DESIGN & BUILD
The bar and restaurant areas take strong cues from the 1950s.
The main bar and restaurant are separated by a glazed timber shopfront.
Jewel of the Riverina
A major renovation of Griffith’s Gem Hotel has transformed it into a sophisticated multi-purpose venue for the thriving NSW wine region.
THE GEM Hotel in the NSW Riverina
kilometres, a place where locals would
elements that embrace the rich history
has undergone a major renovation to
gather and major business deals would
and culture of the region.
reinvent itself as a venue fit for the
be struck.
beverage industry heavy-hitters and the
“The brief was to create a truly unique
“Griffith has a thriving Italian community, and we thought it appropriate
workers who live in and visit the busy
venue that could stand on own feet as
to focus on this culture and explore the
wine region.
a quality food and beverage venue with
interesting design principles they once
accommodation and gaming,” says
used,” Kelly says.
Located in Griffith, it is surrounded by a thriving major Australian wine production
designer Paul Kelly. “Because of the level
area with a large population of people
of investment in this project, it would hard
been combined with contemporary
flying in and out. Owner Jim Knox, an
for anyone else in the region to get close
elements and applications to allow both to
established hotelier in the town, felt there
to what we’ve achieved at The Gem.”
coexist and create a unique experience.”
was a lack of quality accommodation and
The Gem was built in the 1980s and
“Traditional decorative details have
dining options in town when it came to
the refurbishment kicked off four years
BACK TO THE ‘50S
servicing these visitors and locals alike.
ago, although the project was delayed
The base build architecture of the upgrade
Knox briefed specialist hospitality
a year when it encountered delays from
was derived from strong underlying
design company, Paul Kelly Design, to
local contractors, and then Covid. The
principles of mid-century design, with
help him create a hotel offer beyond
project, finally completed in May this year,
subtle nuances of the late 1950s to soften
anything else available for hundreds of
has delivered a quality venue with design
some of the hard-edge forms.
26 | Australian Hotelier
