Little Drifter Cairns vs The Espy Hostel
Both are in Cairns, 250 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger.
HostelCairns City
Little Drifter Cairns
- Guest rating
- 8.6 Very good
- Location score
- 8.6
- Score by category
- 1 of 3
HostelCairns City
The Espy Hostel
- Guest rating
- 8.7 Very good
- Location score
- 8.3
- Score by category
- 0 of 3
The short answer
Pick Little Drifter Cairns
It leads in 1 of 3 categories. 250 m apart.
Choose Little Drifter Cairns if you want
- the more consistently praised stay (8.6 / 8.7)
- a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 54 / 1)
Choose The Espy Hostel if you want
- a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 1 / 54)
Why is Little Drifter Cairns better than The Espy Hostel?
- 1More guest reviews (809 vs 15), so the rating is more reliable×54
- 2A larger hotel with more facilities (54 vs 1 rooms)×54.0
Why is The Espy Hostel better than Little Drifter Cairns?
- 1A smaller, more intimate hotel (1 vs 54 rooms)−53
All compared facts
Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel.
| Little Drifter Cairns vs The Espy Hostel: which hotel is better? | Little Drifter Cairns | The Espy Hostel |
|---|---|---|
| Score by category | ||
| Guest rating | 8.6 | 8.7 |
| Location | 8.6 | 8.3 |
| Public transport | 9.8 +1.1 | 8.7 |
| Ratings & reviews | ||
| StayVersus score | 8.6 +0.2 | 8.4 |
| Guest rating | 8.6 | 8.7 +0.1 |
| Number of reviews | 809 +794 | 15 |
| Google rating | – | 4.1/5 |
| Google reviews | – | 189 |
| Rank in Cairns | top 30% +16% | top 46% |
| Location | ||
| Location score | 8.6 +0.3 | 8.3 |
| Distance to Cairns City centre | 370 m −170 m | 540 m |
| To public transport | 190 m −200 m | 390 m |
| To the airport | 5.6 km | 5.4 km |
| Restaurants within 500 m | 150 | 150 |
| Sights within 1 km | 12 | 12 |
| Rooms & building | ||
| Rooms | 54 | 1 |
| Floors | 2 | – |
| Newest building or renovation | 2025 | – |
| Listed amenities | 4 | 10 +6 |
| Policies | ||
| Check-in from | 14:00 | 14:00 |
| Check-out until | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Amenities | ||
| Luggage storage | ✓ | – |
| Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kitchen | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free Wi-Fi | – | ✓ |
| Laundry | – | ✓ |
| Bar | – | ✓ |
| Swimming pool | – | ✓ |
| Beachfront | – | ✓ |
| Smoke-free | – | ✓ |
| In-room safe | – | ✓ |
| Which hotel suits you | ||
| Business trips | – | ✓ |
Price for your dates
Prices come from booking partners and can change. The final price is shown before you book.
Location
250 m apart
Little Drifter Cairns: city centre: 1.9 km, nearest station Stoney Creek Railway Station: 190 m, Cairns International Airport (CNS): 5.6 km, 150+ places to eat within 500 m, 12 sights within 1 km.
The Espy Hostel: city centre: 1.8 km, nearest station Stoney Creek Railway Station: 390 m, Cairns International Airport (CNS): 5.4 km, 150+ places to eat within 500 m, 12 sights within 1 km.
Weather in Cairns
Little Drifter Cairns or The Espy Hostel: common questions
Which is better, Little Drifter Cairns or The Espy Hostel?
Little Drifter Cairns leads in 1 of 3 categories, including public transport.
Which is cheaper, Little Drifter Cairns or The Espy Hostel?
Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side.
Which hotel is closer to the centre?
Little Drifter Cairns is closer: 370 m from the centre, against 540 m for The Espy Hostel.
How far apart are Little Drifter Cairns and The Espy Hostel?
The two hotels are 250 m apart in a straight line.
Compare now
Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. How we score