell so badly three times that he became afraid and only wanted to walk with mom and dad holding his hand. We were also worried because the beds are quite high and there is NO fall protection and the floor is very hard. Cots were only available at an additional cost. The bulbs are compact fluorescent lamps with a color temperature that is extremely unpleasant. I don't even have anything like that installed in my basement anymore. The alternative is to open the privacy screen, but then you have no privacy whatsoever. The electrical installations are around 40 years old. I don't know the Australian regulations for electrical installations, but in Austria the fuses must be in a box with a door, easily accessible at a height of between 110cm and 185cm. I can't imagine it being any different in Australia. The whole complex is so old and worn out that you can't feel comfortable here. Unfortunately, the manager didn't want to confirm that we were moving out and was so passive aggressive that I finally gave up after 30 minutes. When we arrived, we weren't even greeted. We had to wait and ring the bell because the reception was not occupied. Then the lady asked what my wife actually wanted here. We weren't even offered any help when we moved into the room. According to the Australian star system, a 3 star hotel should: "Properties that deliver a broad range of amenities that exceed above-average accommodation needs. Good quality service, design and physical attributes are typically fit for purpose to match guest expectations." I realize that this description is very vague, but the on-site image has little to do with the description in the text. Neither: “…broad range of amenities that exceed above-average accommodation needs.” Still: “… Good quality service, design and physical attributes…” and definitely not “… fit for purpose to match guest expectations.” What broke the camel's back was: We put our son to bed for a moment so he could get some sleep and we were startled by his scream. Some critters bit/stung him in bed. That was the end of it for us there.

You get what you pay for. Supposed WiFi never was usable and quite frustrating. Constant buffering. Couldn't get any page up. The TV kept on loosing signal. The dryer was broken. The shower leaked. The floor and carpet was in desperate need of cleaning. When we tried to sweep the floor, the dust pan had a dish brush as the dust brush. Went to go for a swim and the water was milky. The good thing was that it was a 2 bedroom unit and had plenty of space. Parking was hit and miss with finding one in the complex and outside on the street. Being opposite the hospital, the ambulance sirens were constant with the high school on the opposite side, you also had the school noise. It is quite a distance to walk along the esplanade to reach the action of Cairns. It was more like a two and a half stay. Disappointing!

I DO NOT recommend. Whilst it is a convenient location, you could definitely find better accommodation somewhere else. The beds are so hard/uncomfortable and the pillows and sheets are thin/harsh- we barely slept leading to us booking somewhere else to stay. The permanent people who were living above were so loud so I wouldn't stay here as a peaceful get away. Overall, this place is rundown and uncomfortable to stay.