There are rumours that Hilton Hotels could soon be returning to Melbourne with up to three new properties. The popular American hotel chain is planning to open a new Hilton-branded hotel, alongside a Curio Collection and Double Tree.
AFF moderator JessicaTam has the scoop on the new Hilton hotels in Melbourne. Initially, Hilton had planned to purchase an existing property on the corner of King St & Flinders St and convert it to a Curio Collection by Hilton. However, negotiations for this particular property appear to have stalled.
The negotiations on an existing building have stalled. HH weren’t willing to pay what the owner was asking.
The building they were looking to buy was for a Curio brand hotel on Kings St. The build elsewhere for the Hilton brand is still going ahead.
This may be for the better, however, as some members have described the King St location as undesirable.
Whichever hotel it is I repeat that’s a terrible location! Above the open-air The Deck bar (where, incidentally, I had my 21st). Loud loud loud. Certainly not a business or family location.
Although there has been no official announcement yet, construction of a new Hilton Hotel in Melbourne appears to still be going ahead. The Melbourne Hilton would be located on Bourke Street in the city’s CBD.
From what I heard Hilton is planned in Bourke St but I’m surprised no official announcement yet, it’s been awhile.
According to our members, there are also plans in the pipeline for a new Double Tree hotel in Box Hill.
Currently, the only Hilton-owned hotel in Melbourne is the Double Tree by Hilton on Flinders Street. Two of the previous Hilton hotels in Melbourne were sold and re-branded last year.
While more hotel choices are always welcome, some members are disappointed with the lack of new 5-star luxury hotels in Australia. There are no Conrad Hotels (Hilton’s 5-star brand) in Australia, and none on the horizon either.
I did ask if a Conrad was coming, and I got a definite ‘no’.
It’s kind of frustrating to see that most of the new hotels being developed in Australia are low-end rather than captivating 5 star properties.
Hilton recently opened a new property in Sydney’s CBD; the West Hotel Sydney, Curio Collection by Hilton.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Hilton (brand) returning to MEL
