Overview
Brisbane's luxury hotel scene has been playing a bit of musical chairs in recent months, all thanks to the Hong Kong-based chain Ovolo. First, it took over the Inchcolm Hotel in Spring Hill, turning the art deco spot into a glam mix of the old and the new. Now, it has revamped the Fortitude Valley spot that was previously known as the Emporium.
If you're still playing catch-up on all of these changes, the Emporium brand actually moved over to a new site at South Bank — one which, as of October, boasts a decadent rooftop bar on its 21st floor. But the old Emporium is quite the stunner too. Now called Ovolo The Valley, the 103-room hotel has had a $55 million facelift with a design-led focus, including two suites inspired by David Bowie.
Fancy being a hero just for one day (and night)? In 'rockstar' suites aptly named Major Tom and Rebel Rebel, guests will find 1970s-inspired velvet lounges and a gold bar. If you're not up for channelling your inner icon, all rooms feature rich colours that take their cues from the Valley's streets and laneways, plus custom wallpaper and eclectic furniture choices. Also standard across the board is 24-hour room service, flat-screen TVs with Google Chromecast and an in-room Alexa to answer all of your questions — plus access to the rooftop swimming pool, gym and sauna.
Like other Ovolo sites, Ovolo The Valley offers a heap of freebies: a free mini-bar with every room (including a lolly bag full of treats), free breakfast with every stay, free wi-fi, free laundry and free happy hour drinks each day. That said, rooms start from $300 a night, so it's still an indulgent staycation.
The colourful new fitout was overseen by architecture firm Woods Bagot, who're also looking after the Howard Smith Wharves redevelopment. Collaborating with Chloe Want from AvroKO in New York, they'll be working through into next year on Ovolo The Valley's final touch — a standalone restaurant and bar slated to launch in early 2019, with chef and restauranteur Justin North heading up the kitchen.
Ovolo The Valley is now open at 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley.