I have to admit… when I first heard they were building an airport hotel in Adelaide, I was a bit skeptical. Being so close to the city, did we really need to stay at the airport? Add two kids and an early flight… and I’ve completely changed my mind!
We recently spent the night at Atura Hotel Adelaide Airport before an early morning flight, and the minute we walked through the door I knew it was a BRILLIANT idea. My six-year-old ran straight to the window to watch a Qantas plane land right in front of u, so exciting!
Could we hear it? No.
Could we see it? YES!
What an exciting place to stay… but did I manage to get them to sleep before the last plane landed? Read on to find out…
The hotel
Atura has a cool, industrial vibe. Polished concrete, splashes of bright yellow, and stylish touches throughout. The ground floor is where you’ll find reception, the bar, the restaurant, a lounge area, and plenty of comfy spots to relax with a drink or snack.
If you’re staying in a city view or runway room, head straight up to your room, you’ll want to be in prime plane-spotting position!
The hotel also has direct access to the airport. A few minutes’ walk and you’re at check-in, a lifesaver if you’ve ever travelled with kids. Wake up, enjoy breakfast, leave the mess behind, and stroll straight into the terminal. No mad dash, no stress… it’s honestly a game changer.
Rooms and comfort
We stayed in a Deluxe Twin room with two queen beds that were super comfy! The bathrooms are funky and fun, with South Australian-themed wallpaper (hello, Sturt Desert Pea!) and a quality hairdryer. It really is the little things that make a difference.
On our second stay, we didn’t have a runway view but booked a room with kid-friendly bunk beds, which was perfect. Both options are great depending on whether your priority is plane spotting or just a comfy stay with the kids.
Meals
We loved eating at Hangar Bar & Grill. Generous portions, tasty meals, and everything from kid-friendly options to hearty adult dishes. The buffet breakfast was excellent, with hot and cold options, cereals, bacon and eggs, toast machine, pastries, a coffee station, and even a granola bar!
There’s also a grab-and-go mini shop in the lobby with snacks, drinks, and even baby food pouches which is super handy for families.
What we loved
- The view – even if you’re not flying anywhere, the kids will LOVE it.
- The beds – seriously comfy!
- The styling – cool, industrial vibe throughout.
- Staff – friendly, helpful, and welcoming.
- Parking – discounted nightly rate if you’re staying for a night.
- 24-hour reception & free Wi-Fi
- Airport screens – keep an eye on your flight from the lobby.
- Room service – my poke bowl was YUUUM!
So, did I get my kids to sleep before the last plane landed at 10:30pm? The baby… yes. The Six-year-old: no… but not because of noise or lights. We were waiting for the last Emirates jumbo from Dubai and of course, she had to watch it land!
And here is a great tip: If you’re staying for the plane spotting download the Flightradar24 app on your phone. It’ll tell you exactly what plane is coming in and where they’ve come from, or what plane is taking off and where they’re going to.
Atura Adelaide Airport Hotel
Location: 1 Atura Cct, Adelaide Airport SA 5950
Phone: (08) 7099 3300
Find them on Facebook and Instagram
You might also be interested in
-
Kids. Love. Trains…….especially ours. So if you have a little train enthusiast in your family we’ve made it easy for you to fill up your weekends with Adelaide’s best train experiences. There’s of course train rides, but don’t forget the museums, train themed playgrounds and mini railways you can check out for your little ones. You could seriously travel most of South Australia checking out all of the train related activities! Toot toot!
-
As we reached the southern Flinders area just near Hawker, we stopped in for lunch at the Cradock Hotel. As a parent who has eaten at hundreds of pubs and restaurants with kids, I will comfortably say this was the best I have ever been too. The nature style playground was amazing, let alone a playground at a pub! Dickie, who has owned the pub for about 3 years, built a lot of it himself and with materials sourced locally from his own property. I found that so cool and from someone who barely has one talent, let alone several, to be able to build that plus run a brilliant pub is really inspiring. As good as the playground is, the large dining room that opens up onto it just really tops it off. The kids can run around while you sit and have a beer (or another type of beer….I didn’t check the wine list sorry) and watch the kids run around. Can’t think of a more nicer pub setting anywhere, let alone in the Flinders. Now the big test. The food. My little food reviewers classed it as ‘The best pub food ever’ which I whole heartedly agreed…
-
Located about 2.5hrs from Bendleby and right in time for lunch as we headed north we stopped into Parachilna and the famous Prairie Hotel. Famous for their ‘feral’ menu including emu, kangaroo and camel, we tried the feral antipasto and feral mixed grill and everyone, including the kids, loved it! Well it was a sliding scale from loved it, down to ‘didn’t know what he was eating but ate it anyway’. An absolute gourmet experience. They offer a range of other choices too, but we pushed our stubborn little kiddies to try it all and they weren’t disappointed. I mean I told my 5yo that the camel label was because it was food that camel’s ate. Still counts. Apart from the gourmet experience, they offer a learning experience too. Now before your kids groan because learning, this is actually really cool. The area is world famous for its fossil deposits so while you eat the kids can do fossil crafts and wander around looking at the fossil displays within the restaurant. For the adults, the rooms contain some amazing artwork which I can only describe as amazing because when it comes to art, apart from saying it looks nice I…
