This is a very challenging time for all businesses across Australia with unprecedented times ahead of us. At Hot Concepts, the safety and wellbeing of our team, clients and suppliers are our highest priority. We have taken on every recommendation from our Health Department, so we can continue working throughout 2020 in a safe, hygienic and distanced manner.
Our team is continuously evolving our work practices, so we can prove great service to our clients, along with updating our WHS plan to include COVID-19 planning and management.
To ensure we mitigate the risk of impact to operations, we have:
• implemented COVID-19 response plans internally and on all current projects. • postponed non-essential meetings and events with clients, consultants and suppliers. • teams to work from alternate locations. • informed our office and site teams of preventative hygiene and social distancing best practice.
We are taking action and following the advice provided by the Australian Government’s Department of Health and DAFT’s Smart Traveller service.
Our team will continue to be accessible and ready to assist you with any challenges that COVID-19 presents. If you have any further queries or wish to discuss our approach, please feel free to contact us with any questions on 07 3277 7740 or sayhello@hotconcepts.com.au
Please stay safe, as we work together in getting our country back on its feet.
QHA Awards ~ Carrollee Hotel Wins Best Reno!
Posted by Stewart
We were honoured to attend the QHA Awards for Excellence last week with the Carrollee Hotel, who was nominated for Best Redevelopment Licensed Premises Up To $2m, and they won! A lot of planning and hard work went into completing the heritage renovation. Along the way we experienced all the challenges of restoring a 115 year old hotel, and finished a complete renovation in 6 months.
More than 1200 hoteliers, partners and supporters of the Queensland hotel industry joined together to celebrate the very best of Queensland’s Hotel and Accommodation industry.
Before & After ~ Carrollee Hotel ~ Kingaroy, Queensland
Posted by Stewart
The Carrollee Hotel was first built in 1904 by the Carroll family, is a grand two-story building with a federation style construction, typical of the regional hotels offering accommodation upstairs. Despite the original hotel being destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt in 1913 and many of those original features still remain today.
The last renovations were carried out in the 1980s and were a traditional layout with separate bar, bistro, office, gaming room and beer garden on the ground floor.
The first exercise was to identify which demographics to focus on. This followed a survey of all the other competition in town and identifying where we wanted to focus our business, which lead to the final design concept, layout and service. We were engaged to design and upgrade the hotel who also offer advice on identifying the market.
Bearing in mind the age of the building and the obvious heritage features of the building, the exterior was designed in sympathy with the charm of the original architecture.
To improve the flow of the building, the office was moved to the first floor, by removing the walls we created a lounge area in its place. The design also included removing the walls between the lounge, public bar and bistro, the gaming was also extended by removing the wall between the existing gaming room and a small function room, which was underutilised. By opening up the venue, the new design created an improved flow throughout. This also has made it more efficient for the staff to service all areas. All the lighting was replaced with low energy LED lighting.
As part of the realigning the hotel service to what we believe the market expected, the design of the bistro included bi-fold doors to the full width of the entrance, creating a café area between the two main bars and banquette seating to the opposite wall. This was highlighted by wide blackbutt flooring and totally redesigned bars and furniture.
As there were doors between each area of the hotel, removing all the doors and walls has made it easier for our staff to provide service to all customers. By opening up the foyer, creating the lounge area and designing a new cashier counter, the gaming room is no longer separated from the rest of the hotel.
The beer garden roof was lined with natural timber finish and insulated, plus the installation of new café curtains has created better comfort for the patrons from the cold in winter and the hot summers. Kingaroy experiences the extremes of temperate.
As the hotel is over 100 years old, with some non-compliant modifications, we discovered many structural and electrical issues which had to be re-engineered, rectified and certified.
They have already seen a dramatic improvement in business. In the first three weeks after re-opening, revenue increased 40-50% in all areas.
Not only do they have the best hotel in Kingaroy, but the best in the area. Congratulations for having the vision of restoring a great hotel.
