Marriott International has opened a new hotel in the Australian capital, Canberra, called Midnight Hotel, Autograph Collection.
Independently owned and operated by local independent hotelier Iconic Hotels, Midnight Hotel is the first Marriott International hotel to open in Canberra. The hotel is situated in Braddon, one of Canberra’s emerging inner-city suburbs. Less than a kilometre from the Central Business District, Braddon is “brimming with small businesses, award-winning eateries, micro-breweries and hip boutiques”, according to Marriott.
In our September 2019 issue, Business Traveller Asia-Pacific documented how in less than a decade Canberra has managed to evolve from ‘no go’ to ‘creative cool’.
“The launch of Midnight Hotel marks a significant milestone for this market, as the first Marriott International hotel to open in Australia’s capital city,” said Mike Fulkerson, vice president, brand and marketing Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “Owned and operated by Iconic Hotels, Midnight Hotel is part of Autograph Collection’s distinctive portfolio of inspiring hotels.”
As part of a mixed-use precinct, Midnight Hotel features 199 premium guestrooms, as well as a signature restaurant and bar. Designed by Australian architects, Fender Katsalidis Architects, Midnight Hotel’s design and décor is “highly sculptural, contemporary and combines contrasting materials in polished concrete, glass, metal and brass finishings”, Marriott said in a press release. Meanwhile, interiors are “complemented with soft furnishings in bold colour-blocking motifs”.
Created solely for Midnight Hotel, guestrooms feature custom-made artworks from artist Thomas Bucich’s Relic series that incorporates natural materials, including reclaimed wood and bark plated in copper or nickel. Original artworks also adorn the common areas, including multimedia, neon-lit artworks from Australian artist Tom Adair’s Uncovering Braddon series, which capture Canberra’s cultural neighborhoods.
The hotel features a signature restaurant, Braddon Merchant, which Marriott describes as a “bright, modern deli-style eatery with a smart European feel”.
“Offering a thoughtful menu comprised of fresh, simple dishes as well as a range of deli produce, boutique products and to-go options, Braddon Merchant champions fresh produce and local suppliers,” Marriott said.
For an evening cocktail, Midnight Bar “presents an evocative, dark and moody bar for visitors and locals”, Marriott added. The bar offers a curated seasonal menu crafted with locally sourced ingredients and a selection of local and international wines, cocktails and beers.
Guests also have access to a heated, indoor pool with cabana-style seating, a sauna and shared and private gym spaces. Conference and events spaces, including private boardrooms and a business lounge are also located within the hotel.
“Midnight Hotel is the first premium brand delivered by the company and an exciting addition to Canberra,” said Rien Donkin, general manager of Iconic Hotels. “Midnight Hotel is unique in design, thoughtful in spirit and affords a prime inner-city location with exemplary guest service. We are proud to be recognised as part of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection and excited to share our city’s story with our global guests,”
Travellers can also explore the hotel and its surroundings either on foot, or on one of the hotel’s Lekker X electric bikes. The hotel is close to iconic national attractions, such as the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library, the National Portrait Gallery, the Museum of Australian Democracy and Parliament House.
