Multi-billion-dollar developer GURNERTM has signed a landmark deal with Marriott International, that will see Australia’s very first St. Regis hotel open its doors within the first tower of the developer’s $1.7bn La Pelago project – which is a joint venture with investment house Wingate - in the Gold Coast, in 2025.

St. Regis is Marriott International’s leading luxury hotel brand with over 56 hotels and resorts around the world, making it one of the most exclusive hotel offerings for guests. The St Regis brand has defined luxury hotels since the opening of the very first St Regis hotel in New York in 1904, and has since selected partners who can bring to life the rich tradition, heritage and legacy of the brand.

The iconic St. Regis brand was selected by GURNERTM following an exhaustive expression of interest (EOI) campaign that vetted some of the most well-known luxury hotel brands in the world; once negotiations began with Marriott International, it took just 27 days for the two companies to reach an agreement.

The circa 185 luxurious guest rooms at The St. Regis Gold Coast Resort have called for design plans with all the rooms and hotel amenities, including the bar and restaurant, to sit well above any of the other towers in the project; and 50% taller than any other surrounding tower, providing unencumbered views across the skyline.

The St. Regis Gold Coast Resort is a major coup for the top end of the Gold Coast tourism market, which is now booming again after the lockdowns of 2020-2021.

The St. Regis Gold Coast Resort will be “unlike anything on offer in Australia’s hotel market currently,” according to Gurner Group CEO Tim Gurner, and offer a “level of bespoke luxury that is not available on the Gold Coast now nor planned into the future”.

The design narrative at The St. Regis Gold Coast Resort will celebrate the brand’s timeless legacy and rich heritage – guests can look forward to entering via the porte cochère and experiencing the hotel’s signature spaces, which include a speciality restaurant, world-class sky bar, pool bar, luxurious lounge, as well as the signature St. Regis Bar.

Upon arrival at the incredible porte cochère entrance, guests will be whisked away up to the second and main hotel lobby located on level 42 – transporting hotel guests impossibly high into the sky where they will be greeted by an incredible bar and internationally acclaimed restaurant and function area. Guests will be able to enjoy the brand’s signature Butler Service, celebrated rituals and timeless heritage through sophisticated moments that create intimate luxury.

The world-famous hotel holds a special place in the luxury developer’s heart – the St. Regis New York has been Tim’s favourite hotel in the world since he and his wife Aimee stayed there on their very first holiday together, returning nearly every year.

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Gurner Group CEO, Tim Gurner said, “ We are so incredibly excited and humbled to be able to announce the deal with Marriott International and secure the St. Regis brand for this landmark development - it’s a brand that has stood the test of time for elegance, bespoke service and exquisite experiences.

“ We knew we had to have a hotel brand at La Pelago that would transform the Gold Coast and elevate it – and Australia’s 5-star hotel offering – to another level.

“ For me it was only ever St. Regis. La Pelago is something that will never be re-created again in Australia and St. Regis has always been my favourite hotel brand, so I just had to have them to complete the circle of ultra-luxury at the project.

“ We completely reconfigured the hotel offering for The St. Regis Gold Coast Resort after we secured the brand, so that the lowest hotel room still sits above any surrounding towers, enabling uninterrupted views of the beach, river and mountain ranges, going all the way up to level 43.

“ The arrival experience, amenity, service offering and rooms will be without equal in Australia, and will put the Gold Coast back on the map as an ultra-luxury destination.

“ Above the hotel we have around 100 residences within the Crystal Club, that will have their own private entrance and exclusive access to hotel-style services and amenity, to offer those buyers something truly irreplaceable that offers a new level of luxury atop the best hotel in the country,” he said.

“ The Crystal Club will be the next evolution of what we created at Saint Moritz and then taken to another level again with more amenity that just adds a whole new level of glamour and sophistication.

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“The precinct of La Pelago is a world to its own with incredible hospitality, wellness, a business centre, ballroom and event spaces, alongside over 10,000m of amenity for residents, then to top it all off will be Australia’s number one hotel.

“ To have the hotel at such an elevated level in the sky with uninterrupted views gives St. Regis a huge point of difference in the market.”

Richard Crawford, Vice President Hotel Development, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific for Marriott International said, "This signing for the St. Regis brand in Australia is momentous for Marriott International, and a wonderful advancement for the Gold Coast. The St. Regis name promises a vanguard spirit steeped in history and tradition, and is synonymous with global luxury.

“ We greatly value GURNERTM’s confidence in selecting the St. Regis as the centrepiece of their world-class mixed-use development.

“ The St Regis Hotel brand redefined luxury when it first opened its doors in New York over 100 years ago and as such we are incredibly selective when choosing the right locations and developments to launch new St Regis Hotel sites, that are befitting of the strict requirements and expectations of the brand.

“ GURNERTM’s well-earned reputation for excellence, and their vision for the Gold Coast, aligns exceptionally well with the very high standards we set for every St. Regis hotel around the world.

“ We look forward to bringing to life an iteration of the brand that is modern, aspirational, and befits the lifestyle and energy of the Gold Coast,” he said.

Mark Harrison, Managing Director Wingate Property said, " We are delighted to see the continued momentum at La Pelago with this latest announcement.

“ Wingate sees the introduction of the St. Regis brand to the project as a significant investment of iconic luxury in the Gold Coast market. Wingate is proud to be part of this leading luxury partnership and team.”

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