Daily News & Opinion

The first hotels within the SureStay Hotel by Western brand, an upper economy accommodation offering, have been announced. The hotels are Blue Diamond Motor Inn, Dubbo, which is centrally-located and offers 24 rooms; The Karinga Motel, Lismore, which has 31 rooms and conference facilities for meetings of up to 40 people; the 45-room Hospitality Carnarvon; 54-room Hospitality Kalgoorlie; 50-room Hospitality Esperance, which offers a licensed restaurant specialising in modern Australian cuisine, and Hospitality Geraldton, which has 47 well-appointed, spacious guest rooms.

Marriott International has announced that 259-room will open in Bangkok in 2023. Occupying a planned 50-storey tower in the One Bangkok lifestyle development, the hotel will span the first 25 floors, with guest rooms offering panoramic views of the adjacent Lumphini Park. The hotel is being designed as an urban resort, with four distinct restaurants and bars. It is also slated to include function facilities, as well as a ballroom that will be the largest of its kind in Thailand.

Come late 2019, the Sydney Coliseum Theatre, West HQ – a venue designed for musicals, drama, dance and live concerts – will open in Western Sydney. Offering awe-inspiring architecture and sleek curved lines, the Rooty Hill-located venue will feature a 2000-seat theatre with retractable seating. The space will have the capacity to be transformed to accommodate theatre, cabaret and banquet-style events. More to come.

Thailand’s capital has a brand new rooftop bar which spans three levels of the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit. Spectrum Lounge & Bar Level features a marble-floored space with an open kitchen on level 29, while levels 30 and 31 boast an alfresco terrace with a large open deck, daybeds and private tables. The new spaces also include an intimate meeting room with a flat-screen TV which converts into a private dining space at night and provides a floor-to-ceiling view of the city.

Following the promotion of Janet Hamilton to manage the Cairns Convention Centre, Peter Savoff has been appointed GM of the Darwin Convention Centre. Peter joins the AEG Ogden family from the Anthony John Property Group where he managed the Emporium Hotel since opening in 2007. AEG Ogden group director for convention centres Geoff Donaghy said that Peter’s proven record in a number of areas within the hotel business over more than 25 years made him the ideal fit for the Darwin Convention Centre.

Macao has been selected to host the International Media Marketplace Asia (IMM Asia) and the TravMedia Summit in October 2019. The fourth annual IMM Asia show will provide an opportunity for journalists and travel brands to network and build relationships through 24 one-on-one meetings. Sands Resort Macao and the Macao Government Tourism Office have come on board as major sponsors. To register, visit travmedia.com/immasia/ or travmedia.com/summitasia/.

Shadow Play by Peppers, Melbourne, the city’s latest luxury hotel, has opened its doors in the Southbank arts and entertainment district. The 46-storey hotel features a selection of one and two bedroom apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows providing natural light. Onsite facilities include a heated pool, gymnasium, an enclosed garden space with a freestanding fireplace and a guest lounge. The hotel’s style is decidedly avant-garde, featuring a collection of contrasts including light and dark accents and white stone and timber furnishings.

Buyers from Australia who organise events with upwards of 80 guests can now apply for financial support to complete a site visit in Thailand. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has shifted its policy to accommodate for smaller buyers, having previously reserved the support for large-scale conventions. Buyers will be able to find out more and apply for site inspections at the TCEB sponsored roadshows on April 2 in Sydney and April 4 in Melbourne.