The Sebel Kirkton Park: a new chapter
A recent multi-million-dollar redesign has impressively transformed The Sebel Kirkton Park Hunter Valley.
The property set on a large estate is one of the region’s most historic hotels, with dramatic views of Brokenback Ranges and impeccably manicured gardens, it is one of the most picture-perfect properties in the area. The beautiful hotel has been transformed from a “quaint country manor” to 21st Century sophisticated chic, with all 70 guestrooms and interior public spaces rejuvenated to combine “classic country heritage character with contemporary elegance”
The hotel’s general manager, Belinda Paterson, said: “It is exciting to see The Sebel Kirkton Park embark on a new chapter with such an impressive transformation, setting a new benchmark for hospitality in the Hunter Valley region. We congratulate the owners for their investment into updating this historic hotel and to Greg Natale and his team for creating beautiful spaces for our guests to enjoy for years to come. It’s a fantastic product of which myself and the team are immensely proud of.”
From the welcome area to the individual guest rooms an epic sense of occasion has been created throughout the establishment. The grand hall now showcases its unique glass-domed ceiling, and has become a classic congregational atrium area, certainly adding a dramatic flair, and sense of arrival.
The lobby, lounge bar and restaurant have also been impressively updated. In the Epoche Lounge Bar, a sunken central lounge area radiates from the fireplace creating a split-level space with intimate seating pods, an outdoor pizza oven and deck area overlooks the Wynwood Estate.
The hotel’s new fine dining restaurant Locavore Dining has floor to ceiling windows that were treated with white timber shutters, a stunning contrast to the dark timber floor. The restaurant design was inspired to create an elevated dining experience to complement the new local and sustainable farming food philosophy.
The stunning hotel transformation benefits from luxurious design elements such as the blue and white colour choice, the patterned carpets and wallpaper designed by Greg Natale. The variety of leathers and patterned upholstery fabrics add sophistication, and timber, upholstery, metals and stone come together to create decadent and relaxing spaces.
A refurbishment, according to Ms Paterson is “always challenging when you are operating a hotel particularly peak season” but the work from the design team and the quality of the products used were outstanding. She explained: “We went with most of the interior design choices but our FFE procurer sourced products based on differing lead times, consequently this caused a duplication of labour. We found time to do the building work in our low season, we moved furniture out wing by wing and had rooms out of order for two weeks at a time.
“The builders did their work and then we put the old furniture back in the rooms but when the new carpet arrived we had to remove all the furniture again along with the old carpet. After we fitted the new carpet, we put the old furniture back, until the new furniture arrived. This process continued over a period of six-to-eight weeks and it’s an understatement to say it was logistically challenging!”
Logistics aside, this refurbishment has been a magnificent success and the reaction to the completed project has been extraordinary. Guests have been wildly excited about the newly designed hotel, many offering rave reviews.
One guest reviewer Jennifer P brilliantly summed up her experience of the new look hotel on TripAdvisor: “This hotel dazzles with its supremely gorgeous interior of blue and white, and is a model of grace and elegance.”
Mandy has over 17 years of accommodation and tourism industry writing experience and is Editor of AccomNews & Resort News, Publisher of SchoolNews & Director of Multimedia Pty Ltd. She is a retired registered nurse with a 25-year NHS career that followed a few unforgettable years in hotel housekeeping.
