Darwin will soon be home to Australia’s first airport resort with the upcoming launch of Novotel and Mercure Darwin Airport Resort on Tuesday December 5.
The transformed property integrates two existing airport hotels at Darwin Airport and is the result of a AU$30 million investment by the Airport Development Group (ADG), which also owns the adjacent Darwin Airport.
The transformation of both hotels included a refurbishment of existing rooms and the creation of new pool villas, suites and bungalows.
The property now features a combined reception area, a new 60-metre swimming pool – reportedly one of the largest city hotel pools in Australia – poolside cabanas, children’s aquatic playground and new poolside dining –Splash Café and Cossie’s Poolside Bar and Bistro.
“Visitors wanting to explore the Top End will be able to enjoy a complete resort experience, including an Olympic-plus size swimming pool, a range of dining options,” said Darwin Airport Resort General Manager, Chris Chaffe.
“It will also provide an ideal base for visitors travelling elsewhere in the Top End. Darwin Airport is a feeder airport to a number of international destinations as well as local Territory destinations such as the Tiwi Islands, Katherine and Arnhemland, while tourism attractions such as Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks are just 80 minutes and two and a half hours drive, respectively, from the resort.”
Located on the lands of the Larrakia Nation, the traditional custodians of the greater Darwin area, the resort embraces Indigenous culture throughout its design.
Each of its villas is named after a leading Territorian, with their story available for guests to read, and each section of the property to different NT regions, each represented through colour palettes, artwork, and landscaping.
Indigenous art has been incorporated in the design, including two murals on the Novotel exterior, and one on the 41-metre water tower in front of the hotels.
The resort also plans to offer guests a one-hour guided walking tour curated by Larrakia guides with information about the area’s cultural and historical significance.
“Integrating and recognising Larrakia Indigenous culture and heritage has been an integral component of the project,” said Chaffe.
“The new resort is enriched with Aboriginal art and themes, inside and out, providing an appropriate reminder that this pioneering world-class resort is on the lands of the world’s longest-surviving culture.”
With the aim of employing as many Indigenous staff as possible, ADG has also established an Indigenous Training Academy to develop and mentor Aboriginal employees for the hotel, airport and the wider Northern Territory tourism and hospitality sector.
ADG’s investment in the property is part of its International Airport 2023 Master Plan, which centres around the development of existing and proposed airport facilities and land use for the next 20 years to support growth in passenger numbers to between 3.7 and 5.5 million annually by 2043.