DEVELOPMENT
“The expectations of seasoned leisure and business travellers are merging as they look to collect destinations visited.”
BW Premier Collection’s beachfront hotel Bayphere Pattaya in Jomtien, Thailand
Graham Perry, BWH Hotel Group
Being a sought-after hotel group in small and lifestyle boutiques, Ovolo is now ready to expand into up-and-coming areas to complement our portfolio. We are looking for properties that are well positioned to capture a wider market, within a two-hour radius from our cluster city properties –Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
PRO-INVEST HOTELS
Shantha de Silva – Director of Operations
Pro-invest Hotels is proud to be bringing the Kimpton, voco and Hotel Indigo brands to life in partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts. We are excited to be opening two voco hotels this year — voco Brisbane City Centre and voco Auckland Centre. Voco Brisbane City Centre is a conversion property, right on the Brisbane River and voco Auckland is a new-build tower development that will have a Holiday Inn Express hotel occupying the top half of the building. What really drew our interest when it came to the voco brand was that it was clean and visually interesting. Its hallmarks around sustainability were industry leading and this is something Pro-invest Group takes incredibly seriously. We know that our guests are increasingly making a conscious choice to stay at hotels that align with their own values, so it is important to us that we have a portfolio of hotels and brands that match our principles. At Pro-invest, we strive to be a trusted leader in environmental and social governance. Although the last year was challenging, we have ensured that our dedication to sustainability has gone unmoved — if anything, our commitments to initiatives and causes sitting under our key ESG pillars have enhanced over the past 12 months with many significant achievements, further supporting our Net Zero 2030 ambition. Hotels that embody their location, show a sense of personality, or just know what they stand for have grown to be more and more important and guests are looking for something that stands out from the crowd, can give them a sense of escapism, while being considerate to the place it inhabits. Kimpton Margot Sydney, which we opened in February is a shining example of how personality, genuine hospitality and a sense of belonging can combine to give people a memorable, everlasting hotel 56
HM The Business of Accommodation
stay experience. While there is a growing trend towards off the beaten track experiences, there remains strong demand for locations that marry authentic experiences with ease of access.
TFE HOTELS
John Sutcliffe – Director of Development
During the pandemic, TFE Hotels launched two new brands: A by Adina into Canberra and Sydney, as well as Quincy in Melbourne. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, these hotels have been extremely well received, demonstrating strong demand for high-end, genuinely unique hotel brands. A by Adina guests curate their stay — using technology and intuitive service to create a seamless, rather than simply transactional, experience which TFE calls Hotel Living. Appealing to business and leisure guests, the Hotel Living concept has been welcomed by the market and attracted the interest from several developers seeking to collaborate with TFE across ANZ. In addition to colourful guest rooms, which are maximised for work and play, the F&B at Quincy Melbourne is exceptional — bringing the tastes and flavours of Southeast Asia to Australia. The hand-picked team has created a destination which stands out in a crowded Melbourne market. Hosier Club guests enjoy all day access to The Q Club on level 28 — where refreshments are served all day — as well as a gold card which enables you to order food and drink 24/7 through a unique QR code, and have it delivered to you wherever you are in the hotel. As the market continues to recover from the impacts of COVID, we have no doubt this segment will be in high demand as guests seek out unique experiences, and quality product. The successful introduction of these two brands really demonstrates TFE’s ability to, firstly, identify market demands, and then successfully launch impactful brands. I’m pleased to say they have attracted the attention of several developers who wish to partner with us as we continue to roll out these brands in carefully selected locations. What can I say? We’re very excited about what lies ahead. n
