- Project will part of Gurner and Wingate's $1.7 billion La Pelago project
- Set to open in 2027
- The first St Regis hotel opened in New York in 1904
Developer Gurner has announced the signing of a landmark deal with Marriott International which will result in the very first Australian St. Regis hotel.
The hotel will be located within the first tower of Gurner’s $1.7 billion La Pelago project on the Gold Coast, which is a joint venture with Wingate and will open in 2027.
St Regis the leading luxury hotel brand for Marriott International, with over 56 hotels and resorts globally. The first St Regis hotel was opened in New York in 1904.
Gurner selected the iconic brand following a major expression of interest campaign that vetted some of the best-known luxury hotel brands. Gurner said it took just 27 days to reach an agreement with Marriott International.
Along with circa 185 rooms, The St Regis Gold Coast Resort will feature its bar and restaurant sitting well above any of the other towers in the project, and 50% taller than any other surrounding tower, offering undisrupted views across the sky line.
The St. Regis Gold Coast Resort will be “unlike anything on offer in Australia’s hotel market currently,” according to Gurner Group CEO Tim Gurner, and offer a “level of bespoke luxury that is not available on the Gold Coast now nor planned into the future”.
The developer said the design narrative of the hotel will celebrate the brand’s timeless legacy and rich heritage. Guests will enter via the porte cochere and experience signature spaces, including a speciality restaurant, sky bar, pool boar, a luxurious lounge, along with the St. Regis Bar.
Upon arrival at this entrance, guests will be sent to the second and main hotel which will be located on level 42.
Humbling experience
Mr Gurner said the team is incredibly excited and humbled to announce the deal and secure the St. Regis brand for their landmark development.
“It’s a brand that has stood the test of time for elegance, bespoke service and exquisite experiences,“ he said.
“We knew we had to have a hotel brand at La Pelago that would transform the Gold Coast and elevate it – and Australia’s 5-star hotel offering – to another level.
On a personal level, Mr Gurner said he and his wife Aimee stayed at the St. Regis New York during their first holiday together, and have returned almost every year since.
“For me it was only ever St. Regis. La Pelago is something that will never be re-created again in Australia and St. Regis has always been my favourite hotel brand, so I just had to have them to complete the circle of ultra-luxury at the project.
Tim Gurner, Gurner CEO
“We completely reconfigured the hotel offering for The St. Regis Gold Coast Resort after we secured the brand, so that the lowest hotel room still sits above any surrounding towers, enabling uninterrupted views of the beach, river and mountain ranges, going all the way up to level 43.
“The arrival experience, amenity, service offering and rooms will be without equal in Australia, and will put the Gold Coast back on the map as an ultra-luxury destination.
“Above the hotel we have around 100 residences within the Crystal Club, that will have their own private entrance and exclusive access to hotel-style services and amenity, to offer those buyers something truly irreplaceable that offers a new level of luxury atop the best hotel in the country,” he said.
“The Crystal Club will be the next evolution of what we created at Saint Moritz and then taken to another level again with more amenity that just adds a whole new level of glamour and sophistication.
Mr Gurner added that the precinct of La Pelago includes a range of hospitality, wellness, a business centre, ballroom and event space, along with over 10,000 metres of amenity for residents, to be topped off with what he believes will be the number one hotel in Australia.
“To have the hotel at such an elevated level in the sky with uninterrupted views gives St. Regis a huge point of difference in the market,” he said.
An advancement for the Gold Coast, says Marriott International
Richard Crawford, Vice President Hotel Development, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific for Marriott International added that signing for the brand in Australia is “momentous” for Marriot International and advancement for the Gold Coast.
“The St. Regis name promises a vanguard spirit steeped in history and tradition, and is synonymous with global luxury,” said Mr Crawford.
“We greatly value Gurner’s confidence in selecting the St. Regis as the centrepiece of their world-class mixed-use development.
“The St Regis Hotel brand redefined luxury when it first opened its doors in New York over 100 years ago and as such we are incredibly selective when choosing the right locations and developments to launch new St Regis Hotel sites, that are befitting of the strict requirements and expectations of the brand.
Richard Crawford, Marriott International
“Gurner’s well-earned reputation for excellence, and their vision for the Gold Coast, aligns exceptionally well with the very high standards we set for every St. Regis hotel around the world.
“We look forward to bringing to life an iteration of the brand that is modern, aspirational, and befits the lifestyle and energy of the Gold Coast.”
Wingate Property Managing Director Mark Harrison added that the team is delighted to see the continued momentum at La Pelago with this latest announcement.
“Wingate sees the introduction of the St. Regis brand to the project as a significant investment of iconic luxury in the Gold Coast market,” he said.
“Wingate is proud to be part of this leading luxury partnership and team.”
