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ACCOR PARTNERSHIP: RUN(A)WAY SUCCESS
RUN(A)WAY SUCCESS
Accor’s airport hotels are taking off with a 144% increase in openings across the Pacific since 2014.
Accor, Australia and New Zealand’s largest hotel operator, is redefining the airport hotel experience across the Pacific.
Once purely functional stopover spots, airport hotels are now being reimagined as vibrant, multi-use developments at the heart of thriving precincts.
With a 144% increase in airport hotels across the Pacific since 2014 - from nine hotels a decade ago to 22 today – Accor’s rapid expansion reflects the growing demand for more sophisticated, multi-purpose accommodation within airport grounds.
This transformation is driven by changing traveller needs, growing passenger traffic, and the evolving role of airport precincts as critical hubs of economic and social activity.
Airport precincts are transforming into minicities with their own demand drivers.
-Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Accor Pacific
Accor’s newly opened dual-branded Novotel & ibis Styles Melbourne Airport exemplifies this shift. The $230 million project boasts 464 rooms (248 in Novotel and 216 in ibis Styles), three food and beverage outlets, function spaces for up to 330 people, a two-storey Aerofoil co-working space, and Melbourne’s first airport health and wellbeing club, Higher State, which brings a unique wellness angle to the airport hotel experience.
Accor Pacific’s Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Adrian Williams, said: “Airport hotels are no longer just about transiting travellers; they’re now engines of integrated multi-use developments, with a complete mix of business, retail, industry, and tourism activities. Airport precincts are transforming into mini-cities with their own demand drivers and we are committed to driving growth and development at these essential gateways.”
Accor’s expansion is helping to reshape other major airport precincts across the Pacific as well. In Perth, Accor recently announced that it has partnered with Perth Airport to launch Pullman Perth Airport, the first hotel on the airport estate. Slated for completion in 2027, this eight-storey, 240-room property will feature high-end amenities, including a rooftop restaurant and bar, a lobby café, and extensive meeting and co-working spaces. With architecture that reflects the unique Western Australian landscape, this flagship Pullman hotel will join Pullman Sydney Airport, Pullman Brisbane Airport, and the recently opened Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport, establishing Pullman as a major presence in airport precincts in Australia and New Zealand.
Australia’s first airport ‘resort’ also launched in December 2023, following the $30 million investment by Airport Development Group in the upgrading and integration of the award-winning Novotel & Mercure Darwin Airport hotels. The reimagined resort property added a 61-metre swimming pool, new pool villas, additional food and beverage outlets, an integrated arrivals and welcome area, extensive Indigenous artwork and murals, as well as an Indigenous training academy.
Accor’s Mantra hotel at Tullamarine is about to undergo a multimillion-dollar refurbishment. The comprehensive project involves upgrading executive, premier, and deluxe studios and suites, including new furniture, bedding, and interior design. The hotel’s restaurant and bar will also be refreshed in the process.
In New Zealand, the opening of Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport Hotel, the first five-star property at the airport, offers a sophisticated option just steps from the international terminal. The new Pullman complements Accor’s existing Novotel and ibis hotels within the Auckland precinct, creating a robust network of options to meet the needs of a diverse traveller base. As Auckland Airport grows as a transit hub, Accor’s mix of premium and midscale offerings are well positioned to meet the increasing demand for quality airport accommodations.
Accor’s ALL loyalty program has also seen strong growth across the Pacific, offering members more options and enhanced experiences at every stage of their journey. As Accor redefines the airport hotel landscape, members of ALL benefit from a wider array of accommodation choices, rewards, services and experiences. Whether it’s a stopover, a business stay, or a gateway to exploring new destinations, members of ALL enjoy personalised, rewarding experiences from takeoff to touchdown.
With each new project, the playbook for airport hotel experiences is being rewritten, creating spaces that blend convenience with innovation and merge leisure with business. From high-end wellness centres to coworking spaces and thoughtfully curated dining, these hotels anticipate the diverse needs of modern travellers, turning airport stops into memorable experiences.
