Construction has now begun on Melbourne Airport’s new ‘The Hive’ precinct, which will be home to a dual-branded Accor hotel operating under the four-star Novotel and three-star Ibis Styles brands.
The new development, located a few minutes’ walk from Melbourne Airport’s Terminal 4, comes at a time of great expansion for the transport hub as it prepares the infrastructure to handle double its current passenger load, which it is expected to reach and potentially exceed within 20 years.
The combined hotel will offer 216 rooms under the Ibis Styles brand and 248 marketed as Novotel in an L-shape building incorporating seven of the available ten storeys. Guest facilities will include a shared ground-floor lobby, conference and meeting rooms, swimming pool, wellness centre, fitness centre, café, bar and combined restaurant facilities. Once open in early 2021, it will be the first new hotel to be developed at Melbourne Airport since 2002.
On the other three storeys will be a childcare facility and 10,000 square metres of office space, which will be occupied by Federal Border Force and the Agriculture Department. The development will be owned by Melbourne Airport, constructed by Built, with architecture by Fender Katsilidis and interior design by Woods Bagot.
Accor Chief Operating Officer Pacific, Simon McGrath, said the company was a specialist in airport hotels – a sector in which it innovates and leads on a global scale.
“We are excited to be working with Melbourne Airport on this significant development and thrilled to be embarking on another dual-branded hotel complex with our internationally recognised Novotel and ibis Styles brands.
“This newest member of the Accor Group is a vibrant airport precinct development, which captures the essence of Melbourne through its interiors and warm welcome to guests.”