Hotel Guide
Compare prices across 10 Alice Springs region hotels
We earn a commission on bookings. Learn more
Quick Answer
DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs is the best all-round hotel in town , reliable rooms, good pool, CBD location, and sensible pricing. Crowne Plaza Lasseters offers a different proposition with its casino and slightly out-of-town location. For the Uluru experience, Sails in the Desert at Ayers Rock Resort is the premium option, while Outback Pioneer Hotel delivers budget-friendly Uluru proximity. Alice Springs is the gateway , not the destination itself , so where you stay depends on whether you're driving to Uluru, exploring the MacDonnell Ranges, or doing both.
Alice Springs sits almost exactly in the centre of Australia, a town of 25,000 surrounded by red desert, the MacDonnell Ranges, and 40,000 years of continuous Indigenous culture. It's a gateway town , most visitors are here because they're heading to Uluru (4.5 hours drive south), the West MacDonnell Ranges (day trips west), or both. The town itself has more character than most give it credit for: a thriving Indigenous art scene (the Araluen Arts Centre and Todd Mall galleries are worth a day), excellent desert botanic gardens, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service museum. But let's be direct , the hotel market reflects Alice's role as a waypoint. There are no luxury boutiques or design hotels. Options are solid chain properties, a casino resort, and functional motels. What you're choosing between is location, pool quality, and whether the price makes sense for what's essentially a comfortable bed between adventures. Summer (Dec-Feb) is brutally hot , 40C+ days are normal , and winter nights (June-Aug) drop to 0-5C, which surprises visitors expecting permanent desert heat. The shoulder months (April-May, September-October) offer the best weather and the most comfortable hotel experience.
View all hotels on Booking.com
DoubleTree by Hilton is the town's best mainstream hotel , CBD location on Barrett Drive, a well-maintained pool, recently refreshed rooms, and the Hilton cookie at check-in. Rooms run $240/night in peak season, dropping to $160-180 in summer. It's the safe choice and earns it. Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters is 1.5km from the CBD, built around the Lasseters Casino , the property has the best pool in Alice Springs (resort-style, heated) and multiple restaurants. At $210/night, it undercuts the DoubleTree and offers more facilities, but the out-of-town location means driving for everything. Aurora Alice Springs sits right on Todd Mall in the CBD , walk to galleries, restaurants, and shops without starting a car. Rooms are functional rather than inspiring ($180/night), but the location is unbeatable for town exploration. Quest Alice Springs offers apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes , practical for families and self-caterers at $195/night.
Ayers Rock Resort is a self-contained complex 440km south of Alice Springs, operated by Voyages. It's the only accommodation near Uluru , there are no alternatives, which the pricing reflects. Longitude 131 ($1,500/night) is the ultra-luxury option: 16 tented pavilions with direct Uluru views, all-inclusive dining, and guided experiences. It's in a category of its own and worth it for a bucket-list splurge. Sails in the Desert ($480/night) is the 5-star main hotel: large pool, multiple restaurants, and guided activities. Desert Gardens Hotel ($350/night) is the comfortable 4-star mid-range. Outback Pioneer Hotel ($230/night) is the budget-friendly option with a communal BBQ that becomes a social hub every evening. The Lost Camel ($280/night) targets a younger design-conscious crowd. All share access to the resort's shuttle buses, which run to Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
This is the key accommodation decision for Red Centre visitors. Stay in Alice Springs if: you're driving to Uluru as part of a longer road trip, you want to explore the MacDonnell Ranges, you want more restaurant and shopping options, or budget matters (Alice hotels are 30-50% cheaper than equivalent Uluru properties). Stay at Uluru if: Uluru is your primary reason for being here, you want sunrise and sunset viewing without a 4.5-hour drive, you want guided Indigenous cultural experiences at the resort, or the once-in-a-lifetime aspect justifies the premium pricing. Many visitors do both , 1-2 nights in Alice for the MacDonnell Ranges and town, then 2 nights at Uluru for sunrise, sunset, the base walk, and Kata Tjuta.
Alice Springs is a driving destination. The town itself is walkable if you're on Todd Mall, but hotels, the airport (14km south), and all attractions require a car. Hire cars run $60-90/day from Alice, more for 4WD. The drive to Uluru is 450km on sealed highway , 4.5 hours, doable in a day, but watch for livestock and wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk. Fuel is available at regular intervals. The climate surprises people: summer (Dec-Feb) hits 40-45C regularly, winter mornings (Jun-Aug) can be 0-5C, and the UV index is extreme year-round. Hotel pools matter , both for cooling off and because the pool is where you'll spend 2-4pm in summer when going outside is inadvisable. The Alice Springs Desert Park (wildlife, natural history) and the West MacDonnell Ranges (Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Glen Helen Gorge) are excellent day trips from town.
April-May and September-October offer warm days (25-30C) without summer's extreme heat or winter's cold nights. Hotel prices are moderate, crowds are manageable, and both Alice Springs and Uluru are comfortable to explore.
Most visitors rush to Uluru and miss the West MacDonnells , Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge, and Glen Helen are within 1-2 hours of Alice Springs and offer desert gorge swimming, red rock landscapes, and fewer tourists than Uluru. Budget a full day.
It sounds trivial, but the warm DoubleTree cookie at check-in is a small pleasure after a long flight or drive to Alice Springs. It's the little things in the desert.
In summer, you'll spend hours by the pool. Crowne Plaza Lasseters has the best pool in Alice Springs. DoubleTree's is good. Aurora's is small. At Uluru, Sails in the Desert has the resort's main pool. Choose accordingly if you're visiting in hot months.
You need a car in Alice Springs and for the Uluru drive. Book ahead , fleet is limited in peak season (April-October). All major rental companies operate from the airport. 4WD is only necessary for the unsealed Mereenie Loop or remote Aboriginal Land roads.