Holiday Inn goes big on the Sunshine Coast

The booming Sunshine Coast region of Queensland is to get a new high-rise international brand hotel.

IHG Hotels & Resorts today announced the signing of a Holiday Inn & Suites property, partnering with Felix Capital to open Holiday Inn & Suites Caloundra Sunshine Coast in early 2028.

Overlooking the beach, the new hotel will form part of a mixed-use development in the heart of the Sunshine Coast.

The 160-room hotel will include 33 suites and feature Holiday Inn brand hallmarks including an open lobby, all-day dining restaurant and lobby café, meeting spaces, a fitness centre, outdoor pool and Kids Club.

The hotel's signature will be a rooftop restaurant and sky bar.

Caloundra is a 90-minute drive from Brisbane, and just 35 minutes from Maroochydore Airport.

A light rail with connectivity from Brisbane Airport was recently announced by Queensland State Government, to be completed in advance of the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane.

Cameron Burke, Director of Development, Australasia & Pacific, IHG Hotels & Resorts said: “We're delighted to be bringing our Holiday Inn & Suites brand to the Sunshine Coast and thrilled to be partnering with Felix Capital on this exciting hotel in Caloundra."

Why hotel guests should not confuse Bondi Junction with Bondi Beach

I'm a little baffled. In Melbourne, people apparently want to stay at Chadstone shopping centre.

Now a new hotel has opened at Bondi Junction; a bus interchange with a big Westfield shopping centre that is a considerable walk away from world-famous Bondi Beach. 

There could be some pretty disappointed overseas tourists if they mix up Bondi Beach with Bondi Junction. 

Particularly as the media blurb for Holiday Inn & Suites Sydney Bondi Junction (above) says: "beachgoers and business travellers alike will now be able to experience the Joy of Travel" with the opening of the newly branded hotel, descrbed.as being "just a stone's throw from one of the world's most famous beaches".

Well, my old friend Google Maps shows me that whatever route you take from Bondi Junction to Bondi Beach the distance is 2.9km. And a walk will take you 35 minutes. That's a hell of a stone's throw. 

The new establishment previously operated as Quest Bondi Junction and will undergo a refurbishment of its guest rooms, lobby and guest spaces. 

The 82-room hotel will feature a bright lobby and complimentary gym access available to guests, as well as an all-day dining restaurant after the refurbishment. 

As an all-suite property, guest rooms feature well-appointed kitchenettes. 

IHG Hotels & Resorts' Director of Development for Australasia, Jael Fischer, said: “A world-famous destination like Bondi needs a world-famous hotel brand, and there is no better-known brand globally than the Holiday Inn family."

For more information and to book, head to www.ihg.com

# Full credit to IHG director of communications Chris Waite who has "changed the reference on our news page and we've used different language on our social posts" after being contacted by Gourmet on the Road.

Somewhere new to stay in Kiwi gem Queenstown

There is something special about Queenstown in New Zealand.

It is a ski resort, a base for adventure lovers, a gourmet destination and the gateway to the Central Otago wine region. There is a palpable party vibe. 

Now New Zealand’s first new-build Holiday Inn hotel in a decade, Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park, is set to make its debut in early December and unveil the first Holiday Inn ‘open lobby’ in New Zealand.

The open lobby design transforms the traditional hotel lobby and separate eating areas into the one energetic living space.

It is aimed at offering guests a casual and flexible space to eat, drink, work, meet, relax, and socialise around the fireplace, Giants restaurant and bar, media lounge, cosy seating areas, and an E-Bar with power, wifi and wireless printing.

The new multimillion-dollar hotel featuring 182 rooms and suites - many with mountain views of The Remarkables - is the first full-service hotel to open within the new Remarkables Park lifestyle development in Frankton.

The hotel joins a multi-use retail, resort, residential, and recreational precinct near the Queenstown airport.

Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park is situated 30-minutes from The Remarkables ski area.



The hotel will provides a secure drying room with ample storage for ski and outdoor gear.

A high-tech gym enables holidaymakers to maintain their health and fitness routine indoors, while scenic trails for running, walking, and biking are easily accessible from the hotel’s doorstep.

Rooms and suites will showcase mountain views, and many will have balconies.

All twin, king and accessible rooms will feature Vittoria pod coffee machines, robes, slippers, smart TVs with personal app streaming and free wifi.

Bathrooms will feature SOAK superfood skincare amenities (so many brands nowadays feel the need to shout their names in capitals).

Giants Restaurant will serve "refined rustic" food and drink (whatever that means). Families with children aged 12 years and under stay and eat free in Giants restaurant when sharing a room with their parents.

For corporate groups, the hotel has four flexible meeting rooms catering for small events for up to 30 people to larger gatherings of up to 200 people.

“We are excited to open New Zealand’s flagship Holiday Inn hotel and be the first in the country to showcase the brand’s next generation open lobby design," says general manager Mathew Simister.

“We are delighted to offer holidaying families, leisure and business travellers affordable, full-service accommodation that genuinely connects them with the awe-inspiring beauty of Queenstown’s snow-capped mountains, rugged trails, river canyons and vineyards.“

Rates at Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park will start from NZD$160 per room per night. Book at ihg.com or phone reservations on NZ 0800 322 222 and AU 1800 486 357.

Farewell Sage West Perth; hello Holiday Inn West Perth

Farewell to West Perth's Sage Hotel on trendy Hay Street and hello to Holiday Inn West Perth.

The property rebadges on November 1 as West Perth fast becomes a wining and dining hub on the edge of the Perth CBD.

Located within walking distance to Kings Park and the Botanical Gardens, Holiday Inn West Perth will be IHG's first Perth property outside of the city centre and joins its city hotels including InterContinental Perth City Centre, Crowne Plaza Perth and Holiday Inn Perth City Centre.

Part of the hotel's charm is the former 1902 Walsh family residence which sits at the front of the property. A destination restaurant is planned for that space.

All 101 guestrooms will receive a soft refurbishment to bring it in line with Holiday Inn's standards - and the lobby will also be transformed.

Joel Fischer, director of development for IHG Australasia and Pacific, said: “We are thrilled to be growing our presence in Perth and to be working with new owners, Australian Development Capital.

"The hotel will be a welcome addition to our expanding Holiday Inn portfolio. Given the hotel's prime location, close to Kings Park, one of the world's largest and most beautiful inner-city parks, Holiday Inn West Perth will be warmly embraced by IHG Rewards loyalty members. We look forward to welcoming guests from November 1.”

Holiday Inn West Perth will join 42 open or pipeline Holiday Inn brand family hotels in Australasia and the Pacific region.

Ballarat to get an international brand hotel

Ballarat is set to hit the big time with a new internationally branded hotel unveiled for the Victorian regional city. 

The planned Holiday Inn & Suites is part of IHG Hotels & Resorts expansion plans in conjunction with the Forte Group. 

Holiday Inn & Suites Ballarat Goldfields is described as "one of the most striking hotels in regional Australia". 

Designed by Hachem Architecture, the 110-room hotel is expected to open in 2024 and will be one of the region's premier business, leisure and MICE destinations, with 400sqm of flexible meeting space including a large ballroom, a 90-seat restaurant and bar, a day spa, gymnasium and outdoor pool. 

IHG's Holiday Inn brand has undergone a transformation over the last 18 months with new designs to the forefront. 

Holiday Inn Werribee, which opened last week, is a case in point. 

Abhijay Sandilya, IHG's VP of Development for Japan, Australasia and Japan, said: “Holiday Inn has made its mark as one of Australasia's fasted growing hotel brands, and we are thrilled to be adding this state-of-the-art designed property to the Holiday Inn family. 

“We have been steadily growing IHG's presence in regional Victoria and Holiday Inn & Suites Ballarat Goldfields will complement Holiday Inn & Suites Werribee  along with Holiday Inns in other great locations like Geelong, Richmond, Ringwood, Wagga Wagga and Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall.”