GT Travel Awards 2007: Best outback accomodation
Longitude 131°, NT
Since opening in 2002, Longitude 131° has redefined the central Australian experience by offering a sophisticated oasis in the midst of the endless desert. Only 30 people at a time can enjoy the pampered luxury of Longitude’s upmarket ‘tents’, with catering and amenities pitched at the most discerning travellers. Uluru is only about 10 kilometres from the resort, and The Rock is central to the experience here – you can join sunrise or sunset tours to marvel at the monolith, or simply admire it from your suite through windows angled to provide every guest with a bulls-eye view of the national icon. Visitors learn about the ecology and environment of this remote region, as well as its significance to the local Anangu people. And at night they can dine decadently beneath the brilliant desert sky at white-clothed tables set on an isolated dune. A heavenly experience. Judges’ comments: "An excellent example of how to bring a new concept to an old product – cool and sleek permanent safari tents right out on the red dirt floor near Uluru. Great fun."
Longitude 131°, (02) 8296 8010 or 1300 134 044,
www.longitude131.com.au.
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PHOTOGRAPHY ANSON SMART