Seventeen years of warm welcomes at Cairns Reef Apartments & Motel

After almost two decades welcoming families, corporate travellers and many loyal returning guests to Cairns Reef Apartments & Motel, Keryn and Paul O’Neil are preparing to swap the tropics for more precious time with family.

A chance meeting in an Adelaide Hills pub in 1986 was the beginning of a partnership that would eventually take Keryn and Paul O’Neil to tropical Cairns and, ultimately, into management rights. They married in 1993 and made the move to Far North Queensland three years later, ready to build a new life together.

Their first Cairns venture was a food outlet on the Esplanade that operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It was certainly one way to learn the hospitality business quickly!

The experience taught them plenty about customer service, business operations and the realities of running a business that never slept. It also helped them find their feet in Cairns and become part of the local community.

By 2009, Keryn was searching for a slightly gentler way of life. “Relaxed” might be stretching it when describing management rights, but after a round-the-clock food business, almost anything would have felt peaceful.

Keryn and Paul chose Cairns Reef Apartments & Motel and entered the accommodation industry in 2009.

“The buying process was rewarding and challenging, but we can honestly say it was the best thing we ever did,” they said.

This story was first published in the October edition of Resort News. OUT NOW. Read it HERE

A flexible Cairns property

Located in Woree on the southern side of Cairns, Cairns Reef Apartments & Motel is a well-established holiday complex comprising 30 units across three buildings. As resident managers, Keryn and Paul perform caretaking duties for the body corporate while operating the onsite letting business.

The letting pool includes 15 dual-key apartments, providing 30 individual accommodation keys and considerable flexibility in how rooms can be configured and sold. This allows the property to cater for couples, families and groups with different accommodation needs.

Its location alongside the Bruce Highway provides convenient access to the Cairns CBD, surrounding business areas and the region’s many visitor attractions. The city centre is approximately eight minutes away by car, while a bus stop near the property entrance provides another practical transport option.

For visitors keen to explore the reef, rainforest and wider Far North Queensland region, the property offers an accessible and affordable base. Its convenient location, secure parking and flexible room configurations also make it a practical choice for the significant number of corporate travellers it welcomes.

Set among lush tropical gardens, Cairns Reef offers the relaxed atmosphere visitors hope to find in the tropics. Facilities include a saltwater swimming pool, barbecue area, shady gazebo, tennis court, basketball hoop, free wifi and secure undercover parking.

The spacious apartments and family suites can accommodate up to six guests, making the property particularly popular with families. Some apartments also have kitchens and internal laundries, providing the practical facilities needed for longer stays.

For parents travelling with children, enough room to spread out and a swimming pool in which to burn off some energy can be the difference between a holiday and an endurance event.

Familiar faces and lasting friendships

Of course, a successful accommodation business needs more than spacious apartments and a lovely pool. For Keryn and Paul, it has always been about the people.

They have loved meeting visitors from across Australia and beyond, taking the time to chat and helping people feel at home. Perhaps the best measure of their hospitality is how often those guests return.

“We feel particularly blessed to have met so many wonderful guests over the years,” Keryn said. “We have loved chatting with people, making them feel at home and seeing so many of them return.”

Online reviews reflect that care, with visitors regularly praising the friendly team, spacious and clean accommodation, tropical gardens, family-friendly facilities and value for money.

A team effort

“We are extremely grateful for the support we have received from the owners and staff,” Keryn and Paul said. “Our team has supported us from day one and played an important role in helping us provide an enjoyable experience for our guests.”

Mind you, working in accommodation also produces a few stories that will probably never make it into the guest reviews.

“Our housekeeping team has encountered so many unusual and funny situations over the years that they could probably write a book called Secrets of the Housekeeper,” they joked.

Whether the contents would be suitable for publication is another question entirely!

Through the busy days, returning families and inevitable surprises, Keryn and Paul have built a successful management rights business and made Cairns Reef a welcoming base for visitors exploring Far North Queensland.

Family calls them south

After 30 years in Cairns and 17 years at Cairns Reef, Keryn and Paul have decided it is time to head south.

Their three married daughters and four much-loved grandchildren all live in Brisbane, and the pull to be closer to them has become increasingly strong.

Their decision means Cairns Reef Apartments & Motel is ready for new resident managers to build on what they have established.

Leaving Cairns will not be easy. It has been their home for three decades and the place where they built their businesses and formed friendships with owners, staff and guests from across Australia and beyond.

“After many successful years in Cairns, we feel it is time to begin a new adventure closer to our family,” they said.

Keryn and Paul are now looking forward to a well-earned retirement and a welcome change of pace.

They will leave with no shortage of memories. And perhaps one day we may even get to read Secrets of the Housekeeper, although, for the sake of a few former guests, some stories may be better left in Cairns.

Read more Operator stories in AccomNews HERE: Country experience, coastal opportunity