General News
31 July, 2025
Iconic venue turns 140
A PIONEER of the hospitality industry in Cairns, Hides Hotel is celebrating its 140th anniversary of offering good old-school service and a historical experience like no other.
Originally opening in 1885, Hides Hotel was built by George Parker Hides and Duncan McColl as a two-storey timber structure with 20 bedrooms and double front verandas.
After the death of Mr Hides, his widow Elizabeth bought the land on Lake St where the hotel stands until this day.
After going through renovations in the 1920s, 1960s and 1990s, today Hides Hotel is where past and present collide.
As a heritage listed building, the hotel maintains its beautiful veranda and part of the building from the 1920s with its crown moldings and high ceilings, plus the oldest manual elevator in Queensland. Its other half, slowly added since the 1960s, represents a new era looking into the future.
What remains unchanged is the mission of the hotel and its staff to provide great customer service and the best visitor experience.
“140 years is an enormous milestone,” said hotel senior sales manager Amy Davis. “This building stood through so many iterations and eras of what was happening in Cairns at the time, so this celebration is really special,” she said.
“The location of Lake St was quite a bold move at the time. So it was also really important in, you know, being one of the first commerical businesses that established this area for it to become a real hive of commerce up and away from the port.
“Moving into the heritage era in the 1920s when the O’Haras purchased the hotel where we sit today with the beautiful wraparound balcony, this was 30 odd rooms and there was an extension wing along Shields St done.
“Then we move into the modernism era in the 1960s by the very well renowned architect at that time, Eddie Oribin. He was the mastermind of the hotel as we know it today that runs all the way from Lake St through to Grafton St.
“I don’t have a lot of information on what happened in the 90s but my understanding is that when the Japanese market was really booming in Cairns there was a lot of development done to the whole complex. The last refurbishment was pre-COVID in 2018.”
Ms Davis said that throughout the decades the hotel remained a staple of Cairns and a popular stay for those looking for a more historical and meaningful experience.
“I think that the central location is second to none, you’re literally right in the heart of the city, I think that’s the number one driver of popularity and our value conscious price point as well,” she said.
“One thing that distinguishes us from the rest is our old-fashioned hospitality, and when people hear old-fashioned they think it’s bad, but for us that means being on a first name basis with our guests, making sure that people are comfortable, offering the best advice on places to go and tours to take.”
The hotel is celebrating its 140th jubilee with guests by offering special discounts throughout the year.
