The Eclectic Rose

Keeping with my "summer favourites" themed posts I've been having for the past few months, I thought I'd share with you a few pictures and a (rather brief) review of my summer holiday this year. We always try to go somewhere for a few days each year around the start of the New Year, and this year we stayed in Cairns, North Queensland for a few days. Perhaps this isn't interesting to you fellow North Queenslanders who've undoubtedly been to Cairns before, but I just really like Cairns and who knows, maybe it'll help you plan your next weekend getaway!
So firstly,
Where I stayed: Rydges Tradewinds, Cairns

 I really like Rydges Tradewinds. It's right on the esplanade, and literally a 30 second walk to the beach...so the view from the hotel grounds are amazing (especially at sunrise/sunset). There's a pool and spa, a restaurant and bar, underground valet parking, and an indoor day spa/massage area. The rooms are cosy and comfortable, each with a little balcony that looks out over the swimming pool and spa area. We were lucky enough to have an amazing room right on the top floor, and facing out over the ocean. The above photo was taken from our balcony, so as you can see, we had a pretty good view! The rooms have televisions, air conditioning, a bath... and pretty much everything else you need to have a wonderful time. Rooms are priced from $90 a night upwards, but we were lucky enough to get a cheap special deal through findaroom.com ... findaroom.com is my favourite website to book hotels through, it's super easy to use, and every now and then they have crazy sales on rooms at certain hotels. So if you plan on going away anytime soon, I'd keep an eye on that website for sure.  There were a few negative reviews on the findaroom website for Rydges Tradewinds, such as people saying that the hotel was a bit "old and outdated"... but honestly, I didn't have any issues with anything at all. My stay there was entirely positive, and I'd go back again. I mean, Rydges Tradewinds isn't a 5 star hotel or anything like that, but it is perfect for a weekend getaway.


What I did: 

Kuranda Markets:

 I love Kuranda. I've been there several times before, and every time I go, I seem to love it a little bit more. Kuranda is kind of like a small town/village  in the rainforest, located up in the hills about 30 mins out from Cairns. There's a market that runs during the day, every single day of the week, where they sell a wide range of jewellery and arts and crafts. I think the markets are more aimed at people that are new to Australia, as there are a lot of Australiana souvenirs and things, but I love it anyway. I'm especially a fan of all the handmade jewellery. There's also a bird zoo and a reptile zoo, which is perfect for children and tourists. If you've been to Cairns before but haven't seen Kuranda, I definitely recommend it next time you go.
 

The Lagoon on The Esplanade:
 

I also love the lagoon a lot. The water is always a perfect escape from the humid weather, and it's really nice if you go in the afternoon on a weekend, as they usually have bands playing. So you can pretty much just float around in the cool water and listen to some music and it is the perfect way to relax. The Lagoon is also very close to a whole heap of shops and restaurants, so everything you need is all in the one spot. The Lagoon is open til 9pm every night of the year.

What I ate: 

Fresh Seafood in a coconut broth from the Raw Prawn, located on the esplanade.

Fresh and locally-sourced seafood from Splash, located on the esplanade. Splash is probably my favourite Cairns restaurant. They specialise in seafood, and everything is fresh and from the local ocean and reefs. They also have amazing cocktails.

Burgers from Grill'd, located on the esplanade.

 
What I wore:

Playsuits are a summer must-have. Playsuit from Lucy in the Sky Store, shoes from Therapy, and hat from Cotton On.

Dress from Lucy in the Sky Store

Skirt from Tiger Mist, top from Supre

Dress from Boutique by Bel, flower headband from Lovisa.

That's all for now, hope you're all having a fantastic summer (or winter for my overseas friends!).
Peace,
Lucy.