Next Story Group has acquired a new-build hotel at 167 City Road in Melbourne’s vibrant waterfront hub of Southbank, with the site set to be the home of a 16-storey, 162-room property under the company’s LinQ Hotels brand.

The project is scheduled to open on September 1, 2019 and after a complete fit-out, the hotel will deliver a guest experience that is reflective of the Group’s upper midscale LinQ Hotels brand from November 1, 2019.

This will be the Group’s first hotel under its LinQ Hotels brand, which offers “unconventional independent hospitality for the next generation of travellers and delivers a hassle-free experience and offers a great base to explore the destination”, according to Next Story Group.

Next Story Group’s acquisition further reinforces the importance of Australia as a key market where most of its hotel portfolio is located.

It is also aligned with Next Story Group’s expansion plans, which focus on strategic growth in Australia, South East Asia and South Asia.

“This latest addition to our hotel portfolio has a superb location, right in the heart of Melbourne’s Southbank precinct,” said Next Hotels & Resorts CEO, Darren Edmonstone.

“We are excited about the opening of the LinQ Hotel in Melbourne which is famous for its year-round calendar of social, sporting, arts and cultural events.

“Coupled with the unique value proposition of our LinQ Hotels brand, we are confident that our new property will be able to deliver strong trading performance.”

Representing the Group’s three core brands, the LinQ Hotel Melbourne Southbank will complement the Next Hotel Melbourne at 80 Collins Street, which is slated to open in Q2 2020 and the Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood, which has been in operations for over a year.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management