Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach: 81 Surf Parade, Broadbeach QLD (07) 5592 2250 or www.sofitelgoldcoast.com.au Our collective consciousness has been branded with the number 23. It’s the number of champions for who the sky’s the limit. First there was Michael Jordan, then Shane Warne, more recently, superstar basketballer LeBron James… and now: Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach.
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney: 199 George St, Sydney NSW (02) 9250 3100 or www.fourseasons.com/sydney It’s spring at the Four Seasons Sydney. After shedding its coat and embarking on a $1.2m refurbishment of its public areas, hot on the heels of a $16m facelift to the hotels rooms and suites last year; the hotel has sprouted
The Prince: 2 Acland St, St Kilda VIC (03) 9536 1111 or www.theprince.com.au The Prince of Wales has a split personality: for Melbourne rock fans, it’s a rite of passage that leads straight out of the front bar, past security, and upstairs to the band room. If you let it out of the bag that
Middle Park Hotel: 102 Canterbury Rd, Middle Park, VIC (03) 9690 1958 or www.middleparkhotel.com.au Six Degrees is known for turning recycled materials into something unique, but when those ‘raw’ materials constitute English Oak and Queensland Maplewood panelling from the MCC’s Long Room, unique is just the start. Middle Park Hotel was established in 1889, as
Citigate Perth: 707 Wellington St, Perth WA (08) 9327 7000 or www.mirvachotels.com/citigate-perth Citigate Perth is a four star 278-room hotel managed by Mirvac hotels. The hotel had previously been the Orchard/Grand Chancellor Hotel and its dated interior was in dire need of an upgrade. Woodhead was commissioned to provide design services for the $9m refurbishment,
The Sebel Surry Hills Sydney: 28 Albion St, Surry Hills, NSW (02) 9289 0000 or www.sebelsurryhills.com.au After all these years the name Sebel still has the ring of louche abandonment about it. Of course, I’m referring to the now defunct Sebel Townhouse in Elizabeth Bay, the notorious rookery for the ‘mad, bad and dangerous to
Portal Hotel: 52 Astor Terrace, Spring Hill QLD (07) 3009 3400 or www.portalhotel.com.au Portal Hotel is a boutique hotel close enough to and far enough away from Fortitude Valley to be both a springboard to and a refuge from the wealth of nightlife. And if the Valley sounds a bit too much like youthful excitement
Bells at Killcare: 107 The Scenic Road, Killcare Heights NSW www.bellsatkillcare.com.au Up the Pacific Highway from Sydney you’ll discover a touch of Provence on the Central Coast. Or perhaps it’s more Fred Perry-era All-England (croquet anyone?); or even a beach ‘shack’ in the Hamptons — not that I’ve ever been, but I watch a lot
Westin Melbourne: www.westin.com.au/melbourne The Westin loves a good night’s sleep. Some 10 years ago when other five-star hotel marques were braying about their swimming pools, bars or views from the penthouse suite, the Westin was subtly insinuating itself into the minds of the discerning traveller with a fancy mattress. In fact, the Westin was so
Sofitel Brisbane: (07) 3835 3535 or www.sofitelbrisbane.com.au Sofitel is upping the ante. The primo French hotel chain is giving its brand a polish, thanks to a name change (Sofitel Luxury Hotels) and a regime of oo-la-la refits. The Sofitel Brisbane is one of the more recent to benefit from a makeover, $7m worth to be