Penrith, Judges carpark: Hotel development almost finished

A new eight-storey hotel in Penrith’s CBD ‘10 years in the making’ has finally revealed when it will open after COVID’s ‘massive impact’.

The new Astina Suites in downtown Penrith. The hotel is expected to open in March.

A large hotel development in the heart of Penrith’s CBD is near completion as large scaffolding surrounding the site came down over the Christmas period.

The Astina Suites, located on Woodriff St next to Judges Carpark, are expected to open in March after a small delay.

The eight-storey building will feature 58 short-stay apartments functioning as a hotel.

There will also be a rooftop bar, a wellness centre, and a conference centre in the hotel, and separate retail and commercial space on the ground floor.

The construction of the Astina Suites has caused disruption the Judges carpark in Penrith’s CBD.

Joanna Schrumpf, director of Astina Suites, said COVID-19 had impacted the original planned completion date of “late 2020”.

“It’s had a massive impact,” she said. “The project has been pushed out until March as a result.”

An application for the hotel was first lodged in October, 2016, and was given approval by Penrith Council in September, 2018.

Construction began on the project in 2019, and is nearing completion after the four-and-a-half year process.

The Astina Suites near Judges carpark has been under construction for almost 18 months.

Ms Schrumpf thanked the people of Penrith for their patience during the build.

“We thank the public for their patience with us disturbing their lives, particularly with Judges carpark, but we think it will be worth it,” she said.

“We’re very excited, we’ve been waiting for this for almost 10 years.

“We look forward to not only welcoming travellers, but also the people of Penrith to our rooftop bar and wellness centre.

“There will also be a conference centre where we can cater to 200 guests.”