How Brisbane's newest hotel is appealing to travellers in the age of Airbnb
Hotels are placing greater emphasis on design and local connections to recapture the market in their battle against Airbnb and other alternative accommodation.
One of the newest hotels to hit the scene in Brisbane, Ovolo Hotels Inchcolm, is tapping into this demand for experience-based travel, and the heritage-listed building is showcasing its connection with the area’s past.
Relaunched in April, the property at 73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, had been operating as a hotel for the past 20 years.
The heritage-listed building has a rich medical history. Photo: Supplied
The new 50-room hotel draws inspiration from the heritage of the building and Wickham Terrace, which has been known as a medical precinct for nearly a century.
The operators have brought this history back to life with the inclusion of the Cabinet of Curiosity as one of their central design features. The cabinet is a display of quirky objects, many with links to the history of the building or local area, such as the old medical prescriptions from local physicians.
Another heritage feature is the shell of the original lift of the building, shipped from New York State in the 1920s, which was retained and restored with a new motor.
Heritage features of the old hotel have been kept. Photo: Supplied
A dark romantic vibe can be felt through the decor. Photo: Supplied
Hassell’s Shelley Gabriel, who headed up the design of the hotel’s interior, said their vision was to combine the old and the new with a focus on heritage details and the use of art.
“The design creates a journey of discovery each and every time guests return to the hotel. It gives a nostalgic (and) romantic feeling by celebrating the unique history of the building.”
The Spring Hill site was owned by an army surgeon and colonel, Dr John Thomson, in the 1880s, who built his home and private practice there.
The current neo-Georgian building was constructed in the 1920s as a property for medical specialists, replacing the Thomson residence. It became a part of the interwar redevelopment of the medical strip in Spring Hill, two kilometres north of Brisbane’s CBD.
The history of the neo-Georgian building is probably something guests can’t enjoy through Airbnb. Photo: Supplied
Ovolo’s Australian chief operating officer Dave Baswal said the brand’s focus on local culture was partly because of travellers’ growing demand for experiences.
“There is no doubt the rise of the sharing economy has impacted the hotel industry, with Australian travellers increasingly looking for accommodation that provides richer cultural experiences,” Mr Baswal said.
“In a way, this approach is driven by the movement towards more personal experiences we have seen since the arrival of the likes of Airbnb, but also by insight-led innovation and a belief in putting the customer at the centre of our business.”
The hotel rooms come with free yoga mats. Photo: Supplied
The use of shared of accommodation grew at 9.6 per cent in 2017, which was faster than traditional hotels’ rate of 5.6 per cent, a Deloitte Access Economics report released in March found.
Ovolo Hotels has been active in the sunshine state this year, purchasing the Emporium Hotel in Fortitude Valley for $40 million in January.
The hotel group acquired the Wickham Terrace hotel, previously the Accor-operated New Inchcolm Hotel & Suites, for $16.5 million in June 2017 from Brisbane businessman Peter Flynn.
Based in Hong Kong, Ovolo Hotels has six hotels across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
