A South Australian tourism giant has taken another bite of the Northern Territory’s accommodation sector, buying a hotel shaped like a crocodile.

Adelaide-based tourism operator Journey Beyond has finalised its purchase of the Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, adding to its sprawling accommodation portfolio.

The “Croc Hotel”, named for its 250-metre-long and 30-metre-wide unique shape, sits in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park.

Journey Beyond CEO Chris Tallent said the group planned “significant investment” for the hotel. It joins the company’s existing NT portfolio, which includes The Ghan and the Ayers Rock Resort.

“This property is more than just a place to stay; it is a gateway to the heart of Kakadu,” Tallent said.

The hotel is famously shaped to represent Kakadu’s famous saltwater crocodiles. Guests enter through the croc’s jaws and stay in the tail, which has 110 rooms. The car parks around the hotel resemble crocodile eggs.

The hotel pool is in the crocodile’s “stomach”. Photo: Journey Beyond

The croc’s stomach has an outdoor swimming pool and shaded seating, while its head is home to an on-site art gallery showcasing local artwork and a restaurant.

Manjmukmuk Restaurant and Bar, the name meaning “excellent taste” in the local Kundeyhmi language, has a menu of bush-tucker-inspired dishes with native ingredients, including the hotel’s namesake.

Accor Group has managed the hotel under its Mercure brand since 2014. It is expected to continue under the oversight of Journey Beyond.

The hotel is within Kakadu’s main township of Jabiru, with a population of just over 1000 people. The land is leased from the Mirarr Traditional Owners through Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation Jabiru Town.

The corporation backed the plan in a statement from traditional owners, who called it a “positive step” to make Jabiru “a key north Australian location for eco-friendly tourism, active outdoor tourism and Indigenous cultural tourism”.

The hotel is in Kakadu’s main town, Jabiru. Photo: Journey Beyond

Last year, under a landmark agreement between Journey Beyond – which is owned by New York-based private equity firm Crestview Partners – and the federal government, huge parcels of land were returned to Traditional Owners, and half a billion dollars’ worth of rent was paid.

Journey Beyond has also acquired the operational assets of Ayers Rock Resort in Central Australia and Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre in Far North Queensland, while the transaction formalised the transfer of land and buildings to the traditional owners: Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara of Yulara and the Kuku Yalanji of Mossman Gorge.

Republished from InDaily