The DT Cairns was a COVID quarantine facility for much of last year. It reopened for bookings around March 2021 [Edit: it was actually the start of April] so unlikely to be any AFF reports in that time. 
I had a few stays there when it was a former Holiday Inn. I thought that the rooms seemed rather small and were bit odd-shaped (due to the curvature of the building: sort of a figure eight building design), but that’s not much of a criticism. About half of the rooms are city/distant mountain view, and do not have balconies. I haven’t stayed at the DT for several years, but Diamonds received one welcome drink in the bar area. Not sure if that’s nightly as I only booked for one night on the most recent stay and can’t recall what took place prior to that. Continental breakfast, but everyone seemed to get that. Warm chocolate chip cookie on arrival for everyone. Can’t remember how good the wifi was. Pre-COVID, they had a big slice of the Asian tour group market, which sort of swamped the breakfast area. Although, that won’t be a problem at the moment.
The Hilton is definitely a step up. All rooms have balconies and half overlook Trinity Inlet. Many of the others (especially on higher floors) have quite a good outlook anyway. Most of the rooms seemed to have been recently refurbished. Good EL (for diamonds and those in ‘Executive Level’ rooms). The hotel has been very busy over the past week, and on some nights there’s been 80-plus guests with EL access according to the staff. It’s in the process of being expanded, slightly. Temporarily relocated to the the area behind the bar (ground floor) and due to reopen back on L9 in the next two days.
I’m not trying to put you off the DT. It’s on the Esplanade and at one end of the Esplanade restaurant/cafe/bar strip. This strip has had a lot of recent streetscape updating, and landscaping, with reduced vehicle flow implemented, which makes for a big improvement to the atmosphere. The restaurant strip starts at the RSL (on the opposite corner to the DT), which does good meals and has a great alfresco dining. The strip runs from there to within a few hundred metres of the Hilton, with more eating options back a street or two. I have been staying in Cairns for two weeks and originally planned to stay at the DT for some of that, but changed to the Hilton instead, only because I like it there. The rates for both can be very variable (and high). The Hilton can be a bit ‘overpriced’ I think.
The Hilton is adjacent to the marina with plenty of waterfront dining options along the boardwalk. Anyway, the Esplanade dining area and marina waterfront dining are both easily walkable from either hotel.
Probably a bit too much information here. I got a bit carried away.
