General News
16 September, 2026
$60m hotel takes off
CONSTRUCTION of the first hotel at Cairns Airport is underway.
The milestone marks the most significant private-sector commercial accommodation development to break ground in Cairns since Crystalbrook Collection built the Riley, Flynn and Bailey hotels in 2018 – an eight-year hiatus in major accommodation investment in the region.
Stage 1 of the $60 million ‘Skyhaven’ project, comprising 98 rooms, has started, with completion expected within 18 to 24 months and stage 2 (a further 88 rooms) slated to start in mid-2027.
Development and construction company MiHaven is behind the hotel which will be operated by Mandala Hotels and Resorts. The principal lender is Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA).
Cairns Airport chief executive Richard Barker said it was a historic moment for the airport.
“Cairns Airport is currently the only airport of its size in Australasia without onsite accommodation,” he said.
“SkyHaven is a significant development for both Cairns Airport and the broader Far North Queensland community.
“Local organisations, including many operators based at Cairns Airport, will now be better placed to attract skilled workers and grow their businesses to meet increasing demand.”
Pre-locked long-term accommodation agreements tied to the $1 billion Cairns Hospital precinct expansion mean SkyHaven will also directly support the region’s growing health workforce, providing much-needed housing for medical staff, contractors and visiting specialists as the city’s health sector scales up.
Mi-Haven co-founder Sarah Mort said more than 90% of the equity raised to develop the project came from Cairns and region “making it a truly local project and the only major private-sector project financed and commencing immediately”.
Mandala Hotels and Resorts principal John Zeckendorf said demand for Skyhaven was “strong and validated, with 30-plus organisations already submitting written EOIs (expressions of interest) for long term corporate accommodation.
He said MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) operators were turning away $15m-plus in work due to capacity constraints – all driving immediate need for on airport accommodation,” he said.
Mr Zeckendorf said it would fill a critical infrastructure gap and help grow the region.
