Crystalbrook Riley

KT

Kyle Taylor

3/5Google· 3 months ago

This would have been 2 star but not for some service recovery offered due to my filthy room. In summary, whilst on the surface the hotel offers modern style and amenities, unfortunately once you look further it's more superficial than true quality. My room was FILTHY with large amounts of dust (clearly weeks building up) and took away from the quality of the room. As you began looking you saw other things like worn furniture, general dirt and despite having a panoramic room, this was obstructed by large amounts of dirt and dead flies etc. (Appreciate sea front location but apparently only cleaned once every 4 months!! My own home is done every 6 weeks so quite crazy really!) As they say, first impressions are everything and so once all this is discovered, it does stain your overall enjoyment of the stay. For transparency, Once reported a manager by the name of Sarah was apologetic and offered $100 credit and a further clean but unable to move rooms due to hotel being full. (Still going dust and dirt elsewhere after the clean.) Malik also was able to provide a complimentary late checkout after much work from him sorting logistics which was appreciated, but I still feel it didn't reflect the level of dissatisfaction experienced during the stay. Just a shame as took away the quality what could have been, along with: - Pool is largely shaded due to the additional room tower. Means the pools are not the warmest and the kids play in the 'hot tub' pool as it's the only one heated. - Insufficient sunbeds during full occupancy - No shower/refresh facilities if stay on the day of checkout before departing - Restaurant service was often hit and miss, often waiting for large periods - In room shower leaked over the small trim as water didn't drain fast enough Would I stay again, possibly. But there needs to be a serious look at the quality of the product offered compared with the prices charged, for instance I looked a few days out before my stay and it was over $1,000 a night

TM

Trip.com Member

3.7/5Trip.com· 6 months ago

We stayed for four nights over the Easter holiday in a panorama sea view room in the new tower.First of all, the location is excellent. The pool area has a sandy beach, and compared to the Hilton next door, the water was much clearer and very pleasant. The view is absolutely beautiful. However, when the tide goes out, it turns into what feels like a “panoramic mudflat view,” so I would recommend carefully considering the timing of your stay.On the other hand, there were several issues with the room. There is no balcony, and the windows cannot be opened. There were mosquitoes in the room, and I was bitten multiple times, which caused itching and swelling. The insect repellent device in the hallway was empty, which made me question the quality of housekeeping management. When I spoke to a female staff member at reception, I was told that only body spray repellent was available, and no further assistance was offered, so I had to purchase and install my own insect repellent.In addition, there was a sewage-like smell coming from the bathroom. The mirror and sink were not properly cleaned and appeared dirty. The room and hallway also had a moldy smell, and due to the humidity, the bed linens felt damp. The duvet was thin and not very comfortable. As I am sensitive to smells, these issues made me feel nauseous and unwell.Later, my husband spoke to a male staff member at reception. Although the hotel was fully booked and we were unable to change rooms, he responded with sincerity, apologized thoroughly, and instructed housekeeping to carry out a deep cleaning. When we returned from going out, the bathroom had been properly cleaned and the sewage smell was gone. The moldy smell in the room did not completely disappear, but it had been masked with deodorizer, and we were able to sleep well that night.However, the same issues returned the following day. As it was the Easter holiday and other hotels were fully booked, we had no choice but to stay until the end of our reservation. Afterward, I checked reviews and found many similar complaints about the moldy smell, which made me regret not researching more thoroughly beforehand. I had assumed that as a five-star hotel, it would be fine.Overall, the reception staff were kind, friendly, and professional. In particular, the male staff member who assisted us was excellent. On the other hand, I felt that the quality of housekeeping needs improvement.In my opinion, these issues are largely due to a design flaw—specifically, the building was designed with aesthetics prioritized over functionality by the construction company and architect, resulting in rooms where windows cannot be opened despite the humid tropical climate. The older tower, which has balconies and windows that can be opened, may not have the same problems.I would not recommend this hotel to those who are sensitive to smells, but for those who are not, it can still be a wonderful place to stay given its location and facilities.

CD

Cheryl Durston

4/5Google· a month ago

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ **Crystalbrook Riley, Cairns** We recently stayed at Crystalbrook Riley and overall enjoyed our experience. Our room was spacious and comfortable with a lovely view and watching the sunrise was a real highlight. The amenities were good and the housekeeping was exceptional. All the staff we encountered were polite, receptive and respectful, which certainly added to our stay. The resort has multiple pools and there were plenty of loungers available, so finding a spot to relax was never an issue. The pool towels, however, are looking quite tired and could do with replacing. The buffet breakfast was okay, although we have experienced better. Food and drinks were also on the expensive side and we felt the variety and choice could be improved. We had a $250 food and beverage credit included with our stay and found ourselves pushing to use it because the options were somewhat limited. We also dined at **Rocco’s**, promoted as the highest restaurant in Cairns. The views were fine, but we felt the ambience and overall atmosphere didn't quite match what we expected from a restaurant positioned at this level. There is certainly an opportunity to make the dining experience feel more special. Overall, Crystalbrook Riley is a beautiful resort with excellent housekeeping and wonderful staff. With some attention to the food and beverage offering, refreshed pool towels and a little more atmosphere at Rocco’s, there is an opportunity to elevate the experience even further.

CB

C BOS

5/5Google· a month ago

This was our first stay at Crystalbrook Riley. We selected the panoramic view room in the tower. What a beautiful layout. Whilst the room is simple, it offers stunning views directly from your bed or bath. We found the setting to be the perfect romantic getaway. The room tech was flawless and actually worked! The pool was amazing not to mention the pool side service. We enjoyed the fact it’s located a little further away from the centre, as you get to enjoy more walks along the waterside when going out for the breakfast, lunch or dinner. Would without a doubt stay here again.

OM

Oli Moss

5/5Google· a month ago

10/10 genuinely! We stayed in one of the king rooms in the blue tower. The pools are incredible , the location is perfect!! We had boat trips and scuba diving booked and all the activity meetups were just a 10 minute walk from the hotel. The bed was unbelievable! Since the holiday we haven't stopped talking about how good our sleep was here! Im not a great sleeper so it was amazing! So much so we have been trying to find out what mattress’s you use. If you stay here we absolutely recommend trying the buffet for breakfast at paper cranes which is on the doorstep of the resort. We loved it and it had absolutely everything you'd could want for breakfast. Cairns surprised us massively and we cannot wait to go again and it is very very likely that we pick Crystalbrook Riley again as we can’t praise it enough! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A

Ashlee

3/5Google· 3 weeks ago

We have just stayed 4 nights at Crystalbrook Riley. The facilities and overlook of the hotel is stunning. Staff were super friendly at the reception and restaurant which was nice. The hotel rooms are a bit outdated for a 5 star hotel. Our room appeared to have some mould growth in certain areas and a broken electric curtain in the bathroom. I believe the rooms are more a 4 star and facilities are more the 5 star. Be aware food and drinks are very expensive. A mini can of sprite in the mini bar is $6 and a barista regular coffee at breakfast is $8. Also cleaning definitely isn’t to a 5 star standard they just appear to remake the bed and give fresh towels. There is no vacuuming, cleaning of toilet, cleaning of shower etc. This is an area management should definitely look into. Are the staff not being provided enough time per room to clean to a 5 star standard? A pleasant stay however I think some upgrades in the rooms may be needed.

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Caressa

5/5Google· 2 weeks ago

We loved our stay here on my birthday several years ago. The place is in the beachfront. It is clean, has good pools and amazing an rooftop bar and beach view. The customer service is superb. The location is very convenient to beach, cafes good restaurants and night life.

IB

Imogen Ball

1/5Google· a month ago

We were really looking forward to spending our last night in Cairns at a 5-star hotel, so it was quite disappointing to arrive and find that we had been allocated an accessible room without any prior warning or explanation. As a young couple celebrating the end of our trip, this unfortunately took away from the experience, particularly given the price we paid. We expected a higher level of service and communication from a 5-star property. A simple heads-up beforehand would have made a big difference. Overall, quite disappointing and not the experience we were expecting from a hotel of this standard.