The Bayside Geelong Hotel and Apartments is being almost completely rebuilt in two stages and is set to open next May with a familiar business events identity, Mark Day, as its director of sales and marketing. Day managed Business Events Geelong and was chair of Business Events Victoria before leaving the industry for about two years.
The property is a Choice hotel that will be rebranded into Choice’s boutique collection Ascend.
Day explained to micenet that the original property was built as a motel in 1962 and has been demolished at the rear, allowing 79 new rooms to be built. Meanwhile the front façade with 20 rooms remains to allow some business to be generated during the major works.
The front of the hotel will also be redeveloped into 31 new rooms, some offering uninterrupted water views across the Esplanade.
Day says a lot of effort went into design considerations with an underground carpark allowing one parking space per room with 10 EV charging spots.
Another consideration was to retain some rooms as one and two bedroom apartments for long-stay guests. Ten per cent of the rooms are accessible, including adjoining rooms for carers and a lift from the bedroom into the bathroom.
The hotel has seven meeting rooms for up to 200 standing, with the largest room catering for 140 in banquet as well as a comfortable boardroom for 18.
Day says they are already taking bookings for mid-2025 and will do buyouts for business events clients, such as a buyout of 60 of the 79 rooms that will become available first.
