Australia’s first Marriott AC will be a 200-room hotel in Melbourne
Marriott International Inc. has announced it has signed an agreement with Melbourne-based property development company Capital Alliance to introduce the AC Hotels by Marriott® brand to Australia. The design-driven 200-room AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne Southbank is expected to open in 2020 as part of a dynamic mixed-use development.
The AC Hotels brand was born from the vision of renowned hotelier Antonio Catalan, who founded the brand in 1988 and grew it into one of the most successful and highly-regarded hotel brands in Spain. Following the brand’s success in Europe, a joint venture was formed with Marriott International in 2011 to launch AC Hotels by Marriott. AC Hotels celebrate classic modern design inspired by the urban locale and the brand’s Spanish roots.
The hotel will be located in The Normanby, a 40-storey mixed-use building that will feature high-end apartments, dining venues and shopping in the heart of Fishermans Bend, an up-and-coming neighborhood near Melbourne’s city centre. Guest rooms will offer sweeping views of the city skyline and Yarra River.
True to the brand, it will feature a range of collaborative spaces, including the AC Lounge, a modern co-working space for creative gatherings by day and a buzzing social hub offering European-style tapas by night. The hotel will also offer a range of leisure facilities, including an outdoor, infinity edge, swimming pool spanning the width of the building, a 24-hour fitness centre and three food and beverage outlets. Meeting and event organisers will be able to take advantage of 150 square meters of space designed to welcome groups of all sizes.