Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development Hon Warren Truss MP has revealed that a new Pullman and ibis hotel will be built at Brisbane Airport’s Domestic Terminal Precinct as part of a new $150 million development project.
Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, which operates both the Pullman and ibis brands, welcomed the announcement which will see the construction of the first 5-star hotel for Brisbane Airport in addition to a 3.5 star ibis hotel to accompany the adjoining Brisbane Airport Conference & Meeting Centre.
The Pullman Brisbane Airport will include 130 rooms including 2 Presidential Suites, 10 Junior Suites and 45 Executive Rooms. A freeform leisure pool with a 20 metre lap pool, poolside daybeds and pergolas will be available for guests relaxing in transit or waiting for a flight. The hotel will feature 24-hour room service for the convenience of its transit and regular guests, plus a lobby lounge bar catering for up to 60 guests, restaurant with seating for up to 152 patrons, and private dining room for a maximum of 12 people for more intimate events. A top floor executive club lounge and bar, business centre and executive gym will be available in addition to a poolside dining and entertainment area to maximise on the dramatic view beneath the flight path.
The ibis Brisbane Airport will offer 243 rooms including 99 Superior rooms. An alfresco indoor/outdoor restaurant catering to 160 diners is being constructed, in addition to a ground floor indoor/outdoor bar for 100 patrons, a cafe, bar and takeaway facility, and roof top bar and lounge catering for up to 150 people.
Catering for up to 600 people at any one time and covering some 735m2, the Brisbane Airport Conference & Meeting Centre (the hotels’ joint central conference, meeting and event space) includes a 300 seat pillar-less Ballroom, 8 medium to large conference rooms and four executive boardrooms. Other facilities include an open air terrace breakout area, a business centre and cloakroom.
The new Pullman and Ibis development is owned by Brisbane based property specialists, the Flynn Property Group and Scott Flynn Properties, who first developed the Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel in 2009.
Owner and developer Anthony Flynn said, “Following on from the success of the Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel, we are pleased to again work with the Accor group to brand and operate these next two important hotels in our Brisbane Airport hotel network.”
The project is expected to create 1000 jobs during the construction phase, and employ between 300 to 350 people ongoing at the Pullman and ibis hotels when open.
Construction is set to commence on 1 February 2015 for an expected opening on 1 November 2016.
Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer for Accor Pacific, said the hotel development project is a strategic step in the economic growth of Brisbane.
“With passenger numbers through the international and domestic terminals in Brisbane expected grow to 38 million per year in the next 20 years, Accor is excited to be involved from the ground level in this forward thinking project which will strengthen the local tourism economy,” said Mr McGrath. “It reflects the broader vision behind Brisbane Airport’s master plan, while reinforcing Accor’s reputation as Australia’s leading and most accessible accommodation operator working across economy and midscale segments through to upscale and luxury markets.”
“Worldwide, Accor is an airport hotel specialist and we continue to innovate and lead in this sector. Pullman and ibis will add to the existing Novotel and ibis Budget airport hotels at Brisbane Airport and expand our product offering, to cover the full spectrum of the hotel market from economy to upscale, proving more accommodation options and greater choice for domestic and international travellers.”
Brisbane Airport directly contributes approximately $3.3 billion to the Queensland economy. As the sole hotel operator located at the Brisbane Airport precinct and immediate surrounds, Accor’s hotel network currently includes an ibis Budget and Novotel hotel at Skygate Brisbane Airport. The Novotel hotel has welcomed more than 350,000 guests to stay since its launch, and has played host to some 4500 conferences, meetings and events.
When the Pullman Brisbane Airport hotel opens in 2016, it will join Australia’s fastest growing 5-star hotel network and leading brand in the business events sector. Pullman has established itself as the largest network of upscale hotels in Asia Pacific with more than 45 hotels across the region and counting. In Australia, the Pullman network has recently expanded to 12 hotels and resorts representing over nine locations.
The ibis Brisbane Airport will join Accor’s rapidly expanding network of more than 60 economy hotels under the ibis, ibis Styles and ibis ’megabrand’ available across Australia. Ibis a global leader in economy hotels with more than 1000 hotels in 59 countries.
