Ground Broken on New Melbourne Airport hotel

Key points

• Dual-branded 464-room hotel operating under the Novotel and ibis Styles’ brands.
• 120 job opportunities created when open.
• 450 jobs created during construction.
• Total project cost $163 million.

 
The first sod was turned today on the construction of a brand new hotel at Melbourne Airport to support growing traveller numbers and address constraints in the supply of hotel accommodation on airport.
 
The 464-room hotel, created to serve Melbourne’s burgeoning conference and tourism markets, will be conveniently located steps from Terminal 4 within a brand new precinct known as ‘The Hive’.
 
The 10-storey hotel will be dual-branded operating under the Novotel and ibis Styles’ brands rated four and three stars respectively, offering guests gym and pool facilities, a café, bar and restaurant plus conference room facilities.
 
Melbourne Airport’s Chief of Property Linc Horton said the project represents the airport’s latest milestone in supporting the state as it moves toward becoming Australia’s biggest city.
 
“It is really exciting to bring such a great new hotel concept to one of the great travel destinations in Australia – Melbourne, giving travellers more choice and amenity,” said Mr Horton.
 
“We believe this new development will bring a much needed social hub to our space bringing visitors and business colleagues together on the doorstep of the airport with access to more than 650 flights per day.”
 
“Importantly, it will also open up around 120 job opportunities for hospitality and tourism staff – a huge boost for the City of Hume.”
 
Simon McGrath, Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer, said: “Worldwide, Accor is an airport hotel specialist and we continue to innovate and lead in this sector.
 
“We are excited to be working with Melbourne Airport on this significant development and thrilled to be embarking on another dual-branded hotel complex with our internationally recognised Novotel and ibis Styles brands. This newest member of the Accor Group is a vibrant airport precinct development, which captures the essence of Melbourne through its interiors and warm welcome to guests.
 
“With more than 650 flights in and out of Melbourne Airport every day, we’re confident that this hotel will quickly become a new destination in itself for passengers, offering easy access to a choice of great accommodation, amenities and state-of-the-art conferencing, just steps away from Terminal 4.”
 
Built Director Vic & SA, Ross Walker said Built was excited to be selected by Melbourne Airport to construct the project.
 
“This project is well suited to our combined hotel and airport experience in Victoria and nationally. To ensure the project runs smoothly we are deploying advanced virtual design and construction technology that will allow us to identify and avoid issues early in the construction process through virtual modelling,” he said.
 
The dual-branded hotel will open in 2021.The hotel is the first major development to kick-start the airport’s Hive precinct, which will also feature a childcare facility to cater to the airport’s 20,000 strong workforce as well as office space ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 square metres.