Name: Motel Nomad
Address: 312-314 Mulgrave Road, Cairns, Queensland, Australia, Cairns, Queensland, AU
Price range: $61–$99 per night
Rating: 6.2

What guests think

At Motel Nomad, guests often find budget-friendly stays and a handy location, with generally pleasant service, but also report inconsistent standards, dated conditions, intermittent Wi-Fi, occasional noise, and mixed experiences with amenities such as the pool and parking.

Many appreciate large rooms and comfortable beds for short, good-value stays. Recurring complaints include cockroaches, mouldy bathrooms, maintenance niggles, and housekeeping that can miss basics. A few guests felt uneasy due to disputes or smokers outside. Best for no-frills stays focused on value.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Pool cleanliness is frequently criticized (murky or uninviting), though a few guests enjoyed it. Parking is mixed—some secure but tight or limited—and Wi-Fi reliability is often poor.

Related guest reviews

8

Sandra

Jan 7, 2025

·

Stayed 8 nights

Liked how clean it was in the room. Staff were great. Pool was not clean, therefore we didn't have a swim. Overall it was a pleasant stay.

6

Mark

Sep 26, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nice pool

10

Alana

Aug 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great place to stay for a little family or yourself. Great secure parking. Best Thai restaurant next door, walkable to DFO and public transport

6

mark

Nov 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice girl at counter, room away from road and seened great for money. Wdnt to cool off in pool, barely could see bottom which set off alarm as I spent years as dive instructor looking after our pool. Duting night roaches crawling roubd and something bit me as scrat ged till bleed. Only came up to buy some stuff and not wanted to drive back Ingham save say as I disabled veteran. Think lot people there long long term or subsudised which I accept and have sympathy for but not think would go back if they not do a bit hygiene. I used to live in holes I dug so not fussy, but they should be on top bugs and pool.

8

stephen

Oct 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A good value budget motel. It was clean, the beds comfortable and the staff friendly. WiFi was a bit sketchy and regularly dropped off from time to time - that’s the only negative. A bus stop about 200 metres away with regular services into downtown Cairns. We’d definitely stay again.

6

Kerrie

Aug 1, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This is a budget hotel - but the beds were soft, rooms relatively clean. There's a bit of chipped paint and out of date styling. You get exactly what you pay for so don't expect a 5 star luxury experience and you'll be fine. Car parking is a bit limited as more units than spots.

2

crystal

Apr 1, 2024

·

We got there only to realise it was full of crisis housing occupants. There was a dispute unveiling as we got there which made us feel immediately unsafe. The pool was green and everything in the motel was outdated with a strong smell of cleaning products. We needed to check out due to a change in personal circumstances and organised a refund through the front desk and Wotif the night before and it was confirmed in writing that we could get a refund. Went to front desk the next morning to get the refund organised and was told that they couldnt which was opposite of what I was told and had in writing. Then was argued with about the refund and told the receptionist made a mistake. Was continually told I couldn’t get a refund, finally showed the chat notes and was able to get a refund. Rude and unprofessional staff, don’t know the laws around terms and conditions or how to honour the customer. Would not recommend this place.

10

Peter

May 21, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The property is in a great position, parking is tight but capable. The room was very large and clean.

2

Pradumankumar

Oct 8, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Poor internet connection They provide wifi but in property it’s not available

8

Susan

Feb 10, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

I would suggest NBN better internet …Yhe pool was not clean and the yards where untidy and air conditioner could be updated But other than that injoyable and Convieniet

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Cleanliness

Feedback is very mixed: several guests found rooms clean, but many reported cockroaches, mouldy bathrooms and worn fixtures, plus housekeeping that sometimes refreshes rooms without properly cleaning.

Related guest reviews

4

Nell

Oct 10, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff were nice, but that was the only good part. The room was really filthy on the walls and both inside and outside of the door, and there was grease and dust all over the power cord for the air conditioning unit. The bathroom was incredibly run down, with mould on the walls, windowsill, and ceiling, and a badly yellowed cracked air vent that didn’t seem to work. The toilet made an intermittent loud sucking noise, and I could hear other guests burping violently in the room above me. There was only one window that looked out into the passageway and car park, so if I opened the blackout curtain to let some natural light in, other guests could see the whole room. The door didn’t feel secure, and I could hear absolutely everything the other guests were saying and doing, so I woke up feeling unsafe a few times. I would have left and stayed somewhere else but it was a non refundable booking. I won’t be returning.

2

Yoko

Jul 15, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was absolutely RIDDLED WITH COCKROACHES!! I’ve never seen that many insects in my whole life. I woke up at midnight to cockroaches in my bed, on every wall in my room! They were all through my suitcase inside my shoes and clothes. It was like something out of a horror movie. I went to reception and there was no one there, and no emergency after hour number to call. I had no choice but to book a room in the Novotel as it was the only Hotel available at that time of the morning. It cost me $450 which I was really unhappy about. Thankfully management issued me a refund the following day, however this does not make up for the horrible experience I was put through and the cost to my second Hotel room. I will NEVER stay in this Hotel again and I strongly advise that you don’t either.

10

Margaret

Jun 15, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very clean and staff very friendly

2

Heidi

Jan 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed one night and it was one night too many. The only pleasant part of the stay was the warm welcome by the really lovely lady on the front desk. We booked a family room and it looked nothing at all like the photos. The TV didn't work, all the furniture was old and run down. The cockroaches and other wildlife in the room were gross and it all needed a good clean. Worst of all were the beds, all of them rock hard. My 6ft hubby gave up and spent most of the night squished on a 2 seater couch trying to sleep as it was more comfortable than the bed. We all only managed a few hours sleep each. Do yourself a favour and just pass on this one.

6

Kim and Carol

Oct 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Its dated untidy and needs refurbishment also attention needed with cleaning in all areas.

4

Sterling

Jul 30, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Room service don't do a very good job. My room was made up e a ch day bu t wasn't cleaned. I won't be back

4

Mick

May 4, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Throughout the night there was a loud, intermittent water pressure noise. Bugs around bench area. Loose baain tap, loose roilet seat.

6

Mayu

Jul 15, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

ゴキブリがたくさんいまして、ご飯を食べる時などはレンジの中、周りをゾロゾロ徘徊しており、食欲なくなり、寝る時もトイレに行く時も常にゴキブリをティッシュで潰して過ごさねばならなかったです。値段が安いので仕方ないのですが。我が家もあまり虫には抵抗はないのですが、とにかく量が多すぎて。虫が一切気にならない方にはおすすめします。

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4

Keith

Oct 9, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

General condition of the rooms, especially the bathroom was poor, a dirty towel was left on a hook behind the door, mound in the grouting and paint coming off the door.

10

Dennis

Sep 11, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed 2 nights. The room was very clean and comfortable and larger than expected. Had little interaction with the staff but they were pleasant. DFO Complex down the road with Coles, cafes and retail shops. Cazaly's Sports club in the other direction and both walking distance. Lots of families with kids i the pool but no noise issues from where I was staying. Will stay again and I do recommend.

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Rooms

Rooms are generally comfortable and can be spacious, but decor and fittings are dated; some beds squeak or feel hard, noise from other guests can carry, and Wi-Fi can drop out.

Related guest reviews

8

Terri

Aug 25, 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

Comfortable. A lot of people coming and going. Seems to be a rental property as.well.

6

Lynette

Aug 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Good value for price. Squeaky bed

10

Heidi

Sep 19, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Comfortable room, clean everything needed for a quick business trip

6

Cameron J

Aug 16, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Comfortable bed and great shower, room was clean. Only small things lacking like an ironing board for the iron, no tissues or face washers and the shower head showers the roof as well as your body. Otherwise value for money if you’re not too fussy.

8

stephen

Oct 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A good value budget motel. It was clean, the beds comfortable and the staff friendly. WiFi was a bit sketchy and regularly dropped off from time to time - that’s the only negative. A bus stop about 200 metres away with regular services into downtown Cairns. We’d definitely stay again.

2

Heidi

Jan 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed one night and it was one night too many. The only pleasant part of the stay was the warm welcome by the really lovely lady on the front desk. We booked a family room and it looked nothing at all like the photos. The TV didn't work, all the furniture was old and run down. The cockroaches and other wildlife in the room were gross and it all needed a good clean. Worst of all were the beds, all of them rock hard. My 6ft hubby gave up and spent most of the night squished on a 2 seater couch trying to sleep as it was more comfortable than the bed. We all only managed a few hours sleep each. Do yourself a favour and just pass on this one.

6

Kerrie

Aug 1, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This is a budget hotel - but the beds were soft, rooms relatively clean. There's a bit of chipped paint and out of date styling. You get exactly what you pay for so don't expect a 5 star luxury experience and you'll be fine. Car parking is a bit limited as more units than spots.

6

Isaac

Sep 8, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Tv not working, rundown bathroom, poor outside noise insulation (birds chirping all night and people walking past). Permanents give it the slum vibe. Comfy bed.

4

Paul

Jan 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A very loud domestic dispute outside the rooms at 2am spoiled the stay there

10

Peter

Sep 23, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great rooms large

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Service

Many guests praise friendly, helpful staff and accommodating departures, but others cite closed reception, communication lapses, and disputes over refunds or after-hours support.

Related guest reviews

6

Kengo

Jul 31, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Needed to make an emergency booking, and reaching the motel at 8PM, no one was at the front desk. Needed to make a phone call to confirm about the check-in, however, the phone number written on the door did not have a local area code, and could not call from the cell phone. The person at the restaurant next door was kind enough to let me use a phone. No instruction on the Wi-Fi connection in the room, and needed to call again.

10

daniel

Aug 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The motel staff are fantastic. Some minor issues with answering phone. But most of the time they ring back.. other times not. Understand busy times are crazy in peak periods. But over I would recommend the motel

8

Suzette

Oct 5, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff are very helpful

8

marina

Nov 5, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Room good. Staff very helpful, service with a smile and gave me extra 2 hours departure time to have coffee with my 92 yr old Aunt at Fornarah aged care (which is 7 mins walk away.)

8

stephen

Oct 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A good value budget motel. It was clean, the beds comfortable and the staff friendly. WiFi was a bit sketchy and regularly dropped off from time to time - that’s the only negative. A bus stop about 200 metres away with regular services into downtown Cairns. We’d definitely stay again.

10

Jigarkumar

Jun 28, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Excellent service

2

crystal

Apr 1, 2024

·

We got there only to realise it was full of crisis housing occupants. There was a dispute unveiling as we got there which made us feel immediately unsafe. The pool was green and everything in the motel was outdated with a strong smell of cleaning products. We needed to check out due to a change in personal circumstances and organised a refund through the front desk and Wotif the night before and it was confirmed in writing that we could get a refund. Went to front desk the next morning to get the refund organised and was told that they couldnt which was opposite of what I was told and had in writing. Then was argued with about the refund and told the receptionist made a mistake. Was continually told I couldn’t get a refund, finally showed the chat notes and was able to get a refund. Rude and unprofessional staff, don’t know the laws around terms and conditions or how to honour the customer. Would not recommend this place.

4

Sharon

Jan 29, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Reception was closed upon check-in and I had to phone them. The tv in the room had a remote that wasn’t working and the buttons on the tv itself were very hard to get to work also. Room was clean and beds comfy. At 9 a.m. a cleaner banged loudly on the door and asked, when I opened it, were we leaving yet. I said NO, not until 10 o’clock checkout time. They seem to need more in-house communication.

10

Susan

Sep 15, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Very friendly and helpful. Let me safely leave my luggage coming and going.

2

Adrian

Jan 3, 2024

·

The room was full of cockroaches and I left the room. The receptionist mentioned me I would get a refund for the half and never happened. After time I called back and the management told me was her first week working there and never heard something about it but she will check the situation to help me with the refund but definitely never happened. So disappointing.

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Location

Convenient for buses and nearby shopping (DFO, Cazaly's) along Mulgrave Road; a little outside the city centre but accessible.

Related guest reviews

8

Seikai

Aug 24, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

市内からは少し離れていますが、近くにショッピングセンターがあるなど、便利で過ごしやすかったです。

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8

Angela

Sep 21, 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

We appreciated the comparable price. Flew in from the Torres Strait for a family event in Cairns. With kitchenette and on Mulgrave Road and relatively close, it was a nice stay.

8

Kevin

Aug 3, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Convenient location. Comfortable bed. Secure premises.Friendly check-in staff. Very quiet (no noisy guests) the three nights I stayed.

10

Florence

Dec 6, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Was very convenient to attend a function at the Cazalys👍

10

Christopher

Jul 16, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

Nice relaxed atmosphere, good for short trips and longer stays, only 3km from town centre

10

Alana

Aug 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great place to stay for a little family or yourself. Great secure parking. Best Thai restaurant next door, walkable to DFO and public transport

8

stephen

Oct 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A good value budget motel. It was clean, the beds comfortable and the staff friendly. WiFi was a bit sketchy and regularly dropped off from time to time - that’s the only negative. A bus stop about 200 metres away with regular services into downtown Cairns. We’d definitely stay again.

8

Kylie

Jun 30, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Close to everything.

10

Tammara

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean room and excellent location! Thank you

10

Dennis

Sep 11, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed 2 nights. The room was very clean and comfortable and larger than expected. Had little interaction with the staff but they were pleasant. DFO Complex down the road with Coles, cafes and retail shops. Cazaly's Sports club in the other direction and both walking distance. Lots of families with kids i the pool but no noise issues from where I was staying. Will stay again and I do recommend.

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Dining

Limited detail in reviews, but guests mention a Thai restaurant and a cafe next door; one review says advertised bar or breakfast were unavailable.

Related guest reviews

8

Cheryl-Maree

Sep 17, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Convienence and proximity to shopping and dining. We'll be back

2

Anneke

Oct 12, 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

SCAM! The motel does not meet the pictures and advertised service on wotif or their website. Do yourself a favour and book another accommodation as this was one of the worst places I have seen. People live there full time and smoke all over the premises. The pool is disgusting and there is not bar or breakfast available like advertised. The staff is rude. DO NOT BOOK THIS ACCOMMODATION

10

Alana

Aug 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great place to stay for a little family or yourself. Great secure parking. Best Thai restaurant next door, walkable to DFO and public transport

10

Isabelle

Nov 12, 2024

·

Stayed 7 nights

We had a wonderful stay at Motel Nomad! We are a couple of Scots in Cairns looking to buy a van and we booked here to give us a place to stay. Little did we know that this would be the best decision we made as we were surrounded by locals, with their hands on their hearts, who welcomed us like family. There is a pool and a shopping center round the corner which makes it very accessible. The motel is a bit out of the centre but very well connected to buses (10min from esplanade), for us it was ideal as close to a lot of outlet shops to kit out our van. We highly recommend travellers to book this motel as you get a true feel to the friendly nature of cairns. There's a tasty coffee shop next door (Koffeez) and a tasty thai restaurant attached to the motel. Brilliant stay!

10

Dennis

Sep 11, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed 2 nights. The room was very clean and comfortable and larger than expected. Had little interaction with the staff but they were pleasant. DFO Complex down the road with Coles, cafes and retail shops. Cazaly's Sports club in the other direction and both walking distance. Lots of families with kids i the pool but no noise issues from where I was staying. Will stay again and I do recommend.

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Month	Average price
January	$65
February	$67
March	$69
April	$78
May	$78
June	$83
July	$105
August	$100
September	$83
October	$74
November	$73
December	$73

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $86	2 $85	3 $85
4 $78	5 $88	6 $92	7 $86	8 $91	9 $86	10 $95
11 $90	12 $84	13 $87	14 $87	15 $85	16 $94	17 $86
18 $86	19 $86	20 $77	21 $97	22 $85	23 $97	24 $99
25 $89	26 $96	27 $90	28 $96	29 $85	30 $99	31 $94

Motel Nomad

Prices for Motel Nomad

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Three-Bedroom Apartment

Twin Suite

Queen Room

Family Studio

Studio

Guest reviews of Motel Nomad

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

FAQs about Motel Nomad

Prices for upcoming dates

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22 $61	23 $63	24 $94	25 $98	26 $96
27 $84	28 $74	29 $81	30 $85