Australia is pushing ahead with new development after a prolonged period of limited new supply. The uptick – driven by a rise in pre-covid tourism – sees Melbourne emerge as a favoured destination for planting flags.
20 projects with 4,692 keys are currently in the works in Melbourne, according to pipeline data collected by Tophotelprojects. Of the 20 new arrivals, eight will be in the five-star segment, while 11 will occupy the four-star category.
According to the data service, no fewer than eight openings are scheduled during the course of 2021 alone, brining 1,767 additional rooms to the city. Another eight properties are due for completion in 2022, followed by a further four in 2023.
Featured below are just a few of the key properties in the pipeline for Australia’s garden city. If you would like further information – including contact details for the developers, operators, designers and procurement teams behind each project – please visit www.tophotelprojects.com
1 Hotel at Seafarers
Developed by Riverlee over the past decade, 1 Hotel’s Australian debut will form part of Melbourne’s mixed-use Seafarer’s precinct. Playing a key role in the regeneration of the city’s Northbank precinct, the 277-key eco-luxury hotel will feature a state-of-the-art wellness centre, a ground floor 1,000-seat function centre and multiple F&B venues including a lobby lounge bar. Through nuance and notion, texture and tone, reclaimed and upcycled materials, and works by local artists and makers, 1 Hotel Melbourne will capture the city’s essence.
EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: Opening Date: 2023 • Developer: Riverlee • Operator: SH Hotels & Resorts • Architecture: Fender Katsalidis Architects • Interior Design: ODO
Voco Central Melbourne
Set to arrive in heart of Melbourne later this year, voco Melbourne Central will forming part of the 380 Melbourne skyscraper under development by Brady Group. The 252-key voco Melbourne Central will feature the playful hallmarks synonymous with the brand. Guest rooms will centre around the brand’s ‘Me Time’ concept with indulgent beds, high quality showers, innovative lighting and user-friendly technology. Beyond accommodation, the project will feature an all-day Australian brasserie, a rooftop infinity lap pool and a Sky Lobby offering magnificent views of the city.
EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: Opening Date: 2021 • Developer: Brady Property Group • Operator: IHG Hotels & Resorts • Architecture: Elenberg Fraser - Melbourne • Main Contractor: Brady Constructions
The Ritz Carlton Melbourne
Slated to open its doors next year, The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne will be the centrepiece of West Side Place, an urban mixed-use project situated within Melbourne’s central business district. Designed by Cottee Parker and Rush\Wright Associates, the 270m-tall luxury hotel is set to become the tallest in the Southern hemisphere. In addition to 257 guest rooms, Melbourne’s first Ritz-Carlton hotel will also feature a business centre, a 550-seat grand ballroom and a check-in desk that boasts panoramic sky views from level 80.
EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: Opening Date: 2022 • Owner: Dorsett Hospitality International • Developer: Far East Consortium, Melbourne • Operator: Marriott International • Architecture: RushWright Associates, Cottee Parker • Interior Design: BAR Studio, KPDO Ltd, Hirsch Bedner Associates
Shangri-La Melbourne CBD
Forming part of the new Sapphire By The Gardens mixed-use development, the 500-room Shangri-La Hotel Melbourne CBD is the city’s largest pipeline project according to THP. Designed by Fender Katsalidis and COX Architecture, this two-tower structure will house 300 luxury apartments in its 60-storey eastern edifice, while the hotel will occupy the 62-storey western tower overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building and the surrounding Carlton Gardens.
EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: Opening Date: 2022 • Developer: S P Setia Berhad Group • Operator: Shangri-La International Hotel • Architecture: Fender Katsalidis Architects, Cox Architecture • Interior Design: Bond Design Studio • Main Contractor: Multiplex
Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands
Located in the newly revamped The District Docklands, the 200-key Marriott Hotel Docklands Harbour Town comprises two interconnected towers that intersect with a level of vertical greenery that is designed to provide some privacy. Led by Melbourne-based Urban Develop and Capital Alliance Investment Group, the project will boast four F&B outlets, as well as a 28-metre infinity-edge swimming pool serviced by an adjoining bar with panoramic views of the city’s skyline.
EXPRESS CHECK-OUT: Opening Date: 2021 • Owner: Capital Alliance Investment Group • Developer: Urban Develop, Capital Alliance Investment Group • Operator: Marriott International • Architecture & Interior Design: dKO Architecture • Main Contractor: Icon Co
