New voco adds to Queenstown's myriad hotel options

 

Queenstown’s hotel scene has a new option with opening of voco Queenstown. 

The new hotel is billed as "a warm alpine escape with a Mediterranean kitchen, fireside cocktails and a welcome that feels more like arriving at a friend's place than checking into a hotel".

The 227-room voco Queenstown hotel opened its doors last month, marking a complete revamp of the former Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown into IHG Hotels & Resorts' premium voco brand, led by owner, developer and asset manager Pro-invest Group.

“We’re excited to offer visitors to Queenstown a hotel experience that is consistently thoughtful and distinct," says Jason Sabin, Connect Hospitality Portfolio general manager. 

"From the moment guests step inside the redesigned lobby, they will feel the voco difference. Our guest experience is built around the distinctive hallmarks of the voco brand – 'Come on in', 'Me time', and 'voco life,' brought to life through the resident host.” 

The voco Queenstown resident host will act as personal concierge, local guide and seamless connector, handling everything from ski locker logistics to dinner reservations. 

Great ideas - but hard to deliver. 

Anchoring the lobby of voco Queenstown is Mīharo, an artwork by Māori artist Cheree Te Orangaroa Downes. 

voco’s new restaurant and bar, Mozzarella & Co. aims to combine "a Mediterranean heart with a strong nod to the South Island". 

The show kitchen is open and centred around the all-day pizza oven while two outdoor lounge and terrace spaces draw guests outside to gather round the fire pits for a drink under the stars. 

The hotel's 227 rooms and suites have been refreshed by New Zealand interior design company Space Studios. 

Guests can expect plush bedding, aerated rain showers, plant-based Antipodes bathroom amenities, smart TVs with Chromecast, high-speed wifi, complimentary filtered water and a 24/7 room service menu. 

Eighteen suites feature high-tech Dyson hair dryers and hair straighteners, Marshall Bluetooth speakers, and a premium minibar offering of cocktail mixers and pod coffee. 

To celebrate the opening, voco Queenstown has partnered with The Bathhouse Group Queenstown to launch a two-night ‘Rest & Restore’ Opening Special package. 

The package includes a Mountain View Room with Sleep Glow pillow mist and pulse point essential oil amenities, a bottle of prosecco, daily breakfast at Mozzarella & Co. and a 90-minute Bathhouse session. from $NZ494 per night, minimum two-night stay. 

You can book directly at ihg.com or via the IHG One Rewards app. 

Adina Darling Harbour gets a new season revamp

 

A quarter century after it opened for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games the Adina Sydney Darling Harbour is entering a new era, unveiling a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. 

The 114-room hotel welcomed back guests this week ahead of an official reopening in September. 

The new look re-orientates the hotel towards the waterfront - and guests can now move seamlessly from hotel pool to harbour's edge.

Set between the CBD and King St Wharf - metres from the water and a short walk from Barangaroo - the Adina sits in one of Sydney's most connected precincts, offering easy access to both business and leisure hubs, harbourside attractions, and the International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The design narrative from Bates Smart draws on the building's strengths, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies that capture natural light and sea breezes. Each room features Adina's signature fully equipped kitchen and laundry, and space to stretch out.

TFE Hotels' Chief Executive Officer Antony Ritch says Adina Darling Harbour's transformation extends beyond the guest rooms, with upgrades across the entire hotel designed to create a seamless flow - allowing guests to move with ease from the lobby to the pool, through the restaurant and the harbour beyond.

Four flexible meeting rooms cater to everything from small team sessions, product launches through to special occasions and larger events of up to 150 people. 

At harbourside level, the hotel will introduce a new signature venue - Shoreline Kitchen with all-day menus celebrating healthy modern Australian breakfasts through to vibrant salads, premium sandwiches and classic gourmet burgers.

“Designed with both travellers and locals in mind, this venue will bring a fresh, easy-going style where guests can settle in for long lunch, grab a quick coffee or enjoy an evening drink.” Ritch said.

“In line with Adina's Australian sensibilities, there is also a subtle nod to native bush flavours, with ingredients such as saltbush and pepperberry woven throughout the menu.

“With this refurbishment, we are firmly repositioning Darling Harbour as a contemporary harbourside base – and one that reflects how people want to travel and stay in the city today. 

“It's part of our ongoing investment in our first-generation Adina portfolio, with a sharp focus on design and the guest experience.”

There is a lead-in rate from $279 per night: 15% off, plus a bottle of wine and Australian cheese board on arrival. Book and stay by April 30, 2027. Blackout dates and terms and conditions apply. See https://adinahotels.com/en/offers/sydney-darling-harbour-special/

Visit adinahotels.com for more information.

* Pre‑loved furniture and fixtures from the refurbishment were donated to Sydney charity ReLove, helping support local families in crisis.

New cellar door restaurant for the Tamar Valley

Tasmania's Tamar Valley is to gain a new cellar door restaurant later this year. 

Small Wonder Wines Cellar Door and Restaurant will open its doors in September on the former Goaty Hill site.

The Small Wonder Wines Restaurant will be led by head chef Konstantin Putkin (ex Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows in London, and Wintergarden Restaurant in the Blue Mountains). 

Russian-born Putkin's menu is promised to feature hyperlocal Tasmanian produce, including elements from Springfield Deer Farm, Seven Springs Farm and Wattle Hill Olives. 

A range of Small Wonder wines will be available by the glass, as well as a selection of Tasmanian spirits and imported wines.

Kerry Hill Architects (Singapore) collaborated with local Tasmanian firm Edwards + Simpson to emphasise regional design elements. 

Rather than relying on signature dishes, the chef says the menu will evolve with the seasons, allowing the very best produce at its peak to take centre stage. 

“For me, the best restaurants start with great relationships," Putkin says. "The menus at Small Wonder are a celebration of Tasmania's farmers, growers and producers, and our role is simply to do their incredible work justice. 

“I want people to come in, share great food, discover where it comes from, and leave feeling like
they've experienced a genuine taste of Tasmania. If we can create something that's relaxed,
sustainable and full of heart, then we've achieved exactly what we set out to do.”

The opening will be a milestone says Overstory CEO Paul McArdle. 

“Since we opened as Small Wonder in 2021, it was a priority to remain part of the community," he says. 

"The new cellar door and restaurant is a chance to build on what we are already offering, introducing something a little different while retaining our well-known welcoming atmosphere.” 

Artworks from Tasmanian artists Stephen Bond, Alicia King and Paul Snell have been selected and
will be placed across the venue. 

Combining organic vineyard practices and minimal-intervention winemaking, Small Wonder Wines
employs practical initiatives like composting grape marc, encouraging beneficial insects, and reducing
chemical inputs. 

“Solar power, energy-efficient systems, and thoughtful estate design allow us to protect the land while making exceptional wine,” says winemaker Ockie Myburgh.

See www.smallwonderwines.com.au

Image: Sileo 

Watermans brings tastes of the Levant to Barangaroo

The burgeoning Barangaroo gourmet precinct in Sydney has been boosted by the arrival of newcomer Watermans, an eastern Mediterranean restaurant from The Bentley Restaurant Group.

Operated by leading Australian hospitality operators Nick Hildebrandt and Brent Savage, Watermans has chef Darryl Martin (formerly of Barzaari) at the helm.

Watermans is located within the recently completed One Sydney Harbour Lendlease development in Barangaroo, just metres from Sydney Harbour.

“2025 has been a huge year for The Bentley Group," said sommelier and co-owner Hildebrandt. "We started the year with the launch of Eleven Barrack and we’re ending the year back in Barangaroo with Watermans, right in time for summer.”

The 120-seat venue houses two pergolas wrapped in mature greenery, with a "modern-luxe interior featuring timber veneer finishes, bespoke lighting and an open kitchen with a custom-made wood-fired grill and oven".

Co-owner and chef Savage said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Darryl into The Bentley Group family. The menu for Watermans is inspired by the cuisine of the Levant and highlights the best of Australian produce.

"It has a strong emphasis on vegetable-forward dishes, and it’s been fun to collaborate with Darryl, whose cooking I’ve long admired, especially his work at Barzaari.”

Highlight dishes from the opening menu include: hummus with green zhoug and mint; labneh with salted cucumber, pomegranate and lemon jam; raw tuna with watermelon, yoghurt and fig leaf oil; wood-fired scallop with pomegranate, brown butter and sesame praline; and whole wood-fired flounder with broad beans and smoked tomato savoro.

For meat lovers, there is roasted chicken with with preserved lemon, parsley and green olive; and lamb shoulder with harissa, black lime, cinnamon and toum.

Desserts include halva ice cream, date granita, must vinegar, and brik bougatsa, cherry jam and aniseed sorbet.

Watermans is open daily from noon for lunch and dinner at R1/88 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo, Sydney. See https://www.bentleyrestaurantgroup.com.au/watermanssydney

New cellar door eatery in Tasmania focuses on local produce

 

There is a new food offering at one of Tasmania's most popular cellar doors: Devil's Corner at Apslawn on the east coast. 

Devil’s Corner Kitchen is a food destination "designed to capture the wild beauty and elemental character" of the region. 

With views of the vineyards, Moulting Lagoon and The Hazards mountain range, Devil’s Corner Kitchen promises to champion local produce, smokehouse flavours and garden-to-plate principles. 

The new facility is open daily (10am–4pm), with Jack Bennett as head chef. His career spans regional venues including The Chophouse at Falls Creek, Trentham Hotel and Sister’s Rock at Borrodell Vineyard in Orange. 

“At Devil’s Corner Kitchen, we’re creating dishes that feel inseparable from this landscape - flame, smoke and seasonal ingredients are at the heart of everything,” Bennett says.

“It’s about celebrating the east coast’s raw beauty and Devil’s Corner wines in a way that’s generous, approachable and distinctly Tasmanian.”

Bennett’s launch menu brings this philosophy to life with a line-up of pizzas, pastas and seasonal mains that showcase local produce and pair with Devil’s Corner wines.

Pizza choices include chardonnay-braised Tasmanian pork belly with barbecue sauce, pork crackling and mozzarella ($34) and fresh mozzarella, Napoli sauce, local tomatoes and basil oil ($28). 

Mains may include gnocchi with hazelnuts, sage, brown butter and parmesan ($28) and local venison pappardelle with mushrooms and rich venison sauce ($32). 

There are suggested wine matches for each course. 

“Our wines are made to tell the story of this coast - wild, elemental and full of character,” says senior winemaker Tom Wallace. 

“Having a kitchen that mirrors that philosophy elevates the entire cellar door experience. Jack’s approach is adventurous yet authentic and we couldn’t imagine a better way to showcase our wines.”

Fishy business: Rick Stein to open flagship Sydney restaurant

Star seafood chef and TV personality Rick Stein has announced that he will be opening his Australian flagship restaurant at Coogee Beach in Sydney later this year.

British-born Stein and his Australian publicist wife Sarah have unveiled plans for Rick Stein at Coogee Beach.

Known for his ethos of "fresh seafood, simply prepared" Stein will locate his new 224-seat eatery at the recently announced InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, and the space will include the signature restaurant, bar dining and courtyard terrace.

The new restaurant will join the couple's Mollymook and Port Stephens locations that they opened together in 2009 and 2018 respectively, 

“Coogee Beach is yet another stunning coastal location for our Australian restaurant portfolio - perched by the sea and full of the laid-back charm we’ve come to love so much here," Stein said.

"It’s especially meaningful for me as my wife Sas grew up in Sydney, so opening a restaurant in her hometown makes this venture all the more special for us both. 

“There’s an abundance of top-quality seafood in Australia and we’ll be championing local, seasonal produce with the benefit of accessing the biggest fish market in the southern hemisphere. 

"We’ll continue to utilise the relationships we’ve built in our regional locations to source that same produce in Sydney. It's the best of both worlds.”

The menu will seafood including mahi mahi caught off the coast of Nelson Bay, Stockton pipis from Port Stephens, line-caught mackerel from Ulladulla and Nelson Bay blue swimmer crab for Stein’s signature Singapore chilli crab.

The venue will also offer fish and chips, prepared in the traditional British style complete with mushy peas and hand-cut chips.

The new venture will be in collaboration with Australian partners Salter Brothers, who acquired Bannisters Group in 2024.

Paul Salter, managing director of Salter Brothers, said: "We are very excited to be bringing Rick Stein to Coogee Beach and build on our existing partnership.  I can't think of a better location in Sydney to showcase his distinctive, yet approachable, fresh seafood experience."

Rick Stein at Coogee Beach is scheduled to open in November 2025.

New look and new eatery at Peppers Marysville

Yarra Valley hotel Peppers Marysville has a new look and a new restaurant after an extensive refurbishment. 

Operated by Accor, the largest hotel operator in Australia, the property has a new entrance and reception area, updated guestrooms, a reimagined day spa, new restaurant and refreshed conference facilities. 

There is also a new dedicated bike zone to cater for the many cyclists visiting the resort.

"We take great pride in the transformative refurbishment of Peppers Marysville," said Accor Pacific CEO Sarah Derry. 

"Is fresh new look enriches the hotel experience to an entirely new level and complements the high quality of service provided by the hotel team."

Shakespeare Property Group Head of Hospitality Asset Management & Investments, Richard Saab, said: "We are thrilled to unveil the exciting refurbishment of Peppers Marysville, as we continue to elevate our guest experience to new heights. 

"The renovations focus on creating an environment that celebrates the essence of Marysville, providing a spectacular personalised experience and transforming the resort into a destination for both guests and locals alike."

Each of the 100 rooms and suites have been updated with new fixtures, furnishings and carpets. 

The hotel’s new signature restaurant is the Italian-inspired Andiamo, which serves a local and seasonally-inspired menu and Yarra Valley wines. 

Diners can sample dishes like house-made pappardelle with duck, verjuice and radicchio ragu, and authentic wood-fired pizzas created by chef Francesco La Mazza. 

The Wellness Spa offers a range of holistic treatments and therapies using custom oils and products featuring Australian natural botanicals. 

The new bike zone that features a hot water bike wash station and secure bike workshops for repairs or servicing.

Marysville is located just 90 minutes from Melbourne in the forested foothills of Victoria’s Great Dividing Range. 

The new-look Peppers Marysville has rates starting from $229 per night. To book, visit ALL.com