Sydney is set to welcome the arrival of two Crowne Plaza hotels over the next six months following a rebrand of existing properties at Sydney Airport and Macquarie Park.
Under the ownership of Frank and Wade Huang of Star Millennium Pty Ltd, Holiday Inn Sydney Airport and Courtyard by Marriott, Sydney-North Ryde will be elevated to IHG’s premium Crowne Plaza brand with independent hotel operator, Trilogy Hotels, appointed to manage the day-to-day operations of both properties under a franchise agreement.
Star Millennium Pty Ltd Director, Wade Huang, said the company is proud of its “long-standing and successful relationship” with IHG and looks forward to embarking on a new franchise model with Trilogy Hotels.
“Expanding our collaboration [with IHG] by integrating our Sydney Airport and Macquarie Park hotels into the Crowne Plaza family is an exciting step,” said Huang.
“Crowne Plaza Macquarie Park will set a new standard for quality in the Macquarie Park business precinct, and Crowne Plaza Sydney Airport will enhance its legacy as a Holiday Inn by delivering a premium guest experience.
“We believe both of our assets have so much to gain from this new model…This is an exciting milestone, and we look forward to taking full advantage of Trilogy’s agile, bespoke and experienced approach to hotel operations.”
IHG Hotels and Resorts Director of Development, Cameron Burke, said IHG is “honoured to have been chosen by Star Millennium as the partner to brand these two well-known Sydney hotels”.
“It’s exciting to see the Crowne Plaza brand continue to go from strength to strength, building on its reputation as one of the world’s best known and loved premium hotel brands among corporate and leisure travellers alike,” Burke said.
“We look forward to further strengthening our wonderful partnership with Frank and Wade in the coming years.”
Trilogy Hotels will be responsible for operational and bottom-line profit performance and spearheading the rebranding and refurbishment of both properties, providing an operating platform and access to systems, training and team development.
Under this deal, Trilogy will build a team of portfolio leaders and operate these teams for Star Millennium across their other hotels.
“Trilogy Hotels is delighted to be appointed by a wonderful family of hoteliers, the Huang Family, to manage their iconic properties,” said Trilogy Hotels CEO Scott Boyes
“I have known Frank and Wade for many years, and we are thrilled to forge this new path with them. Together, we will be driving growth with a common set of values and a shared vision for how hotels should be operated.
“We are grateful to Frank and Wade for putting their trust in us and are excited about our partnership and journey ahead.”
Trilogy has already commenced operations at the 252-room Sydney Airport hotel, which will open in September 2024. Having undergone a AU$15 million refurbishment of guest rooms in 2022, further updates will be made to its guest rooms, lobby, conference rooms and food and beverage outlets to complete its transition into the premium segment.
Trilogy will also focus on improving efficiency by embracing new technology systems, building on service touchpoints, and launching a new exclusive airport shuttle service.
The 196-room Courtyard by Marriott, Sydney-North Ryde will be managed by Trilogy from January 1. A comprehensive refurbishment of the lobby and guest rooms will be undertaken before opening as Crowne Plaza Macquarie Park in early 2025.
Under the franchise agreement, IHG will provide its globally recognised branding and distribution capabilities to both properties.
“Under the Trilogy ecosystem, a hotel brand plays a crucial role, and both hotels will leverage Crowne Plaza’s strong and globally established branding and IHG’s phenomenal customer base, loyalty program, and distribution network to help drive bookings,” said Boyes.
“It’s fantastic to work alongside Matt Tripolone and the IHG Hotels and Resorts team on this exciting new partnership. Together with our teams, we are committed to creating an amazing hotel experience for our guests.”
IHG currently has 97 open or pipeline hotels in Australasia and the Pacific – 22 of which are under the Crowne Plaza name. In the next 12 months, new Crowne Plaza locations are set to open in Mawson Lakes (South Australia), Melbourne Carlton (Victoria), and Shell Cove Marina (New South Wales), with a new property in Geelong (Victoria) slated for 2026.
These latest signings will take Trilogy Hotels to nearly 1,700 hotel rooms under management across seven investment-grade assets.