InterContinental is bringing voco to the Yarra Valley

InterContinental is bringing voco to the Yarra Valley
By Alexandra Coulton


Entrepreneur Martyn Barnes’ new Yarra Valley property will become the second Australian property signed under IHG’s new voco brand!

 

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One of Australia’s premier wine regions, the Yarra Valley has become famous for its chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as for bringing big-name artists like Robbie Williams, Stevie Nicks and John Farnham to perform at Rochford Wines’ annual Day on the Green concert series.

The trouble is it’s never had a great hotel to welcome its visitors after a day of wine tasting and music.

Honestly, though, they had us at wine.

“IHG launched voco in June with the first signing for the brand in Australia, and we are so pleased to see the brand momentum continue here with the second signing,” Abhijay Sandilya, IHG’s Senior Director of Development – Australasia said.

“voco delivers a guest experience that stands out, with touches of charm and memorable, distinctive and dependable hallmarks, so we can’t think of a better partner for this new hotel than Martyn Barnes.”

“The signing of voco Yarra Valley continues IHG’s ambition to take our brands into regional markets, including suburban micro-markets close to Australian capital cities.”

The 170-room new-build hotel will open in 2021 with some seriously cool touches like an on-site gin distillery, a lavender farm, mirrored maze, an amphitheatre cut from natural ground and a provedore that serves and sells local Yarra Valley produce.

It will also feature large conference and meeting facilities, a gym, bars that draw on the best of their surroundings, an onsite family restaurant and kids’ entertainment facilities making it perfect for both weekday MICE travellers, weekend leisure guests and families.

The building itself will be a quirky design that will stand out to anyone passing by, rising to 6 storeys at one end and tapering to 1 storey at the opposite end, and will also include 20 cabins for a more intimate Yarra Valley experience.

“As one of Australia’s premier wine regions, the last thing people want when they arrive in Yarra Valley is a vanilla experience,” Martyn Barnes, Managing Director at Barnes Capital said.

“That’s why voco is the perfect fit, giving business and leisure guests a great, globally-branded, upscale hotel that guests can depend on, but that’s different enough to be fun.”

“I’m excited to work with IHG to open voco Yarra Valley, building on our partnership that will also see us opening Holiday Inn Melbourne Coburg in 2020. Watch this space, because we have more to come.”

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