At long last, design-led hospitality chain W Hotels has re-entered Australia, and this time it’s not with an obvious property in Sydney, but one further up north on the Gold Coast. The hotel is owned by Shayher Group, a Taiwanese-owned real estate development company with multiple properties nationwide, and also forms an integral part of Brisbane Quarter. The latter is a billion dollar trophy project overlooking Brisbane River which, once completed, will transform the downtown skyline with a block of residential apartments, an office tower, and another tower that houses the new W Brisbane. The interior design, created by Sydney-based practice Nic Graham & Associates, is contemporary and exuberant, and fully ties in with the city’s happening urban scene and reputation as Down Under’s preferred party town. Themed A River Dreaming, the design is an ode to its riverside location and the visual connection to Brisbane’s arts precinct. Modern manifestations of Brisbane’s river, which has in recent years become the buzzing epicentre of the city’s social scene, are featured prominently throughout the hotel, weaving in influences from both Australia’s indigenous roots and colonial heritage. W Brisbane features 312 guestrooms, 29 suites, 2 Wow Suites, and perched on the 33rd floor, the Extreme Wow Suite offers a lavish 200 sqm. (2,153 sq.ft.) pad to those who love to live at large.
Needless to say, all rooms come with top-notch amenities and extras, including the famed W bed, nifty devices such as a 55-inch LED television, a Bowers & Wilkins bluetooth speaker, and free Wi-Fi. The premises are dotted with alluring facilities that allow you to go in full relaxation mode on many levels. The Living Room Bar on the ground floor is part lobby, part lounge, and yes, part bar, offering fitting drinks, cocktails and other beverages from AM to PM. Run by a group of six mates, is Three Blue Ducks, W Brisbane‘s gourmet central, serving seasonal dishes with fresh local and sustainable produce, and which come with sweeping views of the river. The Wet Deck is all about play poolside, replete with curated cocktails, bubbles, live dj sets, and views of the river. And to balance all that good life, W Brisbane offers the fully equipped Fit Gym to burn calories, in addition to the Away Spa for effective body pampering. Do we hear retail therapy? Check! The offerings at W The Store by Becker Minty will appeal to even the most jaded of shoppers, and features unique and unexpected must-haves, including artwork, fashion items, fragrances, furniture pieces and small gifts. Anticipating its role as the city’s preferred meeting place, the also boasts ample space to stage events. At 595 sqm. the pillarless Great Room is an ideal venue for meetings and events of all sizes. It has a capacity of up to 450 guests banquet-style and 750 theatre-style, and can also be divided into three individual venues.
W Brisbane
81 North Quay (The City)
Brisbane, QLD 4000
Telephone: +61 7 35568888
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
