Marriott International has opened Perth’s first Westin Hotel at an official ceremony this morning, anchoring a new dining and leisure precinct set to revamp the area.
Marriott International has opened Perth’s first Westin Hotel at an official ceremony this morning, anchoring a new dining and leisure precinct set to revamp the area.
The 28-level, 368-room five-star hotel forms part of BGC Development’s new Hibernian Place, located on the former Perth Fire Station site at 480 Hay Street.
Hibernian Place was originally budgeted to cost $500 million, including a second commercial tower that is yet to proceed.
The Westin is one of Marriott International’s 30 hotel brands, and today’s opening adds to the operator’s portfolio of more than 6,500 properties spanning 127 countries, with the Westin Perth the first of four new Westin Hotels earmarked for Australia in the near future, including in Brisbane and in Darwin.
Marriot International APAC vice-president Sean Hunt said the Westin Perth marked the company’s third hotel for Perth, following the opening of Aloft Perth last year and long-term operation of the Four Points by Sheraton in the CBD.
Mr Hunt said Marriott had plans for several more hotels in Perth, with its Ritz Carlton at Elizabeth Quay already under way and due for completion by mid-2019.
The Ritz is one of six hotels currently under construction in Perth’s CBD, including two DoubleTree by Hilton hotels and a Mantra Hotel, with many more in the development pipeline.
But the competition doesn’t faze Mr Hunt, who said he was bullish about the hotel market nationally and was confident new hotels were what was needed to prompt demand.
“For Perth to come of age, it has to enter the international arena in terms of product offering,” Mr Hunt told Business News.
“I think this hotel will induce demand, it won’t just sit here and cannibalise business, it will induce demand and visitation. In particular, it has the largest grand ballroom in Perth’s CBD (800 squre metres), as well as 2300sqm of meeting space.
“We will use that through our global sales network to induce demand, especially in the lucrative conference business and we’ll be working with state government and Tourism WA to bring more of that business to Perth.
“The expectation in terms of us as the operator and BGC as the owner is that this hotel will take a market leader position within the first 12 months.”
The Westin Perth also houses a Bodhi J Wellness spa, gym and pool area.
“We’re committed to Perth and with the direct flights to London making it a gateway city … it’s all moving in the right direction,” Mr Hunt said.
“When I look at what this site was five years ago … this was a derelict site and what sits upon it now I think is a great example of government, developers, builders and operators coming together to deliver something that is world class.”
The five-star hotel sits within Hibernian Place, BGC Development’s new East End precinct that comprises a range of hospitality offerings as well as commercial office space, now home to Uber’s Perth headquarters.
Eateries and bars at Hibernian Place include the Garum restaurant established by celebrity chef Guy Grossi, Offshoot coffee roastery by Mary Street Bakery, Arthur & Co dining and rooftop bar Hadiqa.
Speaking at the ceremony this morning, BGC Australia director Sam Buckeridge said the company was proud to be making a contribution to Perth’s tourism and hospitality market.
“This superlative addition to Perth’s short stay accommodation and convention infrastructure is the CBD’s first new (newly built) five-star hotel since - would you believe - 1983 when the Hyatt in East Perth was built,” he told the event.
“The Westin Perth will also be a powerful catalyst for the revitalisation of the civic heart precinct that we’re in to the east CBD’s core.”
BGC director Julian Ambrose (left) with Minister for finance Mathias Cormann, the Westin Perth general manager Peter Brampton, Sean Hunt, BGC Development general manager Ross Catalano and Sam Buckeridge at the ribbon cutting this morning. Photo: Jillian McHugh Photography