Holiday Inn to be Geelong’s first new hotel in 20 years

Geelong’s first new hotel in nearly two decades is set to open in 2020 following a deal with global hotel brand Holiday Inn.

International accommodation group InterContinental announced it has signed a 20-year management agreement to open and operate the 190-bed property at 44 Ryrie St, Geelong.

The hotel will include an all-day dining restaurant and bar, swimming pool, gym, parking and a 300sq m of meeting facilities, including a function room for 250 people.

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The property, which was home to John Orchard Furniture and was previously an intercity bus depot, is the site of a $200 million hotel and mixed use project from Melbourne-based firm Franzé Developments.

The property will be IHG’s first Holiday Inn hotel in Australia that will include 40 suites targeting the longer stay segment of the tourism market.

The Advertiser revealed in April that Franzé Developments had bought CBD site for $7 million.

Franzé Developments had bought the property from Quintessential Equity, which made an unsuccessful bid to build an office tower to house the National Disability Insurance Agency headquarters.

The new project is described as Geelong’s largest mixed-use development with a gross floor area of more than 33,000sqm, including about 10,000sqm of retail and office space, 24 modern residences, co-working space and the flagship hotel.

Geelong’s Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites will be the city’s first new hotel in almost 20 years.

Franzé Developments managing director Paul Franzé says there is room in Geelong for more quality hotels.

“Geelong welcomes around 2.2 million overnight visitors annually, but is dramatically under-represented by quality hotels,” Franzé says.

“The Holiday Inn brand is known and loved by travellers all around the world, so I can’t imagine a better fit for a world-class city like Geelong.

“With a prime CBD location in proximity to the station, hospital, university, offices and government entities, I am confident that Holiday Inn and Suites Geelong is going to be a story of success.”

Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine executive officer Roger Grant says a reputable brand like Holiday Inn lifts the legitimacy of Geelong as a genuine tourism destination.

“We’re delighted that a hotel of that style and scale is coming to fruition,” he says.

Geelong’s hotel market has been shared between Rydges and Novotel, while new players entered the serviced accommodation segment with the Vue Apartments in Bellerine St, Quest on The Esplanade South, and The Devlin on Moorabool St.

IHG Australasia & Japan chief operating officer Karin Sheppard says nine Holiday Inn hotels are in the pipeline in Australia, mainly in large cities and airport locations.

“Now we are thrilled that forward-looking owners like Franzé Developments see even further opportunities for affordable, enjoyable hotels in satellite cities like Geelong.”

This article from the Geelong Advertiser was originally published as “Holiday Inn signs deal for 190-bed hotel and suites in Geelong”.