Ayers Rock Resort by John Borthwick

Ayers Rock, or Uluru, is magnetic - visually, culturally. The largest monolith in the world, it sits like a giant paperweight in the middle of Australia, seeming to pin the continent to our planet's blue surface. Almost 10 km around and 600 million years old, this berg of arkose sandstone draws visitors from around that planet.

All accommodation in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located at Ayers Rock Resort, 21 km from 'The Rock.' There is a democratic range, from five-,four- and three-star accommodation to self-catering cabins and a campground. The seven accommodation options are: the five-star Sails in the Desert; Desert Gardens; Emu Walk serviced apartments, the Lost Camel Hotel; the traditional Outback Pioneer hotel; and Ayers Rock Campground.

The superstar is Longitude 131°, one of Australia¹s most exclusive properties where guests enjoy deluxe accommodation, excellent cuisine, some of Australia¹s finest wines, an exclusive tour program and airport transfers. Comprising 15 luxury suites on a secluded sand dune on the border of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Longitude 131° opened to acclaim in June 2002. Voted the best wilderness hotel in the world by the Sunday Times, the property won multiple awards before a freak bushfire struck the camp-site in October 2003. Now, fully rebuilt it is open again.

It's just a short stroll from the resort to the dunes for the unique Sounds of Silence dinner where, beneath the giant night sky, you¹ll be seated in a five million star restaurant while an astronomer (albeit a sometimes corny New Age performer) points out the heavenly bodies and their mythologies that hover above your table. Dinner might include creatures from the Australian coat of arms, such as kangaroo and emu.

Ayers Rock Resort operates year-round, but the cooler months are March to November. The Olgas - or Kata Tjuta ('many heads') - are 53 km from the resort. Equally magical, and for some travellers even more spellbinding than Uluru, this maze of 36 massive basalt-granite domes shouldn't be missed. Be sure to take the one-hour walk to Olga Gorge or a longer one to the beautiful Valley of the Winds.