Futuristic: Adina Apartment Hotel Royal Randwick Racecourse

BY JAMES WILKINSON

Toga Hospitality has signed an agreement with the Australian Turf Club (ATC) to manage a futuristic track-fronting 170-room hotel at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

Construction is set to commence on the $80 million hotel in late 2012, with a planned opening date of 2014 in line with the completion of Royal Randwick’s new grandstand.

“Very few new Sydney hotels have been developed in recent years,” said Australian Turf Club Chairman John Cornish. “Our research shows there is strong demand for rooms to service the needs of visitors to the event precinct of Royal Randwick and its surrounding neighbours which includes the Eastern Suburbs beach precincts.

“On race days we will be able to accommodate our intrastate, interstate and international visitors trackside, which will be highly valued during Carnivals.

“Our growing non-raceday meetings, conference and events business will be greatly enhanced with onsite accommodation and additional conference facilities just a few kilometres from the Sydney Airport, Sydney CBD and Bondi Beach,” he said.

The property is one of four upcoming hotels for Toga in Sydney, with apartment hotels under construction in Bondi Beach, Mascot and Norwest in a boost to the city’s accommodation bank.

“Toga Hotels opened its very first hotel in Randwick exactly 30 years ago [and] we are thrilled to play a role in a new era for the area, supporting the Australian Turf Club’s vision of creating Sydney’s premier racing and entertainment destination,” said Toga Group’s Managing Director, Allan Vidor.

“The Adina Apartment Hotel brand will be an ideal fit for Sydney’s racing heartland, offering serious levels of space and a commitment to contemporary design.

“Guests will feel immediately at home with separate lounge rooms, bedrooms, fully equipped kitchens and laundries along with lifestyle facilities such as a gym, pool and restaurant.

“For those wanting to experience the excitement of trackside action, many rooms will feature balconies with views toward the winning post.

“Adina Royal Randwick Racecourse will fill a gap with accommodation and lifestyle facilities in this dynamic precinct that is the home to the sport of kings,” he said.

To be located at the end of the racecourse’s main straight on Allison Road, the hotel will offer views not just of the finishing post, but over Centennial Park through to the Sydney CBD.

The hotel will be located along Alison Road at the end of the main straight, with spectacular views over the racetrack towards the winning post and across Centennial Park to the city skyline.

A rooftop poolside bar will be another key feature of the hotel, which has been welcomed by the New South Wales Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing, George Souris.

“This magnificent facility on the edge of Sydney’s CBD, is much needed, providing much needed accommodation, conference space, restaurants and facilities for racing participants,” he said.

“The hotel development will greatly complement the current redevelopment of Royal Randwick which will make it the envy of the thoroughbred racing world with the most modern, state-of-the-art facilities.

“Royal Randwick is situated on the doorstep of Australia’s global city and this extensive rebuilding and much needed hotel project will not only benefit race day crowds, but position Sydney to leverage fresh tourism and visitation with the new purpose-built sporting, recreation and event facilities,” Souris said.

Tourism Accommodation Australia’s Carol Giuseppi said the new property is a “perfect example of a hotel that can be sustained by tourism demand”.

“It is designed specifically to appeal to racegoers, has its target patronage in mind and so is exactly the kind of new facility this city needs,” she said. “We only need new hotels that can be sustained by demand and that is the case here.

“I expect the new Adina Royal Randwick Racecourse will also prove popular with visitors to the nearby University of NSW and other nearby sporting and entertainment facilities.”