Hotel of the Month: Crowne Plaza Hobart
In this series, we go behind the front desk to learn everything from the strangest room service requests to quirky fun facts, to the most heartwarming reunions. We pick a new destination and hotel each month to give you the inside scoop.
Next up – Crowne Plaza Hobart in Tasmania, Australia, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, and one of the world’s largest premium hotel brands. We catch up with General Manager Linda Collis who started with IHG in 1999!
What has been your most memorable guest room request?
Within a couple weeks of opening our doors, we had a guest request for an ambulance as they were having a baby! We welcomed baby Alexia before the ambulance arrived.
What was the most memorable reason for stay/celebration?
Baby Alexia and her family returned to celebrate her first birthday with us, which was certainly a special moment for our team. Crowne Plaza Hobart will forever be etched in their memories and it was a wonderful milestone for our property.
Most recognizable guest or celebrity stay?
The hotel has been open for less than two years; however, we have still managed to welcome several celebrities. Including one teenage heartthrob who made headlines when he was out and about in Hobart with many fans making both songs and dances about it! Let’s just say it was the Start of Something New and we didn’t Stick to the Status Quo!
Cool hotel features that guests don’t know about?
So many to choose from! One of the coolest would have to be our Derwent Suite, which features a wooden bathtub. We also have the first Crowne Plaza Club Lounge in Australia and the only Club Lounge in Hobart with complimentary canapes and Australian wines every evening. The lounge includes a stylishly designed meeting room and a backdrop with sunsets over the city with a view of snow-capped Mount Wellington.
The moment you were most proud of the brand?
Crowne Plaza Hobart is a purpose-built property instilling the spirit of Crowne Plaza. We are beyond proud that our hotel represents the brand’s identity and has introduced the Crowne Plaza brand to Tasmania!
What is your favorite place to visit outside of the hotel?
Tasmania’s climate is perfect for cool-climate wine making and we have a huge array of wineries in the area! Frogmore Creek and Puddle Duck vineyard are two of my favorites. Sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, pinot gris, and gewurztraminer grapes are all grown and produced here, and we are also known as one of the world’s leading producers of premium wines.
Bruny Island, located off the coast of Hobart, is also a great place to visit for beachgoers and food-lovers – you can even sample Tasmanian Oysters fresh from the sea.
On Sundays, the Farm Gate Market is a stone’s throw from the hotel and offers amazing produce.
Any other fun fact you’d like people to know about the hotel?
Last year, IHG Hotels & Resorts launched Journey to Tomorrow – a series of ambitious commitments to drive change for people, communities, and the planet. As part of this, it’s extremely important to us that we do everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint and protect our planet. We have a number of initiatives in place such as our full-size Antipodes amenities in our guest rooms (no more throw away minis), bamboo keycards, the ORCA in our kitchen (to break down food waste), and blind automation in rooms to reduce electricity use through reduced heat loss.
If you had to pick your favorite guest room, which would it be and why?
The Junior Suites are quite special due to the stunning island bath that looks out over the city with a glimpse to the harbor! These rooms start on the 6th floor – 629, 729, 829, 929 and for an extra treat, we have 1029 and 1129 on the club floors.
What’s your most favorite F&B offering and why?
The seasonal vegetables on our hummus dish in autumn and winter – never have I seen or heard people so pleasantly surprised and delighted at celeriac, carrots, and parsnips!
For the cooler months, I recommend a mulled Willie Smiths organic cider (brewed in one of the purest and untouched places on earth here in Tasmania) on The Deck, our vibrant outdoor bar.
How would you define the hotel in three words?
Contemporary, Tasmanian-proud, Welcoming
Where can people book their stay?
Discover Crowne Plaza Hobart for yourself and book your Tassie adventure here. Room rates from US$185 per night*
*IHG Rewards members have access to our lowest rates. Room rates are subject to change depending on dates. Please consult ihg.com or the hotel’s website for the most up-to-date pricing.
About IHG®
IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline.
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