The Best Cheap Hotels to Book in Darwin, Northern Territory

This great-value, modern gem ticks all the boxes and won’t dent the plastic. Locally owned, it’s central and full of creature comforts, so you’ll really enjoy your Darwin stay. Sleep soundly on your pillowtop bed. Get a great deal on a cityscape or harbour view room (including the rooftop gym). Reinvigorate yourself in the tropical resort-style pool. Ready to dine? Head inside or go al fresco poolside – there’s fresh, local barramundi fish to savour, along with flavoursome Asian delights and seasonal produce to be washed down with an extensive list of sensational cocktails and wines.

Here’s another fantastic bang for your buck: a property in a top, central-city location between the mall and Waterfront precinct; it’s a mere hop, skip and a jump to satisfy your every travel delight, tummy rumble or thirst-quenching need. Get into the local spirit – each modern room pays homage to the traditional owners with local indigenous artworks adorning the walls. Or chill looking out over your Juliet balcony, vino in hand, and soak up the city skyline.

Within easy strolling distance of shops, bars, great places to eat and scenic sites, this resort is a veritable slice of paradise in the heart of Darwin. Yet it’s quiet and peaceful – an idyllic place to relax and rejuvenate. You can easily get lost around the enormous tropical oasis-like pool and waterfall. Top tip: barbecue your dinner after keeping trim at the well-equipped gym. Relax over breakfast, lunch and a dinner of juicy steak or Humpty Doo barramundi in the tropical Treetops restaurant or choose the bliss of 24-hour room service.

Slap bang in the middle of the Darwin Waterfront precinct, this hotel is all about funky decor, friendly staff, good vibes and aquatic views to sigh for. Cool off in the undercover pool, kick back in Curve Café over coffee or a glass of wine (or two) and admire the saunter of the passing crowds. Or step outside and wander along the tree-lined promenade. You’ll be spoilt for choice among the Waterfront’s endless shops, world-class restaurants, cafes and bars. Make a date with the Wave pool, parkside beach, safe swimming areas and the overhead walk bridge, which connects the CBD, five minutes away.

Immersed among massive palms, overlooking the Cenotaph and Bicentennial Park, this is truly a tropical paradise right in the heart of Darwin City. Rest and relax in a bright hotel room, private garden bungalow with a barbecue or a spa villa. A sizzling buffet breakfast is served in the cafe each morning. Stroll along the Esplanade, enjoy harbour views and sunsets or step down a flight of cliffside stairs to the outdoor Deckchair Cinema and Waterfront precinct. The mall is also just a block away.

At the city end of Smith Street Mall, opposite Raintree Park, is this art-deco building. Step in to find smart, coastal-themed, streamlined rooms and an outdoor pool you’ll want to spend hours cooling off in. Travel back to the 1940s in the Mood Restaurant, which serves lashings of contemporary Australian cuisine to a soundtrack of Glenn Miller-style big-band classics. Want more? Lively Mitchell Street bars are a minute’s walk away. Or there’s a whole host of internationally flavoured places to eat, filling the atrium at street level: choose from Italian, Japanese, Indonesian, Vietnamese and more.

Step behind the geometric glass façade and get to know this family-owned and -operated boutique treasure. It’s such a chic, sleek, stylish hotel, whether you pick a room or an apartment – the best have balconies and city views, so request when you reserve. Its unrivalled location, in the city’s heart, is near all the shops and restaurants, not to mention Darwin’s entertainment hub. It’s the perfect place for work, rest and play. Chillax by the soothing pool, get guru-fit in the gym and watch local people shimmying by from the street-level City Cafe.