Veriu Group officials, including CEO, Zed Sanjana, have joined developer Panthera Group and Maitland Mayor, Philip Penfold, to turn the first sods of the company’s first Punthill property in regional New South Wales.

Sanjana said the announcement has been met with excitement by Maitland residents, with the new Punthill Maitland the first hotel brand slated to open in the town in more than a decade.

He said the development also kicks off the Veriu Group’s ambitious expansion plan to roll out the successful Punthill apartment hotel accommodation model in regional NSW, with a number of other regional openings scheduled for the coming years.

The arrival of the Victorian-based operator is expected to provide a much welcome boost to the Hunter Valley’s tourism industry, which is currently experiencing a resurgence in post-pandemic travellers.

Construction on Punthill Maitland is now underway, with the property expected to open in late 2023.

Sanjana said the 76-key apartment hotel is located in the heart of Maitland’s High Street commercial hub and it will feature conference facilities, a gymnasium and café, and will cater to both the corporate and leisure travel market.

An innovator in the boutique hotel and micro-apartment space, the Veriu Group last week also announced the opening of its first Sydney Punthill property, Punthill Norwest, in the bustling Norwest business precinct, following the takeover of an existing Adina hotel.

Sanjana said more announcements about the opening of new Punthill apartment hotels at various sites in both metropolitan and regional NSW, are expected from the Veriu Group in the coming weeks.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management