forgetmenot

We have just completed a 6 month lease at the Lakes Resort & Spa in Cairns North. Overall we thourougly enjoyed our time there. Cairns North has excellent links to the city and the Esplanade, is close to the wonderful Centenary Lakes and Botanical Gardens and is within walking distance of trendy Edge Hill. Road noise from Arthur Street/Greenslopes Street was apparent, but was not intrusive. The close proximity to the airport did mean a measure of aircraft noise but even that did not impede our enjoyment of being in the area.

The Lakes Resort itself is super. Not as good a place for a child to live as we had hoped, although our daughter did enjoy bouts of regular swimming in the super pools. We were living in one of the townhouses at the entrance to the resort. The location was noisy due to the proximity to the entry gates. However, it did provide us with a sense of personal space that would not have been apparent in an appartment. And we had a private garage. However, the townhouse (privately leased and not the responsibility to maintain of the resort) was old and tired inside. The property is leased fully furnished, however linen, cutlery and crockery were dirty and unusuable and one of the mattresses was disgusting (we bought our own the day we moved in). Many of the electrical fixtures and fittings didn't work and the taps leaked and were loose (as were many of the doorhandles). The letting agaent, Cairns Property Office, were slow to attend to our requests for attention, ultimately leaving many tasks unattended until we were preparing to vacate. That we are now in dispute over the return of all of our bond money, is of no surprise. I would recomend anyone live at the Lakes (for a time), but not if it meant dealing with these people.

Sadly, the failure of Cairns Property Office to meet our expectations has tainted what should have been a much more rewarding experience.