Re-branding of Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts today announced the management takeover and re-branding of the Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns, formerly the Radisson Plaza at the Pier, in north Queensland. The 256-room five-star hotel is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment in excess of A$25 million, which will be completed by January 2005. Improvements will be carried out on the hotel's existing guest rooms and will incorporate a new lobby, new Horizon Club rooms with Horizon Club lounge, four new conference rooms, a new restaurant and a fitness centre. The hotel is being transformed by Sydney-based Watermark Architecture and Interiors.

Located in the new heart of Cairns, the hotel adjoins the fully refurbished Pier Shopping Centre with open-air restaurants overlooking a new waterfront boardwalk, a 400-square-metre swimming lagoon and world-class marina. The hotel is only ten minutes drive from Cairns International Airport and an ideal base for visits to the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. The vibrant waterfront areas adjoining the Pier Shopping Centre have been created by Cairns Port Authority and Cairns City Council, which, together with the new Shangri-La hotel, offer an ideal location for both business and leisure travellers alike.

Surveying the marina, the hotel's exclusive Horizon Club will offer 36 new and contemporary Marina View Rooms, each measuring over 56 square metres inclusive of the balcony, and featuring 3.3-metre-high ceilings, wooden floors, luxurious furnishings, ocean view bathrooms and large terraces overlooking the yachts and mountains.

Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns provides a selection of restaurants and bars including an all day dining restaurant and fine dining featuring modern Australian cuisine for dinner. Recreational facilities include an outdoor swimming pool situated in over an acre of lush tropical gardens, and a fitness centre. Conference facilities offer a 400-seat ballroom, three private boardrooms and two breakout rooms with seating capacity for a further 150 guests.

According to Ed Brea, the hotel's General Manager, "We are very excited about the re-branding of the hotel, and look forward to bringing Shangri-La's unique services with traditional Asian values to Cairns. The hotel's prime location, state-of-the-art facilities and exceptionally warm and personalised service will be our defining features."