SYDNEY—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has signed an agreement with Spotlight Group Holdings Pty Ltd to debut the Aloft brand in Melbourne, Australia. Slated to open in early 2019, the new-build 176-room hotel will form the centerpiece of a state-of-the-art mixed-use development located at 402 Chapel St. in South Yarra, known as “402 Chapel,” designed by international architect Tim Kobe from the design firm, Eight Inc.
“Together with Spotlight Group Holdings we’re delighted to bring the first Aloft hotel to the city of Melbourne. The brand continues to experience rapid growth globally and locally here in Australia, where we currently have two Aloft hotels under construction in Adelaide and Perth,” said Sean Hunt, VP of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Pacific. “The Aloft brand and its ‘different by design’ approach is the perfect match for a vibrant and sophisticated city like Melbourne, where there is a growing demand for affordable yet stylish tech-forward hotels.”
Aloft Melbourne South Yarra will be near the city’s restaurant, bar and arts scene, as well as the central business district and transportation network. Other nearby attractions include Melbourne’s beachside suburb, St Kilda; Melbourne Cricket Ground; and Prahran Market.
“We are excited to partner with Starwood to debut the Aloft brand in Victoria. Our mixed-use development will include ground floor retail tenancies, first floor commercial, conference facilities, 40 exclusive residences and urban-inspired hotel accommodations featuring a rooftop pool, bar and restaurant, which will create a hip, new social hub on South Yarra’s fashionable and buzzing Chapel Street,” said Zac Fried, deputy chairman, Spotlight Group Holdings. “While we considered various more traditional hotel options for the site, we were drawn to Aloft’s tech-forward DNA. No other brand caters to the evolving global traveller like Aloft Hotels.”
The hotel will eature a rooftop terrace, swimming pool, parking facilities and 940 sq. ft. of function rooms, all equipped with the latest generation of audio-visual hardware, according to the brand.
Aloft Melbourne South Yarra joins Starwood’s portfolio of 29 hotels in the Pacific, including 17 operating hotels and another 12 in the pipeline, with Aloft Perth Rivervale and Aloft Adelaide set to open in 2017 and 2018, respectively.