5000 new hotel rooms for Melbourne (continued)
It does seem there will be many more interstate and international visitors performing the obligatory jump on a Melbourne hotel bed in years to come, as available hotel rooms grow markedly. Following yesterday's article, today Urban.com.au looks at the remaining large scale hotel projects expected to grace Melbourne's skyline in the not too distant future.
Southbank due for 1400 plus rooms
Crown is the established 'gorilla' on Southbank, with 1604 suites over three premises. Yet if all proposed hotels rooms are delivered, combined additional Southbank hotel suite numbers would approach that of Crown's.
Interestingly though only one proposal is a stand-alone hotel, namely the approved 167 City Road complex which would find itself wedged between two established Central Equity residential towers if built. All other proposed Southbank hotels form part of a larger mixed-use development.
By numbers, PDG and Schiavello's Queensbridge Tower leads the remaining mixed-use candidates with 408 rooms within the hulking tower set aside for a hotel operator. A stone's throw away M & L Hospitality have 360 suites included within their equally tall proposal at 25-35 Power Street. Presently controlling 460 rooms at Citigate Melbourne and Travelodge Docklands, reports indicate M & L Hospitality will retain management of the Power Street development, although under which hotel brand is unknown.
The much talked about Australia 108 project slots in next with 288 suites envisaged within a shortened tower's summit while last and least likely to proceed is the approved 400 City Road development. As part of a larger four tower mixed-use complex, 280 hotel rooms are incorporated, although the $1 billion dollar project has been put on ice in favour of leasing out the existing low-rise office space.
Who's left?
Three developments round out the selected 20, with a further two within Docklands. Peppers Resorts have signed up to the M Docklands development, securing 68 rooms for their first metropolitan Melbourne foray while Parkroyal have taken a hefty 281 rooms within the soon to be constructed Altus development at Digital Harbour.
Rounding out City of Melbourne's upcoming hotel projects is The Larwill, although it's more nearing completion as seen above. The fourth chapter in Asian Pacific Group's Art Series Hotels, The Larwill will carry 100 rooms and principally serve the adjoining Royal Children's Hospital.
What the future holds
Time for the crystal ball once more! Crown delivering a super tall fourth mixed-use complex with traditional apartments and serviced apartments? Outrigger joining a host of new operators on the Melbourne scene? A bevy of new and existing operators flooding into Fishermans Bend once the area establishes itself? Or increased hotel developments outside the CBD and surrounds?
Naturally not all activity will be bound to the central city, although the ability to deliver a project outside the City of Melbourne seems altogether more difficult. Big ticket developments such as Crowne Plaza Doncaster Hill or Space Hotel St Kilda (seen above) have yet to materialise after being on the radar for some time.
Accurately predicting the future in this regard should be left to the likes of Nostradamus, but two things seem certain. The sheer numbers of proposed hotel developments means a mass of new hotel accommodation will add to existing stock even if a handful of the aforementioned projects are never reaslised, whilst the overall health and outlook for the hotel sector remains strong.
