The new Darwin hotel that really ‘comes alive’ at dinner

You wouldn’t know the new voco, slap-bang in the middle of the Darwin CBD on Mitchell Street was once a major medical clinic in the Top End capital.

But long gone are the sterile-smelling, fluro-lit waiting rooms with 25-year-old copies of Woman’s Day, and in its place a modern, well-equipped hotel.

My family of three, including an over-active 18-month-old, spent a week in the voco, and although we did all have to share one room, it was perfect.

The hotel

The room is spacious, as was the bathroom. Our room also had a surprisingly well-equipped kitchen with a stove, which made washing bottles and preparing snacks for a fussy toddler (pasta, pasta and more pasta) a breeze. There was also a menu of other utensils from which could be ordered on request.

There was no bath, but the shower was plenty big enough we could comfortably bring him into the shower with us to wash him. There was also a washer/dryer, for the mountains of washing kids somehow accumulate.

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There is both a Woolies and a Coles a short walk away. Unfortunately, Aldi is yet to make it that far north.

For the uninitiated, Mitchell Street is Darwin’s main nightlife strip. There is a stack of pubs and restaurants within a short walk, including the new Sweethearts which is literally across the road.

Also on Mitchell Street is Crocosaurus Cove, home of the Cage of Death.

But if you’re worried about noise, don’t be. Our room was on the third floor and overlooked Mitchell Street.

Once the double-glazed doors were closed, the room was whisper-quiet.

The food

If you’re planning to have breakfast in the hotel, the hot options in the restaurant are the usual offerings – bacon, eggs, hash browns, plus the usual continental options.

But it’s at dinner the restaurant, The Aviary, comes alive.

The menu was well-stacked without being intimidating. We had crab arancini for entrée, and then shared an ultimate mixed grill for mains with a couple of sides. It was sensational!

The drinks menu was also ample, with a mix of the usual suspects as well as some local brews and bespoke cocktails.

We weren’t planning to have dessert, until a brownie and a mango crème brûlée went to the table next to us.

Who are we to ignore a message as clear as that? They, too, were sensational.

The best part about the meal was our baby monitor reached the restaurant, and we were able to put our son down and then head downstairs for a child-free dinner. Perfect.

In fact, Aviary was so good, when old matey had a meltdown on our last night and decided he was done, we put him to bed and went back there again.

Accessibility

Having said all that, there are a couple of things to consider. Some undoubtedly as a result of the building having been converted, rather than a bespoke hotel construction.

One became obvious immediately upon our arrival in a hire car. There is nowhere to park out the front of the building.

I left the car on the ramp down to the carpark, which is about 30 metres or so from the front door, but you do have to walk back out into the open to get to reception.

While this is fine in the dry season, if you’re planning a visit during the wet, and you arrive in the middle of a downpour, you’re going to get soaked.

There is also a small set of stairs to deal with, which is an issue for wheelchair users because there is no ramp – only a chairlift.

While the lift itself is covered but the roof overhang, it’s quite high so if it’s raining hard and there’s a bit of wind – common in an afternoon thunderstorm – you’ll still get wet.

The pool

Another is the swimming pool. It’s jammed awkwardly in the alley between the hotel building and a recently closed nightclub (Discovery, Rest in Peace). The pool is essentially an above-ground lap pool.

They’ve clearly done what they can with the space, but it’s probably not the sort of place you’ll want to lie around for hours relaxing and sipping frozen mango daiquiris.

But you know what, it doesn’t have to be.

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The verdict

I didn’t get the feeling Voco was marketing itself as a stop-and-flop kind of place, and if you’re travelling all the way to Darwin, it’s unlikely you’re going to be looking for that anyway.

It is, however, a perfectly equipped modern hotel, with everything you’ll need. Couples will be comfortable, as will young families.

It’s the ideal base from which to launch a proper Darwin expedition.

The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism and Events NT.