Veriu Group celebrates the official opening of Veriu Collingwood
The new property marks the latest step in the leading boutique apartment hotel operator’s ambitious strategy to roll out its successful Veriu apartment hotel accommodation nationally
Over 80 guests joined Veriu Group CEO, Zed Sanjana, and Tim Gurner of luxury property developer, GURNER™ for the official opening of Veriu Collingwood, the Brand’s second Victorian property on Thursday, November 30.
Located in the ultra-cool Collingwood Arts Precinct in Melbourne’s inner-city and developed in partnership with GURNER™ as part of its Atelier Residences project, the new property marks the latest step in the leading boutique apartment hotel operator’s ambitious strategy to roll out its successful Veriu apartment hotel accommodation nationally. It also brings the total number of hotels in the Group’s rapidly expanding portfolio to 21.
After almost five years in planning and development, CEO Zed Sanjana is delighted the hotel is now well and truly open for business.
He said: “This is our second Veriu apartment hotel offering in the Melbourne market, in one of the inner city’s most exciting and vibrant areas. The property has now been up and running for several months and we’re really pleased with how well it has performed so far, in line with our expectations.
“Like many inner-city suburbs, Collingwood has experienced exponential growth and redevelopment in recent years. With the revitalisation of industrial areas and the transformation of the suburb into a desirable residential and commercial hub, there’s clearly a growing demand for accommodation options in the area so we feel our timing has definitely been right.”
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He added: “As well as being proximate to Melbourne’s CBD, there’s also plenty for guests to do, see and eat in the surrounding neighbourhood, so we know this apartment hotel is going to satisfy the growing demand of both corporate and leisure travellers searching for boutique, design-driven flexible accommodation options in a location not currently well served in terms of hotels and serviced apartments.”
Of the partnership with GURNER™, Sanjana said: “As a highly respected developer, with a track record of delivering unique, high-quality hotels and apartments Australia-wide, and especially here in Melbourne, GURNER™ was a natural choice to partner with as the developer.
“When we signed the hotel partnership deal with GURNER™ in April 2019 we knew this hotel would set a new benchmark for design in Collingwood and that there would be nothing else comparable in the local area – and I think what we have ended up with has well and truly exceeded our expectations in this regard.”
Guests staying at the new state-of-the-art 95 key apartment hotel can enjoy access to a full suite of first-class offerings and amenities, not to mention all the style, quality and innovation for which the brand has become increasingly renowned. The new property features cleverly configured and contemporary spaces, and a mix of Veriu Suites, ranging from Standard, Superior and Executive to Dual Key – all of them equipped with kitchen facilities, in-room laundry facilities, balconies (in most) and fast & high-quality internet. The magnificent rooftop pool and bar, with its incredible views across the city, is also proving to be a major drawcard, while the conference and meeting facilities, secure parking, in-house restaurant, and state-of-the-art gym, cater to both the corporate and leisure market, with the new property delivering the ease and accessibility of the office with all the comforts of home.
For corporate guests, the property’s location adds further to its appeal. Veriu Collingwood is situated just a few kilometres northeast of Melbourne’s CBD, close to the city’s commercial, retail, and corporate centres as well as Royal Melbourne Hospital, AAMI Park, Melbourne Polytechnic, University of Melbourne and Collingwood Yards which lies right next door. The suburb is also well-connected to Melbourne’s transportation network, making it accessible to various business districts and industrial areas in the metropolitan region.
Equally, the property has much to offer leisure travellers. A short walk from the hotel lies vibrant Smith Street, voted the coolest street in the world by TimeOut Magazine in 2021, and home to some of the city’s most popular restaurants, coffee, bars and vintage stores. Even better, Veriu Collingwood is well supported by public transport including several bus routes, the No. 86 tram which travels into Melbourne’s CBD, and the nearby North Richmond Station, placing many of Melbourne’s major tourist attractions including the Melbourne Museum, the Royal Exhibition Building and the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and Rod Laver Arena all within easy reach.
The new hotel’s interiors were designed by award-winning international architectural and interior design practice, Warren and Mahoney as part of GURNER™’s Atelier Residences project, with various elements informed by the surrounding neighbourhood and Collingwood’s rich artistic heritage, blending industrial and artistic aesthetics inspired by New York-style architecture. Collingwood has been the home of artists and artisans since the late 1800s and the property also forms part of the Collingwood Art Precinct housed in the former Gregory Peck Steel Products factory. Exposed brick, steel girders and recycled timber floorboards all offer a subtle nod to the location’s industrial roots, while a striking mural painted by celebrated New York Street artist Keith Haring pays tribute to its artistic history. Outside, the avant-garde street level façade has been inspired by Greenwich Village and Crosby Street Hotel in Soho, New York.
2023 has been a busy one for the Victorian-based Veriu Group, with the openings of its latest Victorian Punthill Apartment hotel – the 40-apartment Punthill Essendon North; the opening of its first two Sydney Punthill properties – Punthill Norwest and Punthill Parramatta; the start of construction on its Punthill Sunshine property in Melbourne’s west; and its first regional Punthill site in Maitland, NSW. Construction is also well underway on two further NSW properties – Punthill Ryde and Veriu Macquarie Park in Sydney’s north west, with works about to commence on its first office conversions – Veriu Adelaide and Punthill Tuggeranong in the ACT.
More announcements about the opening of new Veriu and Punthill apartment hotels at various sites are expected from the Veriu Group in the coming months.
Mandy has over two decades of experience in accommodation and tourism industry writing, and she is also an accomplished editor and publisher. As co-Director of Multimedia Pty Ltd, a trusted B2B content provider for the accommodation and education sectors in Australia and New Zealand, she oversees high-quality print and digital content across notable publications, including AccomNews, Resort News, and School News, along with the property listing platform AccomProperties. Mandy’s contributions have been recognised with the Female Leader Award at the Best of Tourism 2023 and the ARAMA Life Member Award in 2024.