Hungry for some hospitality news? Ditch your leftover chicken fajita in favour of this freshly-packed Hotel Wrap.

W Brisbane and Lady Elliot Island partner for ‘All Reefed Up’ vacation package

W Brisbane has partnered with Lady Elliot Island to offer a rare opportunity to explore the Great Barrier Reef from the air, land and sea all in one day, with no passport needed for this ultimate island adventure.

The ‘All Reefed Up’ experience includes two nights’ accommodation at W Brisbane with parking and a Great Barrier Reef day tour to Lady Elliot Island.

By day, travellers can check out the reef; by night, stay and play at W Brisbane with cocktails at Living Room Bar or dinner at Three Blue Ducks.

In other news, W Brisbane has launched its ‘Riverside Revelry’ barbecue dining experience at the hotel’s rooftop WET Deck terrace bar.

From $175 per person (with a minimum spend of $3,000), guests can revel riverside with a three-course barbecue menu and three-hour drinks package.

New-look Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour to open in spring

Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour will reopen in spring after an extensive makeover that embraces its French luxury and art-de-vivre heritage with contemporary elegance.

The refurbishment of all facets of Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour, including lobby, reception, bar, café, restaurant and Sofitel Spa is currently underway.

A streetscape café gives a nod to a French café in the heart of Lighter Quay, which Accor said will be “the perfect place” to sit and watch the water and people with coffee or cocktail in hand.

New to the hotel will be the addition of Sofitel’s Club Millésime, comprising an elevated range of privileges, services and rituals for the discerning traveller, including a lounge retreat.

YTL Hotels announces the opening of Higashiyama Niseko Village

YTL Hotels has announced that Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will make its highly-anticipated debut in Niseko, Hokkaido on 15 December 2020, as the 2020/21 winter season unfolds across Japan.

The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Japan, and the first in a ski destination worldwide, the 50-room resort is located at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri in Niseko Village with panoramic views of Mount Yotei and the surrounding mountain ranges.

The resort will offer a world-class gateway to Niseko’s mountains with 2,191 acres of skiable terrain and access to extensive backcountry skiing, unique gastronomy, culture and traditions through its collection of authentic and affluent experiences all-year round.

Luxury amenities include two distinctive restaurants and one lounge, a spa and onsen, and a fitness centre.

NH Collection announces Australian first, with the launch of NH Collection Sydney

Iconic hotel brand, NH Collection, has today announced plans for its expansion into Australia, with the upcoming launch of NH Collection Sydney.

An Australian first for NH Hotel Group’s upper-upscale brand, NH Collection, the new build development is set for completion in 2023 and will be located in a prime position on Wentworth Street in Sydney’s CBD.

Soneva partners with Biogents to introduce sustainable pest management system

Luxury resort Soneva Fushi in the Maldives has found success with an island-wide, insecticide-free mosquito management solution.

According to Soneva Fushi, many of the Maldivian islands can often be prone to large populations of mosquitos, particularly during the monsoon season and as such mosquito-borne illness is a concern for the resort and wider island communities.

While many resorts use chemical fogging to manage the mosquito population, Soneva recently revealed that it has been working with Biogents, a company on the forefront of international mosquito control research, in order to introduce a sustainable, insecticide-free mosquito management system.

The aim of this partnership between Soneva and Biogents is to bring the mosquito population on the island of Kunfunadhoo, the home of Soneva Fushi, down to zero, to show the international community that it is possible to use sustainable insecticide-free alternatives in mosquito control, and to be the first mosquito-free island in the Maldives.

Today, according to Soneva Fushi, the mosquito population has been reduced by around 95 to 98 per cent, with Soneva’s target to eliminate all mosquitos on Kunfunadhoo island by the end of 2020.

Adelaide’s The Playford Hotel brings a silver (tray) lining

Staycations at Adelaide’s boutique five-star The Playford Hotel have a new twist that will add a whole new level of style to travellers’ stay.

The beautiful art-deco style hotel, found on Adelaide’s North Terrace, has turned COVID-19 regulations on their head and guests are the winners.

Faced with restrictions on in-room items, the Playford management have creatively devised a new experience whereby on checking, guests will be provided with their own butler service on hand to deliver room items.

In a service usually reserved for those in penthouses, ‘By Jeeves’ will see all rooms at the Playford M Gallery by Sofitel enjoy the benefit of a white-gloved butler arriving at their door, silver tray in hand with their room requests fulfilled.

Playford Adelaide Staycation bookings will receive a $50 voucher toward food and beverages purchased in house.

Spicers Retreats releases first summer walking program

Following the success of a sell-out inaugural season for the five-day Scenic Rim Trail, Spicers Retreats has released its first summer walk program.

Skip the heat, and helicopter to 1,000 metres above sea level where the temperature hovers around 26 degrees. With high altitude, rainforest canopy and helicopter transfers, summer hiking has never been so appealing.

Start your summer walking adventure with lunch at chef-hatted Homage Restaurant, Spicers Hidden Vale before flying by helicopter to Mount Mistake for your first night. Then spend the next three days walking through some of Australia’s most beautiful landscapes and staying in purpose-built accommodation, including Spicers Retreats’ version of a ‘Spicers’ treehouse.

Finish your experience with a night at Spicers Peak Lodge before your helicopter trip back to Spicers Hidden Vale where, along the way, you will be immersed in stunning views of the Great Dividing Range, Moogerah Dam and the Condamine Gorge.

For more information, click here.

New Meliá Koh Samui appoints Kantima Chompoolad as wellness manager

A professional with more than 15 years of hospitality wellness experience and a passion for motivating her staff has been named Meliá Koh Samui’s wellness manager.

Thai national Kantima Chompoolad joins the 159-room and 41-suite luxury resort, on Koh Samui’s north-eastern coastline in the Gulf of Thailand, after working for a decade as the spa manager at Hansar Samui, another five-star resort on the island.

Chompoolad is now overseeing Meliá Koh Samui’s health and safety measures to combat COVID-19 and YHI Spa’s daily operations, as well as developing new wellness programs and an extensive spa menu.

New Zealand’s first five-green star hotel seeks extraordinary candidates

New Zealand’s first hotel to be certified as five-green star by the New Zealand Green Building Council, Auckland’s The Hotel Britomart, is seeking hospitality professionals in a pre-opening recruitment drive ahead of the property’s 1 October open.

The following operational roles are currently being advertised:

• Maintenance handyperson
• Room attendants
• Night manager
• Housekeeping supervisor
• Houseperson
• Guest service agent
• Finance logistics

The 10-floor The Hotel Britomart, which is part of the TFE Hotels collection, was designed by Cheshire Architects and will contain 99 guest rooms and five luxurious suites.

Stay close to home with new Australian holiday deals from Accor

Accor has released a range of state-by-state accommodation deals for travellers looking to embark on a holiday closer to home.

A range of fully flexible rates are available at a huge range of Accor brands, including SO/, Sofitel, MGallery, Art Series, Pullman, Swissôtel, Grand Mercure, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Novotel, Mercure, Tribe, BreakFree, ibis, ibis Styles and ibis Budget.

For more information, click here.

Paradise Resort Gold Coast set to re-open after massive upgrade

The doors of Paradise Resort Gold Coast are set to reopen on 1 September 2020, with a completely refreshed look and feel.

The Surfers Paradise resort has completed stage one of a multi-faceted upgrade to its public areas, restaurants and recreation facilities.

Guests will be welcomed with a brand-new lobby and reception, with the coastal flavour reflected immediately by a large and colourful aquarium – a signature feature of the hotel’s owner, Dr Jerry Schwartz.

A new games room, guest laundry and retail boutique have been added, along with new food and beverage outlets.

The resort now offers Penguins family restaurant, Jerrys Burgers, Debs Pizza Shack and the Poolside Café and Bar.

Fraser Suites Sydney unveils multi-million-dollar refurbishment

Frasers Hospitality Australia has announced the completion of its multimillion-dollar refurbishment of Fraser Suites Sydney, located in the heart of Sydney mid-town’s shopping and entertainment district.

Fraser Suites Sydney now pairs Sir Norman Foster’s architecture of the 41-storey glass high-rise tower with a new modern luxe aesthetic from designers D’Cruz, the creatives behind the interiors when the property first opened in 2007.

The transformation of all 201 suites, including Deluxe Studio, One Bedroom, Two Bedroom and Penthouse Suite inventory, includes all new bedheads, sofas, coffee tables, chairs, desks, carpet and decorative lights. The property also boasts original artwork and ergonomic workstations in every room with new smart televisions to be in place by end-2020.

The $4 million refurbishment is part of a wider redevelopment project over the past 12 months, with new-look rooms complemented by refreshed pool and gym facilities and updated meeting rooms featuring the latest InFocus smartboard technology.

Gold Coast luxury holiday homes now available from Discover Queensland

Discover Queensland has added to its range of holiday homes with the addition of over 15 luxury homes on the Gold Coast.

Complementing their Sunshine Coast and North Queensland holiday homes selection, the luxury Gold Coast properties are appointed waterfront and beach-side accommodations.

Suitable for family groups, couples, corporate guests and friends wishing to holiday together these immaculately maintained and packed full of the modern amenities make a great alternative for those looking for additional space and privacy.

Some of the holiday homes are pet-friendly, making them the perfect family getaway for the entire family.

Moreover, travel agents can earn 8 per cent commission on the Gold Coast holiday homes range in addition to any of Discover Queensland’s hot deals. To find out more, click here.

AHA welcomes Banned Drinkers Register trial

The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) WA has welcomed news that the WA government’s “long-awaited” Banned Drinkers Register (BDR) will be trialled for two years in the Pilbara region from 1 December 2020.

AHA (WA) chief executive Bradley Woods said this was the culmination of many years of work from industry and marked an important milestone in the fight to address problem drinking and the damage it imposes on individuals, families and the broader community.

Featured image: Lady Elliot Island lighthouse (credit: Jeremy Somerville)