Second Hilton Begins to Rise in Brisbane

US hotel brand Hilton is planning a late 2024 opening for its first mid-range brand offering in Queensland.

Work is now under way on the $50-million Hilton Garden Inn Brisbane City Centre North at Spring Hill, in Brisbane’s inner-north.

It will Hilton’s second hotel in the Queensland capital and its fifth in the state.

The 129-key hotel will rise on a site at 24-30 Hartley and 30-32 McConnell streets.

Originally to be a Wyndham Garden Suites, amended plans, including the rebranding, were lodged in May of this year.

Designed by Hayes Anderson Lynch Architects, it will include a full-service restaurant and bar, meeting facilities, fitness room, and The Shop, a 24-hour grab-and-go retail store.

Hilton Brisbane in Elizabeth Street, designed by the highly regarded Australian modernist Harry Seidler, was opened in 1987.

It underwent at $38.9-million renovation a decade ago.

Hilton Garden Inn was launched as a mid-priced brand in 1996 and currently has one property in Australia, in Albany, WA.

▲ A render of the Hilton Garden Inn under way in Spring Hill.

Queensland tourism minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the Hilton Garden Inn was “a welcome investment in Queensland’s visitor economy and Brisbane jobs”.

“We know quality, well-located accommodation is always sought-after by business and leisure visitors to Brisbane,” he said.

“The Hilton Garden Inn is a sign of confidence in Queensland’s post-pandemic tourism recovery and will support 100 construction jobs and, once completed, 45 tourism industry careers.”

Hilton area vice-president Paul Hutton said Hilton was committed to growing its presence in Queensland.

“As a key Australian city and the gateway to Queensland, the coming years will be an exciting time for Brisbane, especially with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said.

After a torrid two years during the pandemic, Australia’s hotel sector is firmly rebounding with occupancy and room rates surging, as well as a solid pipeline of new properties in planning or under way.

Brisbane has been one of the leading lights of that recovery—room rates in the city rose 46 per cent across the first seven months of 2022 compared to the previous year, according to Colliers and STR Global.