The Design Inn Symposium on Tuesday, 6 May, 2025, at Hilton Adelaide, will feature the top hotel openings of the year, including the Australian debut of two major global brands.
Design Inn Symposium will offer delegates an exclusive in-depth look into key projects including 1 Hotel Melbourne (pictured, above), Mondrian Gold Coast, The Eve Hotel Sydney, Adelaide Marriott and the just-announced InterContinental Barossa Resort and Spa, presented by the acclaimed architects and interior designers involved in each property.
1 Hotel Melbourne
Set to open in May 2025, 1Hotel Melbourne marks the Australian debut of Barry Sternlicht’s renowned sustainable luxury brand.
Described as a mission-driven, luxury lifestyle hotel, 1 Hotel Melbourne promises to be a feat of sustainable, biophilic design.
“Throughout the hotel, more than 2000 living plants create the feeling of bringing the ‘outside in’, with each room and suite lush with plant life and sunlight due to every room enjoying enviable river or city views,” says the company in a statement.
Presenting at Design Inn Symposium will be the hotel’s lead architect, Falk Peuser, from FK Principal, who will share detailed insights into 1 Hotel Melbourne’s cutting-edge design, its celebration of heritage and respect for the natural environment.
“I look forward to walking through the design journey, from conception to completion, showcasing how we created a landmark that honours Melbourne’s past while creating a place that resonates with guests and residents,” says Peuser.
He will be joined by One Design Office’s founding director, Samson Tiew, who will delve into the hotel’s interior design.
The Eve Hotel Sydney
Recently opened luxury boutique hotel The Eve Hotel Sydney will showcase at Design Inn Symposium, with Charlotte Wilson, SJB’s senior associate, interior design, and Rachel Yabsley, project director, architecture, SJB, discussing the project in detail.
The Redfern hotel has been highly commended for its modern boutique design since opening in February 2025.
Adelaide Marriott
South Australian hotels will also be in the spotlight at this year’s Design Inn Symposium.
Woods Bagot principal, Tracey Wiles, will present an interior design showcase of Adelaide Marriott, which opened in 2024 within the city’s GPO building, alongside Steven Higgins, LIXIL Australia and New Zealand LWT APAC, who will detail the luxury bathroom fittings selected for the hotel.
InterContinental Barossa Resort and Spa
InterContinental Barossa Resort and Spa, which was recently announced by IHG Hotels and Resorts alongside owner partners Strategic Alliance, will feature in a Q&A session.
Jonathan Conroy, IHG Hotels and Resorts’ senior director, design and engineering – Australasia, will be joined by Baukultur director Chris Watkins, and Sonia Lefevre, managing director, Hotellerie, to talk through the origins and evolution of the state-significant hotel design.
Refurbishments, conversions, lighting and AI
Design Inn Symposium will include panel sessions on important and timely topics impacting hotel design and development, including smart strategies in refurbishment projects; office-to-hotel conversions; the changing management landscape and its impact on creative control; and a lighting masterclass and discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of hotel design.
2025 Australasia-Pacific Hotel Design Awards
The top hotel designs in the region will be honoured at the Australasia-Pacific Hotel Design Awards, with winners announced across new-build, conversion and refurbishment projects, along with an overall winner of the Paul Davis Award for the Australasia-Pacific Hotel of the Year.
Click here for more information on the 2025 Design Inn Symposium.
