Lulu Fox brings extensive experience in the tourism industry and vast knowledge of Perth’s hospitality market, having previously held the position of Director of Sales at the Hyatt Regency in Perth. Luke Deayton joins the Capri by Fraser team with 18 years of sales experience under his belt and a long history in the tourism sector working for hotel groups such as Mantra and Oaks.
W Hotels, part of Marriott International, is pleased to announce the appointment of Haldon Philp as General Manager of the highly anticipated W Brisbane. Slated to open in early 2018, W Brisbane marks the re-entry of W Hotels into Australia, bringing a new interpretation of modern luxury to the city. Haldon is an experienced hotelier, with over 22 years experience working for premium hotels, predominantly with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which merged with Marriott International in 2016. Most recently, Haldon managed the successful opening of Sheraton Melbourne Hotel, leading the team to win various awards, including Australasia’s Leading New Hotel at the 21st Annual World Travel Awards, 2014. Prior to this, Haldon was the Deputy General Manager for The St. Regis Doha, where he led the opening of the 336 room hotel. The property was awarded Middle East Leading New Hotel, Qatar’s Leading New Hotel and the World’s Leading New Hotel at the 2012 World Travel Awards. Haldon joined The St. Regis Doha team from China, where he was Hotel Manager for The St. Regis Shanghai and managed all 350 associates to ensure the smooth operation of the 328 room hotel.
Matthew Knight, General Manager of Mantra Aqueous on Port in Port Douglas, will soon relocate to Brisbane to become the General Manager of Mantra on Mary. Matthew has a wealth of experience across Mantra Group and is a great addition to the team.
Troy Fettes, currently General Manager at Mantra Sierra Grand, will be the Building Manager of the new-build FV by Peppers, Brisbane (opening in August 2017). Troy has held several senior roles within Manta Group, with previous experience as Building Manager for Peppers Broadbeach.
Staff at Brisbane's nine Mantra Group hotels are getting inquisitive in readiness for the World Science Festival Brisbane from March 22 to 26, 2017. Mantra Group, Queensland's largest hotel and resort operator, is providing accommodation as part of a partnership with the Festival - a five-day celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
Luxury property developer GURNER™ has announced the successful sale of the building management rights to its landmark $600m 'FV' project in Brisbane to Mantra Group's high-end 'Peppers' brand.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) and Pointcorp, have signed a management agreement for a new build Hotel Indigo, to be located in Brisbane's cultural and creative heartbeat – Fortitude Valley. The 140-room hotel on 458 Brunswick Street is the first Hotel Indigo signing for Australia and New Zealand and is due to open in 2020.
Queensland's premier centre for live performance, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), has teamed up with Mantra Hotels, Resorts and Apartments in a three-year deal which will see Mantra become QPAC's 'Preferred Accommodation Partner'.
Brisbane's growing reputation as a New World City has been reinforced on 17 August with Banyan Tree Executive Chairman Ho Kwon Ping and Lord Mayor Graham Quirk officially launching the group's first ever Banyan Tree project in Australia.
Swiss-Belhotel International has named industry veteran Dinah-Louise Marrs as General Manager for the launch of Swiss-Belhotel Brisbane. Mrs. Marrs brings a wealth of experience to the role having worked in key positions in the hospitality industry in Australia and Thailand over a distinguished 20-year career.
Mr Francis will support Mr Whitbread in his role of Senior Marketing Systems and Data Specialist. A highly skilled CRM consultant, Mr Francis previously worked at the University of Queensland in the capacity of Advancement Systems Application Administrator. In his new position, he will be responsible for building and maintaining a business intelligence data warehouse and reporting system that will allow the marketing team to gain critical business insights.
In the digital space, Mr Bealey will assume the role of Digital Marketing Manager, which will see him work closely with Oaks Hotels & Resorts’ dynamic online team as the company prepares to launch its new website and booking engine. With a strong agency background, most recently as Digital Marketing Manager at Martin and Martin Advertising (MaMA), Mr Bealey holds a wealth of digital marketing experience and is well versed in developing and implementing tailored online marketing strategies.
Ms Hewerdine meanwhile joins Oaks Hotels & Resorts as Marketing and Partnerships Manager, after leaving her three-year post at Stockland as Marketing Manager where she successfully developed and led local and national marketing strategies for the company’s retail portfolio. Now she will work collaboratively with Oaks Hotels & Resorts’ Director of Marketing and Brand Loyalty to further evolve the brand and manage its marketing, advertising and partnerships.
Based out of Oaks Hotels & Resorts’ Brisbane office, Mr Deayton brings more than 10 years of high-level business development and sales experience to the position of Area Director of Sales – Regional Queensland, and joins Oaks Hotels & Resorts after serving as Business Development Manager – Commercial at Greyhound Australia. His appointment is reflective of the company’s commitment to bolstering its already-strong presence in the Queensland market, where it currently has 22 properties and its largest room inventory. Mr Deayton will oversee key Australian and international accounts and direct the company’s sales initiatives for its regional Queensland portfolio.
Michael Daviss has been appointed to the position of General Manager, Pullman Brisbane King George Square. Michael joined AccorHotels in 1999 and has held numerous operational roles across Darwin, Sydney and Brisbane. In 2013, Michael was appointed General Manager, Novotel Sydney Parramatta before moving to his most recent role as General Manager, Novotel Sydney Central.
Since announcing a progressive five-year growth strategy earlier this year, leading accommodation provider Oaks Hotels & Resorts, a division of Thai-based Minor Hotel Group, has added another new property to its growing network, today launching Oaks Woolloongabba in Brisbane. The opening takes Oaks Hotels & Resorts' Brisbane inventory to over 1,400 guest rooms, and over 6,000 in total across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.Signaling the 10th Brisbane property under Oaks Hotels & Resorts' management, the new-build Oaks Woolloongabba – developed by local Brisbane group Majella – delivers a contemporary and convenient accommodation base positioned on the fringe of the CBD in Brisbane's inner south.Costing an estimated $47 million to build, the 80-key serviced apartment tower features a collection of brand new, modern one and two bedroom apartments, defined by contemporary décor, generous living and dining areas, spacious kitchens with stainless steel appliances, laundry facilities, study nooks and private balconies. Oaks Woolloongabba will connect guests with Brisbane's key business, health, education, entertainment and dining precincts, offering corporate travellers and holidaymakers a stylish new accommodation choice on the popular southern side of the Brisbane River.Guests will enjoy a range of resort-style leisure facilities, including a sky-high 20 metre, three-lane lap pool surrounded by timber sun loungers, plus barbeque facilities, two spas and a steam room atop a rooftop terrace boasting city views.Located in the heart of one of Brisbane's most progressive southern suburbs, Oaks Woolloongabba is central to the Brisbane Cricket Ground, known as 'The Gabba', as well as the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Mater Hospitals, and Lady Cilento Children's Hospital. Also within easy reach is Brisbane's premier cultural and lifestyle destination, South Bank – home to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Queensland Museum and over 17 hectares of landscaped parklands and aquatic attractions. A host of world-class eateries, market and boutique shopping, and premier entertainment venues are also located close by to the property.Chief Operations Officer of Oaks Hotels & Resorts, Mr Mike Anderson, commented, "We are pleased to add Oaks Woolloongabba to our growing property network, which currently includes 53 central city hotels and idyllically located resorts across Australia and overseas. This opening not only marks a milestone 10th Brisbane property for Oaks Hotels & Resorts, but also further strengthens our position as a leading provider in the Australian accommodation sector. "Our growth strategy will see us continue to evolve and seek out new management and acquisition opportunities in key CBD, resort and regional destinations, and the launch of Oaks Woolloongabba, in particular, reflects our commitment to the domestic market, in addition to exploring further opportunities overseas. We look forward to announcing additional properties to join our portfolio over the course of the year," he said.Oaks Woolloongabba is located just five kilometres from Brisbane's CBD, a 20-minute drive from the Brisbane Domestic and International Airport and 10 minutes from the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.For more information on Oaks Woolloongabba and to book, please visit www.oakshotels.com
In a move representative of the future of Brisbane's accommodation market, last week saw Mantra Richmont Hotel open its doors. Its location in Kennigo Street in Brisbane's Spring Hill, means it is close enough to the city to enjoy the vibrancy of the CBD and yet provides personalised, boutique accommodation.
An experienced and passionate hospitality professional, Mr Zietek brings a wealth of insight into the local market to his role with the opening team of Rydges’ newest hotel, located within the historically rich Brisbane Showgrounds precinct.
With more than 20 years of experience at top restaurants and hotels in Australia and Europe – including four years spent with Rydges Melbourne – Mr Trucco joins the opening team with a vision to set a new benchmark for outstanding dining in the progressive riverside city.
Starwood’s Sales Organisation, Brisbane