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Little Drifter Cairns

2.0 star property
Hostel in Cairns, steps from Cairns Esplanade

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Little Drifter Cairns

Terrace/patio
Exterior
Lounge
Private 4 Bed Female Room
Lounge

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Air conditioning
  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Free WiFi
The current price is AU$194
includes taxes & fees
26 Aug - 27 Aug

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 7 of 7 rooms

View all photos for Private 4 Bed Female Room

Private 4 Bed Female Room

Private 4 Bed Female Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Private Queen Room

Private Queen Room

Private Queen Room

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
LCD TV
Separate bedroom
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Private 6 Bed Female Room

Private 6 Bed Female Room

Private 6 Bed Female Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 6
  • 6 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Private 8 Bed Female Room

1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets

Private 8 Bed Female Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 8
  • 8 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Private 4 Bed Room

Private 4 Bed Room

Private 4 Bed Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Daily housekeeping
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Private 6 Bed Room

Private 6 Bed Room

Private 6 Bed Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 6
  • 6 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Private 8 Bed Room

1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets

Private 8 Bed Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 8
  • 8 Twin Bunk Beds
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About the area

Map
7 Shields St, Unit 1, Cairns, QLD, 4870

What's nearby

  • Cairns Esplanade - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Esplanade Lagoon - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Reef Fleet Terminal - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Cairns Marlin Marina - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Cairns Central Shopping Centre - 8 min walk - 0.7 km

Getting around

  • Cairns Station - 9 min walk
  • Cairns, QLD (CNS-Cairns Intl.) - 12 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Perrottas - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Prawn Star - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Wawawa Izakaya - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Indian Brothers Restaurant - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Corea Corea - ‬3 min walk

About this property

Little Drifter Cairns

Hostel near Cairns Esplanade
Close to Reef Fleet Terminal and Cairns Central Shopping Centre, Little Drifter Cairns provides a terrace, laundry facilities and more. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks such as:
  • Luggage storage, tour/ticket information and a TV in reception
  • Concierge services
  • Guest reviews say great things about the helpful staff
Room features
All 54 rooms boast comforts such as air conditioning, in addition to amenities such as free WiFi.

Languages

English

Property amenities

Internet

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

Parking and transport

  • No on-site parking available

Things to do

  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Lockers
  • Luggage storage
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Outdoors

  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 4 detached shared bathrooms
  • Hair dryer (on request)

More

  • Air conditioning

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out

Special check-in instructions

The property charges 2 per cent for credit card payments
The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

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

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of 2 per cent

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

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
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector and a first aid kit

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

Property is also known as

Freedom Cairns Cairns
Freedom Cairns Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Cairns
Freedom Cairns Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Freedom Cairns
The Village Cairns
Freedom Cairns Hostel
The Village Cairns Hostel
Little Drifter Cairns Cairns
Little Drifter Cairns Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Little Drifter Cairns Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Cairns

Frequently asked questions

Is Little Drifter Cairns pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Little Drifter Cairns?

As of 18 Aug 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Little Drifter Cairns on 26 Aug 2025 start from AU$193.92, including 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.

How much is parking at Little Drifter Cairns?

Little Drifter Cairns doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Little Drifter Cairns?

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

What time is check-out at Little Drifter Cairns?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Little Drifter Cairns located?

Located in Cairns Central Business District, this hostel is steps away from Cairns Regional Gallery and Cairns Esplanade. Cairns Central Shopping Centre and Reef Fleet Terminal are also within 10 minutes. Cairns Station is 9 minutes by foot.

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Little Drifter Cairns Reviews

Reviews

8.2

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 87 out of 180 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 50 out of 180 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 20 out of 180 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 13 out of 180 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 10 out of 180 reviews

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely lovely environment
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Alex

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice location and good room.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff helpfully, clean quite place not stinky felt quite modern, comfy bed pillow not so much but all in all good for what I needed.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Daniela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice surroundings, easy walking access to everything, good friendly staff, safe, several tour agents around
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jose

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great hostel at Cairns CBD. Clean, quiet with a great social space in the hallway. Highly recommended for solo travelers that enjoy mostly resting at night after a full day of activities.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rachael Jane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Johnnie at reception was so friendly and helpful. Great group of guest, great activities, great vibes!! Loved my stay, thank-you!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Constanza

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The best of this place is the staff always willing to help and solve every issue!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Gaku

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good
Stayed 8 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Kimb

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
I love this area will be back when I back to carins
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Bianca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
I checked in late at night and left early in the morning, only a short stop but the cleanliness of the hostel was pristine, the room was very spacious for a 4 bedder and super neat & clean as well
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bianca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
One of the more respectful, cleaner hostels in cairns, perfect for the more matured generation who respect others privacy, females shared bathroom is extremely clean. Aside from requiring maintenance to 2/3 hand basins and regular topup of hand towels/soap, I cannot fault this hostel.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Greg

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff were outstanding and position to everything was excellent
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Chelsea

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very quiet, stayed in a 2 person room with my friend. Simple & clean. Bathroom was great…lots of showers & clean. Felt very safe. No parking, so try the parking garage on Lake St, $12/day.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Ilhan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were very friendly
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin

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

Location location location

Great location super central for all things cairns
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location and exceptional service. Rooms clean and quiet. I would definitely stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

4/10 Poor

sophie

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hostel was very dirty when we arrived, even though the bathrooms had apparently been cleaned just 1/2 hours before. The rooms felt very much like a prison, literally a bed, hard floor and no windows. I will give credit to the staff who quickly moved us rooms and apologised for the bathrooms but I would not stay again or recommend.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Claire

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My first stay in a backpackers that was clean and modern facilities great
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Robert L

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

A very good backpacker type of place

In a central location, very close to both attractions and amenities (restaurants, bars, shops, bottle (liquor) store.) All star ratings are relative, i.e., based on this being a backpacker dormitory type of place. Needed a place to stay on short notice and was able to get room with just four beds and semi-private pair of toilet + shower rooms. People staying observed the 10 PM quiet hour start. The people out on the street, not so much.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

4/10 Poor

Owen

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very budget for 40$ a night. Would’ve liked curtains between beds
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

Johan

Very good location in Cairns. The room was quite spartan and noisy.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Anusha Vijay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The place is clean with good rooms and spacious kitchen with all amenities
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

anela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent, highly recommended for young and old
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Laisa

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Can definitely recommend to others
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Mahmut Ayberk

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

If you are booking a seperate room check details

Booked a room didn't notice there was no en suit bathroom, it's my fault probably. Also no window so it sort of feels like a box, but it was cheap secure and clean.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024