With travel back in full swing, the Australian hotel scene is keeping up with demand and opening new hotels in major capital cities as well as sleepy coastal spots and in-land regional towns.
From the long-awaited W Sydney, which will feature a two-storey rooftop bar, heated infinity pool, and a whopping 585 guest rooms, to The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, boasting views over Port Phillip Bay and the Bolte Bridge, and the 25-room boutique hotel Sea Sea in the NSW surfer town of Crescent Head, these are a few of our favourites among the new hotels set to open in Australia next year.
Sea Sea, Crescent Head
The founders of Bali hotel The Slow, the husband and wife duo of George Gorrow and Cisco Tschurtschenthaler are behind this 25-room, ‘70s-inspired property in NSW coastal town Crescent Head. Like its Canggu hotel counterpart, this spot will be more than just a place to rest your head — it’ll focus on food, music, entertainment, art, stylish design and surfing, too.
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The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne
Set to open in March 2023, six-star The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne will showcase views of the cityscape, including of Port Philip Bay and the Bolte Bridge. Guests will check in to one of the property’s 257 rooms from a ‘sky lobby’ on the 80th floor. The hotel will also house a restaurant with a library-style bar, an indoor infinity pool, and a spa with a fitness centre, sauna, two vitality pools and a yoga studio.
W Sydney, Sydney
W Hotels’ third Australian property will open in October 2023 after years of pandemic-related delays. With 585 rooms, as well as an AWAY Spa, FIT gym, Living Room bar and multiple event spaces, the Darling Harbour hotel is set to be one of Sydney’s largest.
Dorsett Hotel, Brisbane
Dorsett Brisbane will be an integral feature of the precinct redevelopment of Queen’s Wharf. The hotel will house 387 rooms and suites, an all-day restaurant, a spa and gym, a pool, and conference rooms.
Capella Sydney, Sydney
Singaporean hotel brand Capella will take over a historic sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD this March 2023. Constructed in Edwardian Baroque style, the building takes over an entire city block. The hotel will span eight levels and will include a wellness spa and three dining venues.
25hours Paddington, Sydney
Accor brand 25hours will open a hotel on Oxford Street in Sydney’s eastern suburb of Paddington early next year — though no official opening month has been announced. The hotel will include 105 rooms, a rooftop bar, a restaurant and café, a fitness centre, and conference facilities. A central courtyard in the middle of the hotel will host events.
Vibe Hotel, Adelaide
The 18-storey Vibe Hotel will be home to 123 rooms, as well as a spa, sauna, and plaza. What’ll make it destination-worthy, though, will be its suspended bridge swimming pool — the first in the country. Guests will be able to swim between the hotel and neighbouring ONE Apartments.
Manly Pacific – MGallery Collection, Sydney
Manly Pacific has had a two-year, $30 million transformation. Its 213 redesigned rooms include The Infinity Residence and nine ocean-facing Coastal Suites. The hotel also features a rooftop pool and bar, a sundeck with an infrared sauna, and a lobby bar called 55 North. Two restaurants, Tokyo Joe and Bistro Manly, round out the hotel’s food and drink venues.
SOL 2.0, Kangaroo Island
Opening in the second half of 2023, SOL 2.0 will be built on the site of Southern Ocean Lodge, which was destroyed in the Kangaroo Island bushfires. The property will include 25 suites, as well as a main lodge. Its Southern Spa will feature three treatment rooms, gym, sauna, and hot and cold plunge pools with bushland views.
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