Schwartz Family Company has acquired Leura Gardens Resort in New South Wales’ Blue Mountains region for AU$25 million from the Elanor Hotel Accommodation Fund. As the 15th hotel in the Schwartz network, Leura Gardens Resort joins the company’s award-winning Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains and Leura Golf Club, all within a few minutes’ drive of each other, and strengthens its position as a premier leisure and conference provider in the region. “The Blue Mountains is Sydney’s holiday playground and one of the most popular destinations for weddings, retreats, leisure groups, conferences and events ..read more

Independent hotel management company, Trilogy Hotels, is expanding its team with the appointment of five experienced executives to its leadership team. Shaizeen Contractor has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer; Mardi Sparrow joins as Chief People Officer; Ben Salter has been named Director of Distribution and Systems; Josie Hungerford has been appointed Director of Growth; and Corporate Affairs and Amanda Warner takes up the role of Corporate Support Manager. Bringing over 20 years of industry experience, Shaizeen Contractor was previously Senior Commercial Director of Australasia at Hil ..read more

Elanor Hotels has expanded its regional accommodation offering with the recent launch of an eco-friendly and pet-friendly glamping experience, Mudgee Retreats. Located within the 30-acre Parklands Resort Mudgee – a 3.5-hour drive from Sydney – Mudgee Retreats encompasses 15 design-led canvas tents featuring luxurious four-poster king size beds, private ensuites and an outdoor deck. A curated selection of local gourmet treats is available to guests, as well as continental breakfast, which is delivered to the door. Retreat guests also have access to a private tennis court, indoor pool, fitness ..read more

Budget optimisation and biophilic design will be among the key items under discussion at this year’s Design Inn Symposium, taking place on Tuesday April 30 at SkyCity Adelaide. With high costs continuing to impact hotel design and construction, Design Inn panelists will explore how to get the best results from their projects – from new builds to refurbishments. View the full program and register now Speaking exclusively to HM ahead of his interview at the conference on Tuesday, Accor’s Global Chief Design, Technical Services and Innovation for PME, Damien Perrot, said creativity should not be ..read more

NH Hotel Group shareholders have voted to change the company’s registered name to Minor Hotels Europe and Americas, in a bid to strengthen its integration with Minor Hotels. The vote, held at the company’s Annual General Meeting on Friday April 19, follows a move by Minor International (MINT) last year to increase its stake in NH Hotel Group to 95.9%. Responsible for more than 350 properties in 30 countries across both Europe and the Americas, Minor Hotels Europe and Americas will serve as “a single, recognisable corporate identity” for stakeholders and strengthen the global commercial and ope ..read more

Adelaide hotels are reaping the benefit of a number of large-scale events across the city in 2024, according to recent data from CoStar. Events such as the Adelaide Fringe and Santos Tour Down Under are credited with boosting hotel performance in the city, with further jumps expected for upcoming events including LIV Golf and the Asia Pacific Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE Asia Pacific), taking place at the Adelaide Oval on May 1-2. During the Santos Tour Down Under, between January 12-21, hotel occupancy reached 78.1%, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased 11.4 ..read more

Accor is investing in the training and development of young Indigenous people through a new hotel-based training program that aims to provide pathways to careers in the industry. The Accor Indigenous Hotel Traineeship, which launched on Monday April 22, is a full-time 12-month traineeship that covers numerous aspects of hotel operations, with theoretical components delivered by TAFE Queensland. Upon completion, trainees will earn a Certificate III in Hospitality Operations. Designed in collaboration with various community and higher education partners, including Yugambeh Regional Aboriginal C ..read more

Spoil your guests. Not the planet. Discover Australia’s first truly sustainable commercial mattress collection. A collection we are proud to call A.H. Beard Origins. Fully sustainable. Totally blissful. Every component in an A.H. Beard Origins mattress is chosen for its sleep-enhancing qualities, the sustainability of its source and end-of-life recyclability. A.H. Beard Origins mattresses are made using the finest locally sourced wool fibres, fabrics milled from organic cotton and Tencel® – a super soft fibre made from the pulp of sustainably grown eucalypts, and the world’s first 100% recyc ..read more

Marriott International has tasked company veteran Neeraj Govil with driving performance and operations across all 24 brands and 22 markets in Asia Pacific, excluding China (APEC) as Chief Operations Officer for the region. Govil has spent more than 20 years in operational roles with Marriott International across the region, most recently as Senior Vice President Operations/CLS, APEC. In this new role – based in Singapore – Marriott International’s APEC Area Vice Presidents, Managing Director of Luxury, and the Continent Lodging Services (CLS) Team will report to Govil. “Neeraj has an impeccabl ..read more

Holiday Inn hotels across Australia will play host to numerous Lego-themed experiences throughout April and May to mark a new partnership with Nine’s hit tv show Lego Masters Australia. Designed in consultation with Lego Masters Australia season one winners, Henry Pinto and Cade Franklin, the custom-built ‘Holiday Inn-spiration’ sessions will include brick building workshops for families, sip-and-brick sessions over coffees and pancakes, as well as special guest appearances at select locations. In a nod to the Holiday Inn brand colour, a Green Brick hunt will invite guests to find one of 10 hi ..read more