NH Hotels has been revealed as the soon-to-be operators of a new lifestyle hotel currently under construction in Wollongong, with the management deal bringing the brand to Australia for the first time.
The hotel, developed by Held Property and Next Group, is to be located in Burelli Street in the Wollongong CBD and was first revealed by HM late last year. At the time, final negotiations were underway with an international lifestyle brand with a “strong corporate appeal”. The upscale NH Hotels global portfolio currently consists of 243 properties across Europe and Latin America.
NH Hotel Wollongong will feature 240 guest rooms, fitness centre and an all-day restaurant and bar featuring international cuisine and an alfresco dining area. Multiple conference and event facilities will be available to meeting and event planners, each fitted with the latest technology, along with co-working spaces. Facilities within walking distance of the new hotel will be WIN Stadium, public transport links and stretches of local beaches.
Minor Hotels Australia and New Zealand Chief Operating Officer, Craig Hooley, said he was pleased to be introducing the trusted and reputable NH Hotels brand into Australia.
“A high-profile brand throughout Europe, Latin America and Africa, we are confident that NH Hotels’ easy-going, urban and fresh service offering will be very well received in the Australian market,” he said.
The introduction of the corporate-led NH Hotels brand comes during a major period of reinvention for the city, which has outlined an intention to significantly increase the variety and availability of corporate office space in the coming years.
“We were eager to launch NH Hotel in Wollongong due to the exciting overhaul of the city centre, which is currently taking place in line with Wollongong Council’s commitment to grow commercial office space by 120,000 square metres by 2036,” Hooley added.
“Burelli Street is set to be transformed to a premium commercial street, with 10,500 new jobs expected to be created in the region.”
The signing of NH Hotel Wollongong sees the brand double its Australian pipeline, adding to a newbuild development announced last year as the first NH branded property in Australia. The Sydney CBD property is due to be flagged under the upper-upscale NH Hotels Collection brand and will be open in the second half of 2023, around the same time as Wollongong.
Cre8tive Property Managing Director, Andrew Taylor, said it was a pleasure to work with the owners and NH Hotels to introduce the brand to Australia.
“We are confident that the property will be an exceptional addition to Wollongong’s burgeoning corporate hub,” he said.