Crowne Plaza makes it official on Geelong waterfront

Three months after opening, Geelong’s new Crowne Plaza has been officially launched, marking another step in the city’s changing waterfront.

Dignitaries gathered on Thursday to cut the ribbon on the $120 million to cut the ribbon on the $120 million hotel, formalising the arrival of the 200-room development.

The hotel, operated by IHG Hotels & Resorts, has been welcoming guests since January 23, with the ceremony providing a chance to mark its completion.

IHG Australasia Pacific managing director Matthew Tripolone said the ribbon cutting offered a rare moment to step back and see the finished result after years of work.

“Hotels aren’t just buildings; they are the lifeblood of towns and communities. They’ve become a proud asset for our local people,” he said.

“Crowne Plaza Geelong Hotel is going to be part of a broader transformation of Geelong, and it’s a really exciting time.

“The industry is strong and resilient, and one thing that is clear is people still love to travel and need to travel. We very much look forward to seeing this in the future.”

The hotel sits above the soon-to-be-completed Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, placing it alongside one of the city’s largest current builds.

Its rooms have been designed with comfort in mind, with views either across the city or out to Corio Bay.

The development also includes a ground-floor cafe, Verde on Smythe, The Skyline Bar on level 10, a gym, indoor heated pool and eight event spaces.

City of Greater Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj said the Crowne Plaza would support the region as it grows.

“The population is going to grow from 310,000 people to 500,000, and this facility will be a magnificent addition to that,” he said.

“I’ve been amazed to see how quickly we’ve gone from a spade in the ground to where we are now. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“The beauty of Geelong is the more you get involved in the business community, the more you realise we can do very unique things here.”

Plenary Group chief executive officer Paul Crowe, whose company is a key investor in the project, said the project had been years in development.

“There’s been a lot of people with a vision for this to happen, and it was fantastic to follow that process through and see it come to life,” he said.

“Working with our great stakeholders to get this on time and on budget was a great effort. Not many developers can stand to this claim.

“We look forward to welcoming people to this fantastic asset long into the future.”