11 Best Hotels in Red Centre, The Outback

A popular place thanks to great views of the MacDonnell Ranges from many guest rooms and a heated outdoor pool and spa, the Crowne Plaza is one of the most luxurious resort in Alice Springs. Rooms in the newest wing of the hotel are decorated with original artwork from local Indigenous artists. The adjoining casino is an ideal place to mingle with the locals, as is the gym and stunning lap pool, which some neighboring residents might be members of.

With 16 elevated, hard-floored glamping tents offering king-size beds and uninterrupted, panoramic views of Uluṟu thanks to the floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors, this desert oasis about 3 km (2 miles) from the Ayers Rock Resort provides the ultimate Outback luxury experience. The steep rate includes several guided tours and all meals and drinks, served in the Dune House, home to a formal lounge with an extensive library, a self-serve bar full of top-shelf liquors, and a swimming pool.

Architectural shade sails, ghost-gum-fringed lawns, Aboriginal art, and numerous facilities distinguish this upscale hotel with rooms in three-tiered blocks that frame a gorgeous white-tiled pool. Each room has a private balcony overlooking either the huge, lawn-surrounded pool area or a lush garden. There is an excellent restaurant and adjoining lobby bar, a large pool and pool bar, a tour desk, luxury spa and wellness center, and an Aboriginal art gallery and souvenir shop.

Blond-wood furniture complements desert hues in this hotel's small, neat rooms, which are named after different Australian flora, have a balcony or courtyard, and are surrounded by lovely native gardens. Desert Gardens is the only hotel in the area that offers views of Uluṟu from some of the rooms. There's also a good-size swimming pool and two on-site restaurants.

Accommodations at Desert Palms are in self-contained, freestanding A-frame units set up as double, triple, quad, and family villas, each with a private balcony and access to a lovely island pool with a waterfall to help you take your mind off the dry desert heat. While there’s no on-site restaurant or bar, you can purchase snacks at reception, cook up something special on the barbecue or in your kitchenette, or easily walk to several notable eateries nearby.

Landscaped lawns with elegant eucalyptus and palm trees greet you at this upscale international chain about a mile outside town. Inside, the rooms are decorated in light, tropical colors, and have balcony views of the garden and pool or of the Alice Springs Golf Club and the low, barren mountains in the background. Hanuman Thai is a local favorite, while Saltbush serves contemporary Australian fare and The Deck Bar offers tapas; some room rates include breakfast.

Perfect for families, large groups, or folks who otherwise just like to cook while they’re on the road, Emu Walk Apartments is the only accommodation at Ayers Rock Resort that offers an in-room self-catering option, complete with full kitchens. You can also expect daily maid service in these one- and two-bedroom apartments, each of which comes with a separate living room space. One-bedrooms can sleep four, and the balconied two-bedrooms can accommodate six.

This boutique-hotel-style property is built around a blue-tile, rivet-and-glass-paneled, reverse infinity pool, arguably the fanciest in Ayers Rock Resort. Central to each room is the bed, which backs onto an open hand-basin area. The only windows are in the divided bathroom—which is an enclosed balcony with separate rooms for the toilet and shower—so remember to draw the curtains.

Many of the rooms at this new addition to Accor Hotels’ portfolio open directly onto lawns or gardens where dozens of native birds chatter, making you forget you’re in the middle of the desert and instead perhaps inside a tropical garden. When the heat gets to be too much, set up poolside. The hotel is also home to Barra on Todd, a restaurant popular with both locals and visitors, meaning reservations are necessary.

The theme at this affordable and popular hotel is the 1860s Outback, complete with corrugated iron, timber beams, and camel saddles—but don't worry, you won't necessarily be roughing it here. The rooms have been stylishly refurbished, and there are several on-site restaurant options, ranging from DIY BBQ and fast-food takeaway to an outdoor bar with live music and the grand buffet at Bough House Restaurant, which has an excellent kids' play area overlooking the swimming pool. Guests at the adjoining dorm-style budget accommodation option with a communal kitchen share the hotel's facilities, so it does have a slight backpacker feel in the public areas.