A remote Northern Territory town between coastal Darwin and lively Adelaide, Alice Springs is, for many, the gateway to Australia’s Red Centre. Small, laid-back and historic, this intriguing outpost is a great destination for adventurous couples, groups of friends and families, and it offers a burgeoning range of inviting accommodation options. Our Gurus’ list of the best places to stay in Alice Springs includes quirky art-filled studios as well as contemporary resort-hotels, ideal for exploring the town and the vast wilderness beyond.
Delve into Alice Springs’ heritage in the town’s Historical Reserve, where you’ll find the Telegraph Station and a number of exhibits about the area’s culture. There are a plethora of superb art galleries in the town centre, showcasing work by top Aboriginal artists, as well as hosting workshops and events — these are a real highlight. To see more of the town, walk up to Anzac Hill, visit the Road Transport Hall of Fame and the Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum, and take the kids to the Alice Springs Reptile Centre and the Kangaroo Sanctuary.
Keen adventurers will be thrilled to discover the wonders of the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, the rocky MacDonnell Ranges and the dramatic Kings Canyon. Take guided walking tours, mountain bike rides, camel excursions and scenic helicopter flights, soaking up the wonders of unspoilt landscapes of rich red earth, studded with vegetation, a plethora of rare birds and intriguing endemic wildlife. The Larapinta Trail, one of the world’s top 20 treks, is exceptional, and easily accessible from many of the best places to stay in Alice Springs.