When Pan Pacific Hotels Group acquired its second Australian Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts property hotel – Pan Pacific Melbourne South Wharf– in July 2017, it did so with an ambitious plan to put its own stamp on the 8-year old hotel.
Almost one year on, the hotel has officially launched following an extensive refurbishment – and it’s definitely been well worth the wait!
Located on the banks of the Yarra, the property first opened its doors as the Hilton South Wharf Melbourne in 2009, coinciding with the launch of the new Convention Centre and Plenary Hall at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, and the eight-year old building was due for a makeover.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group engaged CHADA, one of the world’s leading interior design studios, to give the property a stylish – and very comprehensive, face-lift. Taking almost ten months to complete, the multimillion dollar refurbishment has totally transformed the hotel into a uniquely Pan Pacific experience. And the end result is nothing short of spectacular.
The overall look and feel of the hotel’s interiors are now very much in keeping with its location at Melbourne’s iconic South Wharf. A dramatic departure from dark red hues of the original entrance, the ground floor lobby now offers up a serene, light filled expanse of whites and blues and greys, interspersed with spectacular artworks that pay homage to the South Wharf precinct’s maritime history.
All the key touch points including the Main Lobby, Lobby Lounge and Reception have been extensively refreshed, with new carpets and finishes added throughout, a key consideration when developing the design brief according to Pan Pacific Melbourne’s General Manager, Craig Bonnor. “For us the guest arrival experience is crucial, because you can’t make a first impression twice, and there is no doubt the new lobby delivers a much more stylish, contemporary and inviting guest environment.”
Upstairs, the exclusive Pacific Club Lounge on Level 4 with its panoramic city views, has also received an extensive facelift. Accommodating up to 120 people and available exclusively to Pacific Club guests, new furniture and finishes throughout the lounge and dining areas embrace traditional textures, delivered with a distinctly urban flare. The premium lounge offers up almost 370sqm of functional spaces tailored to the needs business and leisure travellers alike, with the new Small Zones compartments providing a clever alternative to the office or a café for meetings or just catching up – all of it underpinned by Pan Pacific’s signature gracious and dependable service.
Pan Pacific Melbourne’s 396 spacious Guest Rooms have also been fitted out with an array of fresh new features designed specifically with guest comfort and functionality in mind.Rooms have been re-painted and re-carpeted in earthy tones. Other new additions also include chic desk lamps and sleek timber side tables, as well as contemporary armchairs and ottomans.
Pan Pacific Melbourne is also the ideal base for exploring Melbourne. Located in a premium position in the heart of the city’s bustling South Wharf precinct, the hotel is close to some of the Melbourne’s most popular tourist attractions, as well as the City Centre, Southbank and Flinders Street Station, not to mention an array of numerous award-winning restaurants and unique retail offerings right on its doorstep.
With direct access to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the hotel is also the city’s premier venue for MICE travel, catering for everything from intimate gatherings to grand galas to major conferences, with state-of-the-art facilities spanning 400 sqm of flexible meeting and events space, supported by two premium dining outlets – Dock 37 Bar & Kitchen and Café Orr, and a 24-hour fitness centre.
Says Bonnor, “We are incredibly excited to unveil the new look Pan Pacific Melbourne to our guests. Not only does this only mark a significant milestone for the hotel, more importantly, it will offer our guests a true Pan Pacific experience where every touchpoint is focused on easing life’s stresses in an otherwise fast-paced world and bringing back balance to travellers.”
Visiting Australia to celebrate the official launch of Pan Pacific Melbourne and Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s global rebranding, CEO Lothar Nessmann couldn’t agree more.
“This past year has seen the Pan Pacific Melbourne undergo a dramatic transformation. The result is an exceptional property that is perfectly in sync with Melbourne’s stylish and progressive personality. We are really excited to be able to deliver the city with an unparalleled accommodation experience that integrates warm people, intuitive design and thoughtful processes, and one which is fully reflective of PPHG’s ethos of sincerity, that we know will appeal to anyone contemplating leisure or business travel in Victoria’s capital.”
While here, Nessmann also unveiled an exciting proposal for an expansive roof top bar atop the hotel’s 20th floor intended to make the most of the property’s spectacular and untrammelled views across the Melbourne skyline, which are currently awaiting final planning approval. A first for Melbourne, the proposed bar is sure to well and truly cement the property as one of the city’s iconic, must-visit destinations.
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