Hong Kong’s Ovolo Hotels has unveiled plans to enter Australia for the first time.
The company, which currently operates seven hotels and serviced residences in Hong Kong, has now signed three properties in Australia, covering two cities – Sydney and Melbourne.
The Blue Sydney, which formerly belonged to India’s Taj Group, will now join Ovolo, as will Sydney’s Hotel 1888. The company will also take over the running of the Oaks on Lonsdale hotel in Melbourne.
“2014 marks a significant milestone for Ovolo Hotels by acquiring three hotels outside Hong Kong. The purchase is part of an aggressive brand expansion strategy across Australia. They presented a unique opportunity for us to reinforce our presence in the Australian hotel market,” said Girish Jhunjhnuwala, founder & CEO of Ovolo.
“Sydney and Melbourne continue to be the top destinations for hotel investors and for foreign capital into Australia. Through the group’s expansion plan in the country and later in the Asia Pacific region, we hope to inspire design conscious living offering high-tech touches that have become a hallmark of the brand.”
Blue Sydney is a waterfront property offering 100 rooms and suites with views of the Sydney Harbour. Ovolo completed the purchase of the hotel in June 2014 and is scheduled to take over the property on 31 October 2014. The hotel will also undergo a renovation to bring it into line with Ovolo’s brand standards.
The purchases of the 148-room Oaks on Lonsdale and 90-room Hotel 1888 were also completed earlier this year, and Ovolo said that both properties will be rebranded “once a suitable timeframe for renovation has been set”.
Ovolo offers a range of guest-friendly amenities, including free breakfast, minibar items and Wi-Fi, plus self-service laundry facilities and flexible check out times. In Hong Kong, guests are also offered free citywide Wi-Fi before, during and after their stay.
The Australian expansion follows the launch of the Ovolo Southside in Hong Kong, which marked the city’s first warehouse-to-hotel conversion.
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