Peppers to Rebrand Hotel in Canberra, Australia

Peppers, will open its first CBD property in Australia in the nation’s capital when it takes over management of the Diamant Hotel Canberra.

The property will rebrand in July as Peppers Gallery Hotel Canberra.

Boutique hotel operator 8Hotels sold the Diamant Hotel Canberra and the on-site Bicicletta restaurant to Mantra Group in an off market transaction, having overseen operations of the property since opening in 2008.

The new CBD addition signifies the evolution of the Peppers brand which started as a small group of boutique retreats 30 years ago; expanding to include larger coastal resorts over the last 10 years before its first foray into metropolitan style accommodation with the opening of Peppers Broadbeach in 2010. Most recently the brand moved into Asia with the opening of Peppers Sentosa Seminyak in Indonesia; and with the addition of the Canberra hotel, the full spectrum of accommodation experiences are now available under the Peppers brand.

Peppers will also manage the hotel component of the new-build mixed-use development in the Docklands Melbourne precinct to open in 2016.

“This is a historic announcement for Peppers and the first of many CBD properties we have planned for Australia and New Zealand,” said Bob East, CEO of Mantra Group which manages the Peppers accommodation network. “We have felt for some time that the Peppers brand would work in CBD locations and needed to find the right property to align with the Peppers name. The quality and location of the Canberra hotel is a worthy choice to be the first CBD property for the group. We are off to a great start with our Peppers CBD network with the Canberra and Melbourne signings and look forward to announcing further additions over the next two years.”

The boutique hotel will rebrand as Peppers Gallery Hotel Canberra in July and offer 80 hotel rooms complete with Bang and Olufsen plasma TVs, iPod docking stations, plunger coffee makers, free broadband access featuring, luxurious bathrooms with rain shower and marble vanity tops and original art works throughout.

The hotel offers an acclaimed restaurant – Bicicletta offering Italian inspired cuisine – with a bar & lounge, fitness centre and day spa amongst the other hotel facilities.

Located close to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in the newly transformed New Action precinct, the hotel is housed in a historic, heritage listed building surrounded by landscaped gardens and specialist retailers with Canberra’s main cultural, entertainment, sporting and commercial facilities nearby. Canberra’s upgraded airport is also easily accessible.

The Australian National University, Australian National Museum, Botanical Gardens and Telstra viewing tower are all within five minutes’ drive while the Australian National Zoo and Arboretum – Canberra’s fastest growing attraction – are within 15 minutes’ drive.

A new light rail is planned for 2015 commencement and a burgeoning dining precinct are amongst the emerging attractions in the capital.