Radeka Down Under

Sleeping underground was a great experience, and the motel was very clean. Mike, the owner, was so friendly and helpful. He showed us around the area and took us to our opal tour. Such a kind, lovable person. We'd definitely stay with him again anytime.

We stayed 15 metres underground, where it was a cool break from the outback heat. The place was clean, comfortable and affordable, with local owners whose great knowledge of the town's history added to the experience. They were also happy to have our dog stay, a big bonus. A must stay in Coober Pedy for an authentic experience of this otherworldly place. Think mad max meets modern comfort.

The underground sleep was phenomenal, and the night I stayed was so quiet that it was one of the most peaceful nights I've had in years. I'm glad I chose this place, and wish Pete the best of luck with it. If you book, I'd suggest going directly through the hotel. I used booking.com and played about $17 more than the direct rate. This is budget accommodation, so check your expectations. It's a very unique motel, and Pete was great to chat with. He's working hard to improve the place as he slowly converts it from a backpackers hostel into a regular hotel. It's centrally located, with services a short walk away, and the presentation is very good for a former backpackers, with more still to be done. It was 47 degrees the day I stayed. I had to ring reception, but Pete came over in a flash to book me in and get me cooled off. My budget room was underground, literally under the carpark. It was small but not claustrophobic, with a new, comfortable bed that was firm but not like a rock, clean comfortable linen, and two bedsides. It could have used a couple of hooks, but that wasn't a deal breaker. The backpackers style facilities include a central kitchen, TV room, toilets and showers. They were all clean and tidy. WiFi worked underground, though all that rock blocks the mobile signal, so connect to WiFi and use Whatsapp/Signal/Messenger for voice calls. All rooms use card locks, and most have a cypher lock access door, which gave me a good feeling of safety while sleeping. Your vehicle is up in the carpark like at any motel, and it's up to you to lock it and keep valuables out of sight, common sense for some. Some rooms have ensuites and are bigger, so they'd be a different review. I visually verified that all rooms are covered in solid rock, even the hillside rooms, which are underground but have openings with front walls. Those are much easier to access than the completely underground rooms, which are down a set of steps.

The rooms were comfortable, and we got to experience real underground living at Radeka. The manager was very helpful. Had a great stay, and I'd recommend it to everyone.