BWH Hotel Group has appointed Michael Sharp as the opening General Manager of Aiden Darling Harbour upon the opening of the new boutique property later this year.
Sharp brings nearly 15 years of hotel experience and is regarded within the industry as one of its up-and-coming stars. The Sydney native returns to his home city to take up his new role after previous experience in senior hotel positions in Sydney, Darwin, Canberra, Port Macquarie and in the New Zealand cities of Queenstown, Wellington and Rotorua. He began his career as a Porter at Rydges North Sydney in 2007.
Speaking of his new role, Sharp said: “Nicolas has created a fabulous hotel, concentrating on the true essentials of what makes a great guest stay. Aiden Darling Harbour is set to be an impressive addition to the Sydney market for corporate and leisure guests alike.”
Aiden by Best Western Darling Harbour will feature a variety of contactless tech options to complement a guest’s stay, with each of the property’s 88 rooms to feature a Nespresso coffee pod machine, Dyson hairdryer and customisable lighting with pre-set bio-adaptive settings to ensure guests can settle in quickly.
Other comfort measures will include a pillow menu, meditation and white noise channels, double-glazed windows, blackout blinds, wall-mounted television with Chromecast, while some rooms will also feature a private balcony with views to Darling Harbour and the city skyline. Bathrooms will be stocked with Rituals bathroom amenities.
Facilities on-site will include a combined lobby, bar and café on the ground floor, 24-hour reception, self-service kiosks and digital room keys.
What will stand out for guests of the new Aiden are the menagerie of hand-painted wall murals designed by award-winning Australian artist, Jessica Le Clerc, which feature above bed heads in each room. On a larger scale, Le Clerc has also created a massive 25-metre high wall mural which is tucked away and visible only from a few rooms, making something of a private art exhibit for a select few guests.
Aiden owner, Nicolas Chen, said Sharp’s experience running city hotels will put him in good stead to ensure he hits the ground running from the opening day.
“Nicolas has created a fabulous hotel, concentrating on the true essentials of what makes a great guest stay. Aiden Darling Harbour is set to be an impressive addition to the Sydney market for corporate and leisure guests alike,” Chen said.
The 88-room Aiden Darling Harbour is currently in the final stages of internal construction and fit-out and is on track to begin welcoming guests around the middle of 2021.