Mercure Darwin Airport Resort

Mercue DRW Airport is a good choice of accommodation if you need close proximity to airport, pre/post flights. Clean, comfortable room with a good spread of breakfast, the pool is a welcome reprieve from the Darwin heat.

Good location. Free shuttle bus to the airport, amazing swimming pool.

Great location. Basic rooms with comfortable bed. Limited options for breakfast - we eventually found out about the “pool view” cafe in the Novotel (the pool is dry) which had better breakfast options for us as we had small children who only wanted toast and not the buffet breakfast at the Mercure. (We were told it would be $15 for children over 5 (our grandchild is 6) but then other people said they were told it was free.!? Had some trouble with parking - paying guests should be assigned at least 1 car park per room - however this wasn’t the case and we had to park in the “overflow” area across the road and carry our luggage over. Definitely need a car or vehicle to go anywhere. Great new pool but don’t stand on the fake turf on a hot day as it burns your feet! Don’t forget to ask for “Territorian rates” if you are a local - show your drivers licence and get a discount.

All in all this is a totally 'fine' place to stay, but it's missing a few things. - staff are slow and untrained. They don't seem to be able to use the computer system without asking others for help, no one understands how the point/loyalty system works. Slow to take orders, slow to serve food. No one went 'above and beyond'. - pool is cold and could be better maintained. For a place with multiple pools, why wouldn't they have one as heated?! - expensive and low quality food with small serves. Expect to pay $20-30 for every meal and still feel hungry. - almost nothing complimentary, not even pool toys. Only complimentary things I found where pool towels and water. Bare minimum service. -gym has a massive smelly moldy patch from a leaking water cooler.

Facilities and staff are good, but to arrive at 1.30am after a flight from Sydney and queue for almost an hour to check in because the computer system takes forever. And to add insult to injury the airport shuttle did not come. At least it is walking distance to the airport - although carrying 25kg in the midday heat not much fun:(