Hotel Hotel general manager Tracy Atherton in one of the meandering rooms (premier rooms) at the hotel in the Nishi development in New Acton. Photo: Jeffrey Chan
In an industry where presentation is nine-tenths of the law, Canberra's newest style offering is ready to make its debut.
The veil is beginning to lift on New Acton's Hotel Hotel - a stylish, environmentally friendly, design-chic space - and even the last-minute withdrawal of a Hollywood mogul couldn't ruin the party.
Film producer Harvey Weinstein was to be the inaugural guest at the 68-room, 28-apartment hotel on Saturday and Sunday, but cancelled his visit to Australia on the order of doctors treating a knee injury.
Hotel Hotel, created by Molonglo Group directors Nectar and Johnathan Efkarpidis, will have its stylishly late introduction rolled out over the next three months.
This week's ''soft launch'' comes as the Deadset lobby bar is opened, but before the kitchen and Mosaic reception space are completed.
Alongside a fully stocked library of design and fashion, the lounge room bar will also host coffees and light breakfasts, served adjacent to a ''secret garden'' and New Acton's restaurants, cafes, bar and the Palace Electric Cinema complex.
Less than 48 hours after the building's occupancy certificate was issued, Hotel Hotel general manager Tracy Atherton said hard hats had been swapped for artisan cool.
With restored vintage furniture pieces and a bespoke art collection, the rooms are styled as Cosy, Original, Creative and Meandering - with rising overnight rates to match.
Look for clay and mud-rendered walls, ancient oak sourced from the Loire Valley, polished concrete bath tubs and double showers.
''Obviously we are disappointed that Mr Weinstein is not coming but we understand it is due to health and we hope he will come back and stay with us again,'' she said on Friday.
''We're very eager for everyone to come through and have a look. We are open from 7am until 11pm, but the restaurant still isn't open so we're just operating the bar.'' She said the rules overseeing the world's leading hotels had been replaced by a unique Hotel Hotel playbook, with staff hired for their personalities over hospitality experience.
''Hopefully we've created a brand and people will know us as a five-star service, but with a bit of a twist,'' Ms Atherton said. ''We're very much into the architecture and design and visitors will see the concrete and timber throughout the lobby and a lot of wood. The vintage furniture has been coming over the past two weeks and it has been like Christmas. Every room has a great element, from all over the world.''
Guests are set to enjoy the best in luxury, with hand-picked local produce and wine stocking the mini-bars, Aesop skincare products and delicately styled lighting and audio visual technology across the hotel.
No two rooms, which are built around the Nishi Building's central atrium and have views across Lake Burley Griffin, are alike. Further Hotel Hotel apartments on upper floors will be completed in 2014.
Ms Atherton said the fingerprints of creative director Don Cameron and food and wine manager Michael Gray were to be found throughout.
''After so much interest, and such a long wait, we want Canberra to know Hotel Hotel,'' Ms Atherton said.
Online bookings went live on Thursday, with prices from the low $200s to about $500.
The hotel's arrival complements Destination Canberra's growing style swagger - with New Acton's efforts matched by restaurants, bars and retail of Braddon, Kingston Foreshore and Civic.
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