Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development, Warren Truss, has revealed that a new Pullman and ibis hotel will be built at Brisbane Airport’s Domestic Terminal Precinct as part of a new AUD$150 million development project.
Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, which operates both the Pullman and ibis brands, welcomed the announcement which will see the construction of the first 5-star hotel for Brisbane Airport in addition to a 3.5-star ibis hotel to accompany the adjoining Brisbane Airport Conference and Meeting Centre.
Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer, Simon McGrath, said the hotel development project, set to be completed in 2016, is a strategic step in the economic growth of Brisbane.
“South East Queensland needs more quality rooms across a range of markets,” he told HM.
McGrath said the two brands that were flagging the Brisbane Airport hotels were serving the most in-demand segments in the Australian accommodation industry.
“These are the ends of the market that are thriving at the moment,” he told HM.
McGrath said adding rooms at Brisbane Airport could not come at a better time.
“With passenger numbers through the international and domestic terminals in Brisbane expected grow to 38 million per year in the next 20 years, Accor is excited to be involved from the ground level in this forward thinking project which will strengthen the local tourism economy,” McGrath said.
“It reflects the broader vision behind Brisbane Airport’s master plan, while reinforcing Accor’s reputation as Australia’s leading and most accessible accommodation operator working across economy and midscale segments through to upscale and luxury markets.
“Worldwide, Accor is an airport hotel specialist and we continue to innovate and lead in this sector. Pullman and ibis will add to the existing Novotel and ibis Budget airport hotels at Brisbane Airport and expand our product offering, to cover the full spectrum of the hotel market from economy to upscale, proving more accommodation options and greater choice for domestic and international travellers,” he said.
Brisbane Airport directly contributes approximately $3.3 billion to the Queensland economy. As the sole hotel operator located at the Brisbane Airport precinct and immediate surrounds, Accor’s hotel network currently includes an ibis Budget and Novotel hotel at Skygate Brisbane Airport.
The Novotel hotel has welcomed more than 350,000 guests to stay since its launch, and has played host to some 4500 conferences, meetings and events.
The Pullman Brisbane Airport will include 130 rooms including 2 Presidential Suites, 10 Junior Suites and 45 Executive Rooms. A freeform leisure pool with a 20 metre lap pool, poolside daybeds and pergolas will be available for guests relaxing in transit or waiting for a flight. The hotel will feature 24-hour room service for the convenience of its transit and regular guests, plus a lobby lounge bar catering for up to 60 guests, restaurant with seating for up to 152 patrons, and private dining room for a maximum of 12 people for more intimate events. A top floor executive club lounge and bar, business centre and executive gym will be available in addition to a poolside dining and entertainment area to maximise on the dramatic view beneath the flight path.
The ibis Brisbane Airport will offer 243 rooms including 99 Superior rooms. An alfresco indoor/outdoor restaurant catering to 160 diners is being constructed, in addition to a ground floor indoor/outdoor bar for 100 patrons, a cafe, bar and takeaway facility, and roof top bar and lounge catering for up to 150 people.
Catering for up to 600 people at any one time and covering some 735 metres squared, the Brisbane Airport Conference and Meeting Centre (the hotels’ joint central conference, meeting and event space) includes a 300 seat pillar-less Ballroom, 8 medium to large conference rooms and four executive boardrooms. Other facilities include an open air terrace breakout area, a business centre and cloakroom.
The new Pullman and Ibis development is owned by Brisbane based property specialists, the Flynn Property Group and Scott Flynn Properties, who first developed the Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel in 2009.
“Following on from the success of the Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel, we are pleased to again work with the Accor group to brand and operate these next two important hotels in our Brisbane Airport hotel network,” said owner and developer Anthony Flynn.
McGrath told HM Flynn Property Group and Scott Flynn Properties were important franchisees for Accor and the company was proud to be further growing a strong relationship.
“They are Accor’s biggest franchise partner in Asia Pacific and they have the ability to manage the brand standards and get results,” he told HM. “They are great partners.”
McGrath said the success of the Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel was a prime example of what Flynn Property Group and Scott Flynn Properties are able to achieve in the accommodation business.
“Novotel Brisbane Airport is one of the most successful openings of a new-build hotel in the last decade in Australia,” he told HM.
The project is expected to create 1000 jobs during the construction phase, and employ between 300 to 350 people ongoing at the Pullman and ibis hotels when open.
Construction is set to commence on 1 February 2015 for an expected opening on 1st November 2016.