Darwin Airport Inn

We just stayed here for one night, since we had an early morning flight. The hotel is simple but adequate and has a large new pool.

My spirits are lifted to finally see a decent Accor group hotel, because I had been grumpy since the Mercure in Alice Springs. Indeed, here at the Darwin airport Novotel, they did everything to be zen. In fact, their pool is magnificent and full of jets. The bar is cool and the restaurant is nice; it's a change from airport hotels where you're happy to only stay one night. We would gladly spend another night here, and a big advantage is that you are a 10-minute walk from the terminal; it's the best. Furthermore, the rooms are spacious, and if you are lucky—unlike me—you get a balcony overlooking the pool. There you go.

Visited for lunch on 07/06/2026 and unfortunately had a very disappointing experience. The restaurant was virtually empty inside, with only the three of us dining and just a handful of people seated outside. We ordered the beef burger and chicken parmy. I asked the server with long hair if they had any hot sauce or Tabasco available. He told me there was no hot sauce at all, so I requested some fresh chilli instead. What arrived was a dried chilli. When our meals came out, the chicken parmy was dry and burnt, and the chips were cold. I called the waiter back and asked if the chips could be replaced with hot ones. There was no apology, acknowledgement, or customer service whatsoever. He simply took the chips away and returned with a new serving, displaying a very snobby attitude throughout the interaction. What made the situation even worse was seeing the waiter and chef laughing together in the kitchen afterwards, which felt extremely unprofessional. The management standards seem to have gone significantly downhill since the changeover or appointment of the new restaurant manager. We frequently stay and dine at this hotel, so we've seen firsthand how much the experience has changed, and unfortunately not for the better. This review should serve as a wake-up call to hotel management. Loyal guests notice these changes, and the difference in service and food quality is becoming very apparent.