Berths, boutiques and brands: See the developments shaping accom news
Homegrown hoteliers Lancemore have announced a new boutique inner city Melbourne property set to open early next year.
The Lancemore Crossley St will be the seventh hotel in the Australian group’s luxury portfolio, joining landmark properties the Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill and Potts Point’s Larmont Sydney.
Design firm Carr will lead the $10 million transformation of the former Romeo Lane venue at 1A Crossley Street in the heart of the city’s trendy theatre and dining district.
Lancemore CEO Julian Clark said he was excited to add the property to the company’s growing collection.
“This is our most ambitious project to date in, what is in my opinion, the best location in our home city Melbourne. The design will breathe new life into the building, referencing its past and present, to capture the essence of the city.
“Every detail has been considered through the lens of the new Lancemore brand, launching in October, to offer a true Melbournian experience for the discerning guest.”
Situated in a laneway location, the hotel will feature 113 rooms featuring work by emerging artists, and a rooftop terrace boasting city skyline views.
Dan Cox of Carr, the designers behind the Morning Peninsula’s Jackalope, said: “Lancemore Crossley St. will be richly layered fusing art, theatre, architecture and urbanism to provide the sensory experience of being ‘onstage’ or ‘offstage’.
“The guest is drawn in to become the ultimate insider, retreating offstage from the performance of the city to an uncluttered, yet assuredly considered and tactile space.
“Guests can expect a raw and honest palette with luxury finishes that elevate the comforts of home to a new level.’
Sunny Coast hotel for business crowd
The Sunshine Coast’s 4.5-star Lake Kawana Hotel has sold to the Queensland-based Centro Group for $15 million.
Co-owned by Sunshine Coast developer Bruce McDiamard and Triple B Motels, the 81-room current Best Western hotel in Birtinya opened in 2015 and features the Wildfire restaurant and bar alongside two function rooms.
Centro Group will add the hotel to its portfolio of three Brisbane Quest Apartment Hotels and the under-construction Mercure Southport on the Gold Coast.
“We are very pleased to add a hotel of this calibre to our portfolio and are also excited to announce that there will be a rebranding of the hotel to an international brand,” said director Michael Carr.
The hotel is located 20 minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport, which is currently undergoing a major upgrade expected to generate a commercial boom for the holiday region north of Brisbane.
Tourism Research Australia figures show 309,000 overseas travellers visited the Sunshine Coast in the 12 months ending March 2019, up almost one percent on the previous year, helping drive record visitor expenditure of $277 million.
“Unlike most other accommodation stock on the Sunshine Coast, this asset is targeted at the corporate market, which has helped differentiate it from its surrounding competitors,” said CBRE Hotels director Paul Fraser.
NSW giving berth to third terminal
The NSW Government has announced the start of its market engagement process for a third cruise ship terminal for Sydney.
The cruise industry contributed almost $2.8 billion to the NSW economy in the 2017-18 and is a valuable driver of overnight stays in Sydney hotels according to accommodation bodies.
The 2017/18 cruise season saw a record 352 ships visit Sydney, including seven on maiden voyages.
“Cruise ship passengers on average stay two to three nights in Sydney hotels, either pre or post their journey, contributing strongly to the visitor economy in NSW”, said Accommodation Association of Australia CEO Dean Long.
“A further terminal, supporting the ability of larger ships to berth in Sydney, will enable the cruise industry to have certainty and confidence in the Sydney market, generating more overnight stays for the accommodation sector.”
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