Do you remember the Crest Hotel or The Sebel & Citigate King George Square?
Well it doesn't really matter because the hotel on the corner of Ann and Roma Streets is now a Pullman.
That's not some sort of new term for a wingman but rather a hotel chain that has its origins in lux-ed up railway carriage travelling accommodation in 19th century America.
It's a big step to uptown Brisbane but we now have a swanky newly refurbished hotel in town. We test drove the Executive Lounge and Conference Room for a lunchtime gathering and discovered it's all rather flash and special. Parts are still under wraps, but this hotel will have check-in pods instead of an old-fashioned reception desk. There's also a connectivity lounge and e-concierge facilities, although I'm not quite sure what that means.
Cleverly they have given the hotel a double personality using the two separate towers to create Pullman Hotel and a Mercure Hotel at the same location. This may be extremely confusing to some Brisbane taxi drivers who sometimes can't even find Central Station, but on a good day you'll be able to check into the upmarket Pullman or it's more wallet-friendly Mercure from the same location.
I was there for a lunch to find out more about Scoot Airlines, one of the new budget airlines that is making travel more accessible for many. If you are prepared to trade a few of the luxuries in return for more spending power at your destination, budget airlines make a lot of sense. Sure, you have to take your own pillow on board and the drinks are not free, but you'll be able to spend the savings on a more expensive airfare and lux-it-up when you arrive.
Scoot’s network now comprises nine cities including Singapore, Sydney, Gold Coast, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo, Tianjin, Qingdao and Shenyang, with Seoul and Nanjing commencing shortly. In conjunction with three partner airlines, Scoot offers 35 more cities for sale, bringing the total number of destinations in its effective network to 46.
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| Sleek and special with fluffy robes (tick) and a spa (double tick) - the bedroom in the Pullman suite. |
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| This Pulman suite was very flash with the great view of King George Square above to enjoy as you rise. |
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| This is one of the Mercure rooms |
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| There's a dimly lit bar downstairs where everyone can look fabulous. |
Disclaimer: Ed+bK was a guest for lunch.
Kerry Heaney