By JAMES WILKINSON
Langham Hospitality Group is set to make its long-awaited entry into the Sydney hotel market on August 8, following the announcement on June 13 of its purchase of the luxury Observatory Hotel in The Rocks.
The Observatory Hotel’s sale means Orient-Express will leave the Australian market, while for Langham it fulfills a long-held desire to have a property in, according to Langham’s CEO, Brett Butcher.
“Strategically, this purchase signals the group’s plans for long-term expansion in the Pacific region,” he said.
“The Observatory Hotel’s Georgian architecture reminiscent of a grand 19th century Australian home fits perfectly with the timeless Langham brand – a legendary heritage that stretches back to 1865, offering classic elegance and luxurious service.
“We are thrilled to bring Langham into Sydney and we are well placed to continue to position this hotel at the top of the market,” Butcher said.
The Observatory, expected to become The Langham Sydney, will join properties in Melbourne, Auckland, Shanghai, London, Boston, Los Angeles and Hong Kong in Langham’s luxury network.
When contacted by HM, The Observatory Hotel declined to comment further on the sale.