Opal Inn Hotel Motel

We were comfortable at the Opal Inn Caravan site parking, with a clean area that was easy to get around. The staff were friendly and courteous, and gave us the information we needed. The amenities were modern for such an old little town, clean, and easy to use. Water was available on site for $8 per 30L, I think, and washers and dryers cost $5 per load. We also appreciated the 15% off our meal and the complimentary drinks. And the very friendly cat made our caravan its home while we were there, which was a bonus for me. One thing did make it hard to sleep comfortably: unknown people drove very slowly around the caravan sites, hanging out of their car roof as if they were looking for things. We locked everything away each night, but knowing anyone could drive in off the road and through the park was worrying. Lockable gates at night, perhaps at a set time, might be worth considering.

The food in the bistro was very nice, and the staff went above and beyond to make things work for us. Ragu (I hope I am spelling his name correctly) was outstanding at customer service. We flew in by glider, and he met us and took us to the motel. When we left, he waited while we filled the glider (self launcher) with fuel, then returned the jerry can to the owner. The room was huge, though the bed was small. It was comfortable and clean, if a little dated, and the reverse cycle aircon was a welcome change from a rattling wall unit.

The restaurant menu has improved a lot since its revamp, and you get a free drink and 15% off your meal if you dine in, a nice little bonus. The rooms are comfy and very clean, though they still have that retro feel from when they were possibly fitted out in the 70's. They have been painted, recarpeted and tiled since. This is an outback stay with plenty of character, and the hotel gets a lot of truckies and tradies. Town can be noisy at night, but that's just Coober Pedy! There's a parking bay with a safety camera, though parking generally feels safe here anyway. I'll definitely stay again whenever I pass through Coober Pedy.

The meals were amazing, better than the steakhouse we ate at in Adelaide. Check-in came with 2 drinks and 15% off our meals, too. The room was spotless and stayed cool even during a heatwave. The spare blanket was filthy and disgusting, so I left it on the ground for housekeeping. Really good place, I'd stay again.