With sustainability at its core, Fairmont Port Douglas promises to bring a new level of luxury to Australia’s Far North Queensland, while showcasing architecture that reflects the rich biosphere of the Daintree Rainforest.
Accor has announced spectacular plans to introduce the Fairmont brand to Australia in 2023. We take a closer look at what’s on the cards in Port Douglas.
Top-notch eco credentials
A truly one-of-a-kind destination, this 253-room resort has already turned heads after becoming the first hotel in the region to receive Ecotourism Australia’s Eco Destination Certificate and picking up the Communities & Culture Award at the Sustainable Destinations Awards in March this year.
“We are excited to bring the extraordinary Fairmont brand to Australia and are confident that Fairmont Port Douglas will deliver a new level of luxury and sophistication to one of the country’s most glamorous resort towns,” said Simon McGrath, chief operating officer, Accor Pacific.
Set to open in 2023, the hotel occupies a prime position in the resort town of Port Douglas in Far North Queensland. In other words, the ideal base from which to access Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, both Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Making the most of its lush surroundings, the resort’s sustainable design aims to slot right into the landscape with its flowing, organic architecture and abundance of greenery. This will be further enhanced by lashings of natural light and details like a treetop walk, butterfly nets above the children’s swimming pool and a lobby inspired by birds’ nests.
McGrath continued: “Accor continues to expand its luxury offerings in Australia and, as our first Fairmont, this is going to be a truly special resort, whose architecture mimics the rich biosphere of the Daintree Rainforest and which is centred on wellbeing, nature and cultural immersion.”
Bringing indigenous experiences to resort guests
The cultural immersion comes by way of the local Kuku Yalanji community, the traditional owners of the land. They are working with Accor to provide indigenous customs like ‘Welcome to Culture’ – a formal ritual intended to highlight the cultural significance of the local area – and a smoking ceremony, an ancient tradition that involves smouldering various native plants to produce herbal smoke, believed to have cleansing properties and to ward off bad spirits.
“We are proud to deliver such a high-quality project to the people of Port Douglas and believe the Fairmont brand will bring the right mix of local focus, sustainability and global expertise to the hotel,” said developer Paul Chiodo. “Chiodo Corporation seeks to create spaces that are built around the environment and local culture and we believe that the Fairmont brand shares this ethos. Together, we will deliver a meaningful connection to the local community through this stunning hotel.”
This cultural sense of place will continue throughout the rest of the hotel’s offerings. Among the facilities on offer will be the Fairmont Spa, multiple bars and restaurants, panoramic conference and wedding facilities, resort-style pools and lush tropical gardens.
According to the TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION online database, 186 hotel projects are currently in the pipeline across Australia:
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts enjoys a worldwide reputation for accommodation excellence, with a global portfolio that includes historic icons, elegant resorts and modern city-centre properties
