Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane

Last week Adam and I went and visited the new Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane which opened earlier in March.

My career in the hotel industry started at Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas and then continued at Sheraton Brisbane so I have a soft spot for the Starwood Hotels brand. Since losing the Sheraton (now the Sofitel) a number of years ago, Starwood have been working hard to get back in to the Brisbane hotel market and word on the street is that it won't be long before we have a Westin as well.

The Four Points is on Mary Street, just a couple of blocks from the Queen Street Mall (centre of the CBD) so its a very central location. Not surprisingly, the hotel rooms are very modern and look fresh (see picture below). One side overlooks the city/other buildings but the other has partial views of the Story Bridge and the river which is a nice surprise considering how central it is.

The hotel has some really good opening specials currently available so now is a great time to check it out while it still has that "new car" smell!

 

100 Amazing Hotels

I came across this article on facebook this morning. If you like staying in unique hotels, definitely check out this list:
http://www.escapenormal.com/2012/12/05/the-100-most-amazing-unique-and-beautiful-hotels-in-the-world/

# 3 would be my pick ...

Eminem concert tour

Eminem tried to tour Australia a couple of years ago but due to his explicit lyrics, drug use, etc he wasn't allowed in the country.

He's been creating havoc on this current tour but now how you'd expect. With the Australian leg of his tour only visiting Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney his concerts have been filling hotels for every city he goes to.

First stop was Melbourne last night and availability started disappearing late last week. I think we got our first call late on Friday but by Monday there was virtually nothing left.

Brisbane is tonight and we were ready for it and it too has completely sold out the city. We started getting calls late last week and were through our rooms by Monday. For the last day or so it has been virtually impossible to find a room with only the rare one popping up costing over $500.

Eminem, please come back any time!

Las Vegas hotels take luxury to new heights — and prices

By CHRIS SIEROTY
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

A 10,000-square-foot suite that includes a basketball court at the Palms will set you back $25,000 a night. At MGM Grand’s Skylofts, you will find a bathtub that fizzes with Champagne-like massage bubbles and airport pickup in a $400,000 car.

If you’re scared off by the price tag, these luxuries aren’t for you. But Las Vegas has always specialized in providing an over-the-top experience for those with an unlimited budget.

Celebrities and athletes have spent thousands on suites with massage and film-screening rooms, 24-hour butler service, private elevators and chefs, even showers that are in the middle of the suite.
And what’s a weekend in Vegas without an airport greeting and pickup in a Maybach 62. At the Bellagio, guests who shell out $6,000 a night for the Chairman Suite can enjoy a solarium and whirlpool tubs with views of the city.

The Palms, however, has taken it to another level with its Two Story Sky Villa. The former Hugh Hefner Sky Villa will set you back $40,000 a night.

The most expensive hotel room in Nevada has its own glass elevator to the second floor and an infinity pool that seats 12 and cantilevers off the balcony. The 9,000-square-foot luxury playground houses three bedrooms, a fitness center, dry sauna, outdoor terrace and media room with revolving bed.

According to the Palms, “It’s the perfect place to entertain up to 250 of your closest friends.”
http://www.reviewjournal.com/nevada-150/las-vegas-hotels-take-luxury-new-heights-and-prices
 

Brisbane to have free wifi

A good initiative announced today by Brisbane Marketing. Although its not the entire CBD, having the Mall and South Bank with free wifi certainly helps bring the city up to speed with the rest of the world. Now ... if only all the Brisbane hotels followed the lead and offered free wifi!

Free wifi for Australia’s new world city

A new integrated wi-fi system will provide free internet in South Bank and the Queen Street Mall in time for the G20.  

From April, visitors to the Queen Street Mall, Victoria Bridge and South Bank will be able to jump online to check email or surf the web using Brisbane City Council’s wi-fi.

In 2013 nearly one million users took advantage of council’s free wi-fi hotspots to stay connected around the city. Connecting the Queen Street Mall and South Bank is the next step in creating a digital Brisbane.

About 17,000 people a day travel over Victoria Bridge to get between South Bank and the Queen Street Mall, and the free wi-fi will allow them to stay connected on the go.

Brisbane Marketing and the council are putting Brisbane on the “digital map” ahead of G20 in November to demonstrate to G20 visitors that we are indeed Australia’s new world city.
Any one of the 4000 officials and 3000 media representatives visiting Brisbane will be able to access our state-of-the-art public wi-fi.

Wi-fi access is already available in 22 outdoor locations across the city including Brisbane Botanic Gardens, King George Square and New Farm Park. Additionally, each of council’s 33 libraries and the entire CityCat fleet also offer free wi-fi.

Local cafes, restaurants and hotels are also encouraged to be part of a broader “Digital Brisbane” by providing free wi-fi to patrons.

A new low in hotel branding

There are many examples of poor, uncreative hotel branding in Australia but today I found the new low, a hotel in Canberra called "Hotel Hotel". And fitting, their tagline is "A place for people people".

That must've been quite the branding meeting in the early days of the hotel ...

Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition 2014

The Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition in Perth is one of the biggest weeks of the year for hotel accommodation and its only just around the corner now, starting on February 19 until the 21st.

Despite getting in relatively early, there were only so many rooms we could get our hands on at a "reasonable" rate. If you ring around hotels now or look online you'll struggle to find anything under $400/night. Within a week or two, that availability will disappear and the prices will all be above $500. That may come as a surprise for anyone that doesn't know the Perth hotel market, but that's what happens when the city gets busy.

This is where we can help out tho, we currently have the following available:

• 4 star apartments for under $300/night (based on a 3 night minimum stay)
• 3.5 and 4 star hotel rooms from under $350/night (based on a 2 night minimum stay)

Obviously, if you can avoid travelling to Perth this week I'd highly recommend it. If you can't, call or e-mail us and we'll let you know what we still have available.