You don't need to be a cricket fan to have a ball at Adelaide's oval hotel

This hotel is a perfect match for sports nuts, writes Alexis Buxton-Collins.

Adelaide Oval has been at the centre of South Australia's sporting life since 1871. It's where suit-clad spectators booed Douglas Jardine's bodyline tactics and screaming fans marvelled at Eddie Betts' geometry-defying snaps at goal. And since launching in the middle of the pandemic, Australia's first stadium hotel has made it possible to stay the night just metres from the ground.

Designed by the team responsible for the oval's 2014 redevelopment, the copper-fronted hotel is a natural extension of the Eastern Stand. All the rooms face outwards from two mirrored wings - half towards St Peter's Cathedral and half towards the River Torrens, which is known as Karrawirra Parri ("red gum forest river") by the Kaurna traditional owners. Adelaide's CBD lies just across the river and a footbridge provides easy access to the shopping precinct on Rundle Mall and the many bars and restaurants on Leigh and Peel streets.

Being at the home of the state's major sporting teams, the hotel unashamedly flies the flag for South Australia; walls are decorated with works by local artists and the coffee pods come from Port Adelaide legend Gavin Wanganeen's JooJu label. A glass of wine or soft drink on check-in hints at the personalised service, and provides an excuse to enjoy the views of the Mount Lofty Ranges from the second-storey reception lounge. This shared space is dominated by white stone and gold accents that epitomise the "quiet luxury" approach, as does the signature scent of cedar, jasmine and sea salt that suffuses the entire hotel.

The 138 rooms are split into just three categories (Parkland, Studio and Suite) and there are seven accessible rooms with roll-in showers. My Cathedral King Studio includes a small marble table and couch, but the focus of the room is a custom-designed king bed so comfortable I feel like I've been engulfed by a marshmallow when I lay down. Everything is operated through a tablet that also includes plenty of general information, from 24-hour room-service menus to game day timetables and details on the artists whose works grace the public spaces.

It's no surprise that South Australian produce comes to the fore in the hotel's main dining area. Bespoke features a new winemaker in residence every three months, and a wall of wine features hundreds of bottles from familiar names like Rockford, Wynns, Ashton Hills and Alpha Box & Dice. In the evening, chefs draw heavily on three large dry-ageing cabinets filled with slabs of prime rib, legs of prosciutto and whole ducks, while breakfast includes lighter options like scrambled eggs with chilli and soft shell crab on fluffy brioche toast.

The location inside the stadium allows guests to choose their own adventure. Join a behind-the-scenes tour to see inside the hand-operated Edwardian scoreboard, book a game day package with seats or get a bird's eye view of the ground (and the city) as you walk over the top of the western stand on the RoofClimb. Guests can also access the pools, tennis and squash courts, and classes at Next Gen Health & Lifestyle Club next door. If you want to explore the city, the 30-kilometre Linear Park trail following the River Torrens passes right by the oval, while guests get preferred rates at the nearby North Adelaide Golf Club.

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Where: King William Road, North Adelaide.

How much: From $225 per night per room per night.

Explore more: ovalhotel.com.au

The writer was a guest of Oval Hotel.