Desert Gardens Hotel

The hotel is quiet, and its position makes it easy to walk to the little town for souvenirs, evening snacks, and drinks. From the balcony you can look over Uluru and spend a relaxed evening watching the stars in a very clear sky. It’s also probably the closest hotel to the national park. I did plenty of research because there are only a few hotels here, and this one looked best for location and budget. It lived up to that. The views are as good as they get, but for a clear view of Uluru from the window, you need a first-floor room in one of the blocks near the road. Rooms were clean, facilities good, and breakfast had an amazing choice. There’s parking in front of the hotel. I’d certainly recommend it for a visit to Uluru.

I loved the well-kept gardens, with all their flora and fauna, and the breakfast was good. The bartender was kind and even helped fill our water bottle with ice. We ate at the restaurant several times; it was alright. At first we were given a very rundown, unclean room, but the front desk quickly helped and moved us to another one. We plan to return.

The pool was much appreciated in the hot weather, and the restaurant food was delicious. My husband had been injured before our trip and needed wheelchair assistance, and the staff were so helpful that our stay was very easy.

The Desert Garden Hotel rooms are fabulous, and the location is fantastic. What fell short was the service, especially for a four-and-a-half-star hotel at a premium price. After driving more than four and a half hours from Alice Springs in around 40°C heat, we had to park in a designated area and carry all our luggage to the room. There were no luggage carts, no help, and no parking in front of the hotel. It was uncomfortable and unexpected at that price. We paid almost double, perhaps even two and a half times, what we’d paid at the DoubleTree in Alice Springs, where the service was far better despite costing much less. Here, the high price seems mainly to be for the location rather than service quality. I expected more support and better facilities at check-in in such harsh weather. If you’re planning to stay, keep these limitations in mind when setting expectations.