The refurbishment, which started in December, seemingly came together without a stitch as progress was cleverly disguised by keeping Rydges Lakeside open to the public until QT’s official launch on April 3.
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“Yesterday people checked into Rydges and today they checked out of QT Hotel Canberra,” a receptionist said on the day of the big reveal.
Rooms were upgraded into boutique art deco-themed abodes and the public spaces downstairs saw the establishment of Capitol Bar & Grill, speakeasy bar Lucky’s, an old-school barber shop specialising in expert close shaves, and the back deck which will certainly activate in the summer months.
“We painted the building externally white to show local Canberrans that this is not a shift in our business but a holistic transformation,” QT Hotel Canberra general manager Paul Scott says.
“This is a real traditional hotel in the sense that we’ve got a great sense of arrival, undercover car parking, rooftop lounges, and the biggest conferencing floor in any hotel in Canberra.
“And the real point of difference in time is our talent. The people who work in our business are reflective of the fit-out – quality, high-end, and setting new trends and standards in Australia.”
Part of the trendy NewActon precinct, QT Canberra prides itself on cutting-edge technology and has already received phenomenal praise from many political figures, including Twitter posts from Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten – a clientele that was the source of inspiration for many of the hotel’s design elements.
“All QT Hotels try to pick out their regional influences. Now that we are in Canberra close to the house of government this QT is representative of all of that,” Scott says.
On entering you get an instant feel for the hotel’s political influences with alluring kaleidoscope wallpapers adorning the walls of the lobby, and on closer inspection, guests realise its design is composed of mass-repeated image arrangements of Australia’s past and present prime ministers and politicians. This eye for detail runs all the way up to even the coasters and the notepads in the rooms.
“Rydges Lakeside has gone down in history as the place where political business handshake deals have been made, so turning it into QT we loved that we could hone in on that,” Scott says.
“A lot of the elements and inspirations driven by these different political signatures throughout the property are the brainchild of designer and architect Nic Graham and managing director David Sergeant.”
The designer common space and rooms also showcase a mix of quirky artifacts, bespoke furniture, a bold use of colour and art, custom upholstery, bedheads and more.
“It’s been a really thoughtful process and has it’s been planned for many years to execute QT Canberra to the level it’s been done,” Scott says.
The man who holds the envious title of QT creative food director Robert Marchetti, has been on and off cooking as a professional chef for about 26 years, and says turning Rydges into QT was a passionate decision that was all about quality, new adult playground experiences, and electric food and beverage experiences.
“It wasn’t about getting rid of a brand, it was about marrying a new brand in town,” he says.
“It’s the lifestyle we offer and the most important thing with our staff is the culture that we deliver – being young, enthusiastic, fun, quirky and not taking themselves too seriously, but we take what we do very seriously.
“For us quality is a given, it’s not a luxury. We understanding and listen to the client, but also give them surprises that offer a refreshing experience, from checking in, to somebody getting your bags, to the quirky shop we have at the front lobby, all the way through to waking up in a really comfortable bed and coming downstairs to having a really good breakfast.”
Marchetti explains Capitol Bar & Grill encompasses a Chicago-Italian era feel, a theme that echoes throughout the restaurant’s design and seasonal menu.
“We have beautiful fresh buffalo ricotta tarts, hand-cut ripe tomatoes, food that you want to eat and makes you feel good when you leave,” he says.
“The menu is quite extensive so we can build that trust in people to know that our variety can please anyone.
“We buy the best produce, the best beef and the best free-range eggs. I’m an ambassador for Animals Australia and that was important to me to come aboard a brand that actually represented my philosophy.”
His title alludes to food being an art form, a belief Marchetti shows in all that he does for QT Canberra.
“Everything’s an art form. This is an emotional business and it’s a lifestyle business so I don’t just look at food, I look at presentation – the restaurant’s design, lighting, music, the way you feel and touch the menus, the way you sit at the table together, the height of the chairs to the table – everything to ensure that experience is met,” he says.
“We want you to feel better when you leave than when you arrived. It’s as simple as that.”
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