Six new hotels across four Australian states and two in New Zealand are on the cards for Accor in 2021, heralding another strong year for the global hospitality giant and defying projected industry-wide struggles as the COVID-19 pandemic recovery continues.
In the next 12 months, the Paris-based multinational will debut the first Movenpick branded hotel in Australia and open the first five-star newbuild to come to Adelaide in three decades.
“With the domestic leisure market growing, Australia and New Zealand are well positioned to capture both domestic travellers and returning international travellers when the borders reopen,” said Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath.
“The new properties represent the best of Accor, in the most desirable destinations and offer an exceptional choice for guests. We have worked with outstanding partners to make these properties become a reality and all hotels, resorts and apartments will be part of our award-winning ALL loyalty program.”
Let’s take a look at the year ahead for Accor in the Pacific region.
The Porter House Hotel Sydney – MGallery
Accor will open a new-build luxury boutique MGallery hotel, The Porter House Hotel Sydney, on Castlereagh Street in late 2021. This mixed-use development will comprise a 36-storey tower with a 121-room hotel housed over levels 1-9 with 131 residential apartments above on levels 10-34.
The hotel and residential apartments will interweave the existing heritage-listed Porter House adjacent to the tower, which will be redeveloped. The Porter House Hotel will also feature an array of additional facilities, including swimming pool and fitness centre, two restaurants, a fourth floor bar with art gallery, meeting and private dining facilities and a business centre.
The Sebel Melbourne Ringwood
The Sebel Melbourne Ringwood is on track to open in February 2021, which will bring 103 apartment-style rooms to Melbourne’s burgeoning Eastern suburbs growth corridor. The six-floor property will feature 48 studios, 48 one-bedroom suites and seven two-bedroom suites, with guest access to onsite amenities including a fitness centre, four meeting spaces, two function rooms, a restaurant, delicatessen and bar and an open-air terrace.
Sofitel Adelaide
On track to open in mid-2021, Sofitel Adelaide will be located in Currie Street in the city’s CBD. The hotel is the first internationally recognised five-star hotel to be built in Adelaide in 30 years. Part of a 32-storey mixed-use tower, which will also house the tallest residential development in South Australia, the first 24 will be dedicated to the hotel, with a total of 250 guestrooms and suites. Guest facilities will include a restaurant, four bars, ballroom, swimming pool, health and fitness centre, meeting and conference rooms and a Sofitel Club Lounge.
Movenpick Hotel Hobart
Accor recently announced it will introduce its Swiss-born brand, Mövenpick, to Australia in January 2021. Mövenpick Hotel Hobart will be a contemporary designed hotel with a cosmopolitan vibe. Located on Elizabeth Street, the newbuild 221-room hotel will sit close to the waterfront and be within close reach of the city’s commercial, retail and leisure attractions. On offer will be an onsite restaurant, gymnasium and meeting facilities, along with a range of Mövenpick brand signatures such as a daily ‘Chocolate Hour’ for guests.
The Sebel Wellington Lower Hutt
Opening in mid-2021, the newbuild The Sebel Wellington Lower Hutt will overlook the Hutt River, located a short drive from Wellington International Airport. Built in partnership with Hutt City Council’s project for the New Civic Centre, which includes a new 800-seater Events Centre adjoining the City’s historic Town Hall, this apartment-style hotel boasts 60 fully serviced studios and one bedroom apartments. Complete with a restaurant and bar, Biscotti, this new hotel embraces The Sebel brand standards, with warm, stylish and homely furnishings.
Mercure Auckland Queen Street
Mercure Auckland Queen Street is a 96-room hotel spanning eight stories. Scheduled to open its doors to guests in late Q1 2021, the hotel will also feature a restaurant with street frontage and a boardroom and is located in the heart of Auckland’s CDB at the top end of Queen Street. The building is evolving from an office conversion, taking on new life as a hotel and adding a new look to the precinct.