Six Continents Hotels Adds Darling Harbour and Parramatta to its Australian Crowne Plaza Portfolio

Six Continents Hotels is expanding its Crowne Plaza portfolio with the re-branding of Parkroyal Darling Harbour and Parkroyal Parramatta on 30 September 2002.

The re-brandings will bring the total number of Crowne Plaza hotels in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific to 10. Both hotels are significant additions to the Crowne Plaza portfolio due to their location in key business and entertainment districts and their appeal to corporate and leisure travellers. 

"Six Continents Hotels has undertaken to triple the size of its original portfolio of Crowne Plaza hotels in Australia and New Zealand by the end of 2003. These changes will bring us closer to achieving this goal and will be beneficial to the future direction and operation of the hotels," said Six Continents Hotels Chief Operating Officer for Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, Phil Lee.

"Finalising these re-brandings has been a crucial step in our global brand rollout in this region. These hotels are very high profile and I am confident their share of guests will increase as a result of the global strength of the Crowne Plaza brand and the dynamic infrastructure that supports it," Mr Lee said.

In addition to the re-branding, Crowne Plaza Darling Harbour is also planning a $3.5 million refurbishment programme which will include extensive improvements to 300 guest rooms as well as upgrading of public areas within the hotel.

The re-branding will also result in Crowne Plaza Parramatta becoming the only internationally-branded hotel in the city of Parramatta, placing it in an excellent position to increase its profile among domestic and international business travellers to the rapidly expanding business and industry corridor in Sydney's middle and greater west. 

The two hotels are owned by Singapore-based United Overseas Land Ltd (UOL) which owns a vast portfolio of office, residential, hotel and resort, serviced apartment and retail properties throughout Asia and the South Pacific region. UOL's decision to relinquish the Parkroyal brand was made in recognition of the international appeal of, and the global booking and promotional systems behind the Crowne Plaza brand.