Page 96 - Port Douglas Magazine 28

ort Douglas is set to be The rooms also utilize technology and allow
P the town’s marina.
“
CRYSTALBROOK COLLECTION
HAS TIPPED MORE THAN
$700 MILLION INTO TOURISM
INVESTMENTS IN AUSTRALIA
WITH AN EXPECTED GROWTH
TO $1 BILLION IN THE
COMING YEARS.
96 tourismportdouglas.com.au
ordering room service, booking spa treatments or
transformed by a $200 million
Collection, the tap of a finger.
investment in a new hotel at
a table at one of their in-house restaurants with
Crystalbrook
In efforts to keep plastic to a minimum the hotel
backed by billionaire and
has designed a room key made with recycled
philanthropist Ghassan Aboud,
are on the verge of creating a wood, drinking straws made from resources like
sugarcane or corn starch, coat hangers made of
brand new super-luxe six-star venue including a recycled-cardboard, and bottled water has been
number of waterfront dining and retail precincts, replaced with recyclable cartons.
a 130-room luxury hotel, 45 villas and nine
With the creation of the Crystalbrook Pastoral
apartments.
entity, the kitchens are providing home grown
The proposed new development will also provide Brangus bred beef directly to the hotels and
an additional 24 berths to the existing 132 berths providing guests with a menu that truly reflects a
at the marina, allowing it to welcome super yachts paddock to plate experience.
up to 50 metres in length. To date, Crystalbrook Collection has tipped more
This will tie into $370 million already invested than $700 million into tourism investments in
into building three five-star hotels in Cairns. Australia with an expected growth to $1 billion in
the coming years.
The first of these, Riley, on the site of the former
Tradewinds hotel, is already open with guests “We undertook a lot of research before choosing
giving glowing reviews. Australia as an investment destination,” said Mr.
Ghassan Aboud.
Each of the new properties in Cairns - Bailey,
Riley, and Flynn - has their own distinct Mr. Aboud started his career by exporting cars
personality that lends to the atmosphere of the in the United Arab Emirates in 1994, a business
venue and their locations. which quickly grew into an empire encompassing
media, real estate, retail and, of course, hotels.
Riley is playful but sophisticated, suited to
families, middle-high wealth guests and those He is, however, about more than business and has
seeking a herb-infused cocktail or champagne. used his wealth and influence to improve the lives
of some of the world’s most desperate people.
Bailey is the artsy, cultured one with local artists to
be featured on the walls, a focus on farm to table He founded and runs a charity that assists refugees
food, and a lobby inspired by the rainforest. in his homeland of Syria by funding hospitals in
the north of the country.
Flynn is the wild child of the pack with bold
colours, hot DJs and spaces designed for Mr. Aboud said he has always felt welcome in Far
Instagram. North Queensland and is looking forward to new
luxurious Port Douglas developments becoming
Plans to launch the names, and thus new hotel
personalities destined for Port Douglas, are the newest feather in the cap of an ever-expanding
Australian hotel business portfolio.
still under lock and key, but what is clear is the
proposed development will provide a new and “I really like Port Douglas, in the past it’s been
exciting place for both visitors and locals to enjoy a very attractive and welcome place for tourists,”
and certainly change the current landscape of 44 Mr. Aboud said.
Wharf Street.
“We will get people back and make something
Crystalbrook Collection first purchased the really attractive for them in the facilities, service,
marina in Port Douglas in 2017 and always and restaurants, and I believe this will help to
had the view to develop it into a world-class wake up the town.”
accommodation and dining precinct.
He said the design of the new hotel will
As Queensland’s most northern marina, the complement the town while lifting the profile of
Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina is the gateway Port Douglas as a world-class destination.
to the Great Barrier Reef and the world heritage
Mr. Aboud said he is excited for the new
Daintree Rainforest. development to be part of the town’s fabric.
As the reef and rainforest are integral to the “I love the design,” he said.
region, so too is Crystalbrook’s drive to protect “It is really a piece of art and you will find it is very
and reflect the region’s natural wonders. friendly for the local people in Port Douglas.
Crystalbrook’s commitment to environmental
integrity in tourism is ever-present in plans and “We have been working on this development
plan for over a year until we found the solution
operations of their venues and is expected to be no
everyone is happy with and that is the one I have
different for Douglas region.
For example, management and operations at Riley approved.”
Crystalbrook Collection intend to lodge the
seem committed to an environmentally friendly development application with the local Council
ethos – even during the first week of operations,
$100 from the sale of each room was donated to in the first half of 2019. If all goes according to
plan you can expect to be enjoying the new look
the charity Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef. Crystalbrook Marina by April 2022.
The check-in process at the hotels utilizes a
digital-first mindset, meaning no more reams of
paper to complete at check in.