Plans approved for luxury 5-star hotel in McLaren Vale
A $30 million luxury resort will be built at Wirra Wirra winery in McLaren Vale, after Onkaparinga Council gave the plans the green light.
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Plans for a five-star luxury hotel in McLaren Vale have been approved by Onkaparinga Council.
Australian developer Greaton, in partnership with Wirra Wirra, has received planning consent from the council to build a $30 million resort at the Strout Rd winery.
Nine new double-storey buildings will be built among the vineyards and a heritage property on the site – once belonging to the winery’s founder, Robert Wigley – will be repurposed into a bridal suite.
A pool, a wellness centre and a function hall will also be included in the development.
Work is expected to begin on the resort in November and it is scheduled to be completed by 2022.
Greaton managing director Nicho Teng said the current lack of luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale presented a barrier to attracting more affluent international travellers to the region.
“According to the South Australian Tourism Commission, the value of tourism expenditure in the Fleurieu Peninsula during 2018/2019 equated to $476 million, however international tourists made up only 3% of overnight visitors, with the vast majority being from intrastate,” Mr Teng said.
“While growth in this market is expected, we are confident this resort will go some way to further increasing international visitation once completed.
“As a proud South Australian, I am pleased to work with Wirra Wirra to attract more well-heeled tourists to the area.”
Wirra Wirra’s managing director Andrew Kay said that while the tourism expenditure generated in the Fleurieu Peninsula far outweighed the other wine regions closest to Adelaide – the Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills – they both attracted more international overnight visitors.
“We presented our hotel concept to potential suppliers at the 2019 Australian Tourism Exchange in Adelaide and the response was overwhelmingly positive,” Mr Kay said.
“It gives us confidence that the five-star development at Wirra Wirra will add real value to the Fleurieu Peninsula by offering an accommodation destination that will help drive international visitation, expenditure and awareness of the region.”
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