Meningie Waterfront Hotel and Cafe torn down, replaced with luxury units and restaurant under plan
Luxury short-stay cabins with stunning lakeside views would replace ageing accommodation units under a $5m plan – that also includes a 50-seat restaurant with terrace.
SA News
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An ageing motel and cafe would be demolished and rebuilt as luxury tourist accommodation and a restaurant under a new $5m proposal to create a regional “gem”.
The Waterfront Motel and Cafe, on the banks of Lake Albert at Meningie, would become home to a 50-seat restaurant surrounded by 12 architecturally designed units, all with small decks overlooking the lake.
The restaurant would offer terrace water views, lounge, bar, function space and feature indoor stone wall with in-built fireplace.
The ageing two-star motel units would be replaced by boutique units of one and two bedrooms, designed by Adelaide architects Badman Deslandes Studio.
Flooded by natural light, they would offer saunas, kitchenettes, vaulted ceilings and waterfront decks and sit between the restaurant.
Adelaide businessman and motel owner Jeffrey Xie said the idea for the expansion came after seeking higher-quality accommodation as he regularly travelled from Adelaide to the Limestone Coast for other projects.
He said his company had been investing in regional areas around SA for a few years and snapped up the motel when he saw it was for sale.
“When I’m driving, I’m always looking for somewhere special to stay, either in the forest or by the water – but most of those properties by the water are Crown land or owned by the local government, so it’s a rare chance to have a special project to build by the water,” he said.
Mr Xie said he wanted to build something that made people stay in the lake town for more than just coffee or petrol
Since owning the motel, he’s received complaints from guests about the size of the rooms and age and condition of the buildings – and wanted to create a “gem” for the lakeside town.
“This will be a star of the town so people will want to stay a couple of nights, which will be great for Meningie,” Mr Xie said.
The original plan was to build just the luxury cabins for about $3.5m, but Mr Xie said since then his dream had grown to include the restaurant.
“If we have something like that, it will be a big attraction for people from Adelaide, or Tailem Bend, so we decided to add another building.”
The project’s overall cost is now closer to $5m, he said, and once complete, the cabins and the restaurant would likely employ up to 18 people.
Mr Xie said his family was examining more regional development opportunities, having started in Kangaroo Island.
“Since that project, we found that without much investment, you can make a real difference in regional places – they tend to be ignored by people who want to invest,” he said.
“But they have unique resources that Adelaide and the city doesn’t have – and people there need more jobs, more business.
“It’s a cycle, you have good business, you attract more people and the town is more dynamic.
“That’s why we like to invest in interesting projects in regional places.”
The Meningie project includes 40 carparks, rainwater tanks for the units, and a manager’s quarters.
The plans are on public display until December 2.
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