Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets review

June 1, 2024

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Looking for a hotel in Adelaide? If you want to be located in the centre of the foodie action and busy Gouger street then try the Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets. The hotel is located on Market Lane perpendicular to Gouger Street and a couple of minutes walk from Adelaide Central Markets. The hotel is also situated in the vibrant and busy area of Chinatown. So what are the rooms like and which room should you covet?

It has been 12 years since I last visited Adelaide and since my last visit, a lot has changed. Gouger Street is even more vibrant than it already was and now there is the new Hotel Indigo Adelaide Market that opened in March 2021. The Indigo chains of hotels is part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts (InterContinental Hotels Group) and the Adelaide location was the first of the hotel chain to open in Australia.

The Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets is quirky and cute and full of local colour. I walk through the doors and think that I’ve happened upon their cafe but the reception desk shares the same space as Market and Meader, the hotel’s restaurant and cafe. And if you’re a fan of technicolour (I am indeed) then you will love this space with candy coloured circular lounges, red chairs, warm brick and blue tiles. This is probably the most photographed area of the hotel.

There are 145 rooms here and my room #709 is a corner premium room, one that I had actually coveted after searching their website online. You see Dear Reader, I have to come clean about a few things. The first thing is that ever since COVID I’ve struggled with claustrophobia especially with tiny hotel rooms. And this room is one of the more spacious ones coming in at around 30 square metres.

The other one of my bugbears is having a place to store luggage. I’ll never understand how you can get a single trestle stand per room because then you have to order another 2 from the bellhop. But the corner room has luggage storage aplenty.

The corner room also affords you more light thanks to the floor to ceiling windows and even if there’s no balcony, it feels spacious. I place my luggage in the copper and black storage area and I think to myself that finally it’s a place that understands that people often travel in couples and they often have a suitcase each.

The king bed is very comfortable and in the background is a graphic featuring Adelaide Festival of Arts in 1970 (Adelaide loves a festival). Light switches by the bed and front door allow you to opt for mood lighting or night light.

The bathroom can be a bit dark but I like the design of it hidden behind frosted glass and there is also an illuminated makeup mirror. There’s full size Biology toiletries and a little drawer set containing the rest of the amenities. The shower is spacious with two shower heads.

As it is a new build, there are things that make logical sense like easy access and plenty of plugs, labelled switches, electronic buttons for privacy or for maid service. The QR code also allows you to request housekeeping supplies, order room service or order your valet parked car. There is also a rooftop bar and a 11m/36ft x 2.5m/8.5ft pool and a gym on level 4.

Outside the hotel there are plenty of eateries within walking distance. Adelaide Central Market is 3 minutes walk away, a bubble tea store 1 minute away and if you feel like eating Chinese food you will have your pick of dozens of restaurants.

The Adelaide Central Markets are a draw for any foodie although the stalls aren’t just for tourists and they service locals with fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese and deli items. There are also a range of restaurants and eateries there covering everything from Latin American, French, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Korean and Italian.

If you want something delicious to-go, Cumbia’s Bar Kitchen Latin American stall offers paella with chicken and chorizo scooped from their huge paella pan. It’s nice but what I really loved were the chorizo empanadas, crispy on the outside and a powerhouse of flavour on the inside for $5 each. If you’re a chilli fiend like me, get a tomato, capsicum and Sriracha sauce to dip it in and then eat it in your hotel room while wearing a robe.