Friday, 31 July 2020

2020 Hotel Openings to Add to the Bucket List

Despite travel's most challenging time yet, new hotels are paving the way for new experiences, discovering new neighbourhoods and igniting our desire to explore.

From IHG's first hotel in Tasmania, to the launch of Hotel Indigo in Australia, and Japan's first Kimpton hotel in the heart of Shinjuku, 2020 will be a record year of openings in Australasia and Japan for IHG, providing travellers unforgettable local experiences – or, inspiration for venturing further when the time is right!

Here's the one-stop bucket list to start planning now:

Crowne Plaza Hobart – opened 1 July
IHG opened its first hotel in Tasmania with the brand-new Crowne Plaza Hobart on 1 July 2020. The 235-room hotel is located in the heart of the CBD on Liverpool Street with breathtaking harbour or Mount Wellington views from every room.

The hotel will also feature Hobart's first Club lounge and highest rooftop dining venue, AURA. Inspired restaurant and bar philosophies sit at the heart of the hotel's DNA, with renowned local Executive Chef, John Churchill, at the helm. Chef John instills a powerful farm-to-table philosophy with a focus on small batch suppliers and low waste processes, including a partnership with Macquarie Point's 'Edible Precinct' where organic waste will be dehydrated and composted to fuel the rooftop gardens. Core Restaurant & Bar is the signature restaurant where Chef John says the concepts are 'based on the people in community'.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown – opened 10 July
New Zealand welcomes its first Holiday Inn Express hotel with the brand-new Holiday Inn Express and Suites Queenstown, located in a prime position on the corner of Stanley and Sydney streets in Queenstown. The location provides easy access to popular ski destinations of Coronet Peak, Remarkables, Cardrona & Treble Cone, and is the gateway city to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Milford Sound.

The hotel offers 277 rooms, including spacious suites – a Holiday Inn Express first in Australia and New Zealand – in addition to superior rooms, which provide breathtaking views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables mountain range. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown also features a fitness room, sauna, two flexible meeting rooms, self-serve laundry, onsite parking and a free business centre, in addition to well-appointed rooms complete with a power shower, black-out blinds, high-quality bedding, uncapped Wi-Fi and a free light breakfast option to grab & go.

Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour – opens September
Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour will return to Sydney's CBD after a 10-year hiatus with a bold, new future-focused design. The new-build $150million hotel is located on the corner of Sussex and Bathurst Streets, moments from Town Hall, Queen Victoria Building and the waterside pocket of Darling Harbour.

152 guestrooms focus on innovative design, each divided into four distinct zones – a desk space for work, a sofa area to unwind, king size beds for a good night's sleep and well-lit, spacious bathrooms featuring sustainable Antipodes amenities. Guests can take a plunge among Sydney's skyscrapers in the rooftop infinity (heated!) pool on level 9 or relax on the rooftop sundeck whilst enjoying the breathtaking views, or unwind with friends in one of three dining venues, 288 Sussex, Café 58, and La Bella Restaurant & Bar.

Crowne Plaza Adelaide – opens September
Crowne Plaza returns to Adelaide with the 329-room Crowne Plaza Adelaide. The new-build beauty is part of the 138m Frome Central Tower One, Adelaide's tallest building, with views spanning the cityscape to Adelaide Hills. Located in the East End, guests are close to Lot Fourteen and Adelaide Botanic Garden with easy access to Adelaide Convention Centre and Adelaide Oval.

As part of the brand's global transformation to build hotels of the future, Crowne Plaza Adelaide will feature flexible lobby and public spaces, zoning in the guest rooms to enable seamless movement from work to play, and an enhanced Sleep Advantage program for a great night's slumber.

Memorable food experiences are at the heat of the hotel. Koomo elevates guests to Adelaide's highest restaurant in the CBD offering a fusion of Australian ingredients and Japanese-inspired dishes, while Luna10 is pure escapism with an infinity pool and deck bar for cocktails, light snacks and share plates.

Hotel Indigo Brisbane Fortitude Valley – opening Q4
Hotel Indigo will debut on Australian shores in 2020 with the opening of Hotel Indigo Brisbane Fortitude Valley. The new build hotel is located on the vibrant doorstep of Brunswick Street – the blueprint of local culture, design and history. The hotel will feature 146 guest rooms, each inspired by the vibe of The Valley and boast local amenities, a ground floor 'eatery' which transitions from a neighbourhood café to a restaurant and bar in the evenings, health and fitness centre and of course, Hotel Indigo's signature neighbourhood experiences.

Perched on the rooftop, guests will indulge in a show-stopping lap pool and bar, offering panoramic views of the city skyline.

Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets – opening Q4
Adelaide will welcome its first Hotel Indigo in 2020 on Market Street – a vibrant culinary and produce hub in the heart of the city. The new-build hotel will draw the best of the outdoors, indoors, with the boutique hotel rooms inspired by the legendary festivals of the city. The modern colour palette is brightened by natural light and colourful wall art, inspired by neighbourhood festival posters. Locally influenced decor is celebrated in the famed tessellated tile patterns of Adelaide with copper fixtures harking back to South Australia's copper mining history.

The restaurants and bars focus on innovative flavours, tapping into the best of Adelaide Market's wonderful produce for seasonal appeal. The ground floor features Market & Meander, a modern Australian restaurant and bar, touting multicultural influences from Grote and Gouger Street. On the rooftop, guests will experience the spectacular rooftop raw food bar, Merrymaker.

JAPAN
ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort – opened 7 July

The much-anticipated expansion of ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort opened on 7 July 2020. Surrounded by blue coral seas and colourful marine life, the expansion marks a significant milestone for the idyllic Japanese region, now welcoming guests to the island's only true international luxury hotel and Japan's first dedicated Club InterContinental destination within the resort.

Set in its own private enclave, the unrivalled Club InterContinental experience is complete with an exclusive Club InterContinental pool, private gardens and Club InterContinental Lounge.

New to the expansion, guests will also immerse in eight restaurant and bar destinations, four new meeting and event rooms and four indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo – opening Q4

Kimpton Shinjuku will debut in Q4 2020 as Japan's first Kimpton hotel. The hotel is located in the bustling Shinjuku region – the tastemaker of trends in Japan, art and culture – and close to the iconic Shibuya Crossing.

Kimpton Shinjuku embodies a New York-inspired design from international architect and design group, Rockwell Group, with 151 guest rooms and three distinct restaurant and bar concepts; a chapel that doubles as an art gallery and health and fitness room, and three meeting and event spaces. True to Kimpton's distinctive personality, the hotel is pet friendly and features the much-loved hallmarks such as Kimpton Social Hour.

ANA Holiday Inn Resort Shinano-omachi Kuroyon – opened 11 July

Holiday Inn Resort Kuroyon opened on 11 July 2020 as the region's first Holiday Inn and Japan's second Holiday Inn Resort. Located in Shinano-omachi – the centre of Japan and about 1.5 hours from Nagano – the region is renowned for its natural surroundings, including lakes, abundance of hot springs, Kurobe dam and mountain ranges.

The resort is designed to reflect its stunning surrounds with nature-inspired colour schemes and open spaces, flowing in through the hotel's open lobby café, leisure centre and all-day dining restaurant. The resort is a haven for families, offering a dedicated Kids Club with complete fit-out of activity equipment, toys and workshops, a kids welcome pack, and of course the brand's promise where kids under 12 eat and stay free. Guests will also delight in a private onsen, gallery, hot stone sauna and fitness centre.

Fiji
Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva – open now, rebranding to InterContinental 2022

Fiji's most iconic hotel, Grand Pacific Hotel, will join the IHG family in July 2020 and then rebrand as InterContinental Grand Pacific Hotel Suva by 2022, after a refurbishment.

Grand Pacific is the most famous hotel in Fiji, with more than 100 years of history and having played host to countless celebrities and dignitaries, including Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II. Built in 1914 and reopening on its hundredth anniversary in 2014 with contemporary colonial architecture, the stunning hotel has an incredibly rich history and has a special place in the hearts of Fijians.

Located on the main sea front on Suva's Victoria Parade, the hotel is perfectly located to welcome Suva's mix of leisure and business guests. It offers all-day and specialty restaurants and bars and a club lounge, as well as a 600sqm ballroom, meetings rooms, business centre, gym, swimming pool and spa.

Website: ihg.com

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