Geelong hotel boast as global player doubles rooms in CBD

Crowne Plaza is a key part of the Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

IHG Hotels & Resorts will become the biggest global accommodation provider in Geelong within three years as plans for the city’s convention and exhibition centre take shape.

IHG is bringing its Crowne Plaza brand to Corio Bay with a 200-room hotel at the Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre, due to open in 2026.

A consortium including Plenary Group, Built, architects Woods Bagot, property management company BGIS and Quintessential Equity to deliver the landmark project, a private-public partnership partly funded under the Geelong City Deal.

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The 200-room hotel is expected to include suites up to 57sq m, an extensive restaurant and bar offering, as well as a pool and gym.

The hotel will be connected to the convention and exhibition centre with its 1000-seat venue and events facilities, bit will itself feature meeting spaces.

IHG’s first entry into the Geelong market is expected to open in September, with the 180-room Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong.

Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The five-star Ryrie St hotel is the anchor tenant in the 14-storey Geelong Quarter project recently completed by Franze Developments.

IHG’s suburban and regional expansion in Victoria also seen it add Holiday Inn Dandenong earlier in the year, Holiday Inn Werribee in 2021 and InterContinental Sorrento in 2022.

It will also open six new hotels in Greater Melbourne in the next 12 months under the Crowne Plaza, voco, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn brands.

Joining IHG in the Geelong accommodation rush is Quest, which is expected to open Quest Central Geelong within a matter of weeks at a landmark Gheringhap St site.

Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Developer Pellicano and partners Quest and builders Ireland Brown celebrated topping out the 40m building in March, revealing a target opening around August.

Cameron Burke, IHG Hotels & Resorts’ director of development for Australasia and Pacific, said the convention centre precinct was an incredibly exciting development.

“We will be delighted to be part of a precinct that will become a crown jewel for the city of Geelong,” he said.

Geelong Quarter development at 44 Ryrie St has been completed. It includes the Holiday Inn Geelong hotel and suites and Ryrie Home apartments. Picture: Alan Barber

“The addition of Crowne Plaza to Geelong would help capture visitation from both corporate and leisure travellers alike and serve as a strong endorsement to the pipeline of growth opportunities we’re currently experiencing throughout metropolitan and regional markets.

“With the opening of Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong also imminent, we’re excited at the prospect of becoming the largest global operator in Geelong and to maintaining our accelerated growth trajectory across Australia.”

Plenary Group chair John O’Rourke said the project provides a great opportunity for the Geelong region to add to its reputation as a leading regional city and a tourism, business events and retail destination, creating local job opportunities.