Kooralbyn Resort owner Peter Huang launches plans for “eco resort” after ending association with Ramada brand

Kooralbyn Resort owner Peter Huang has cut ties with Ramada branding for the Scenic Rim property revealing plans to turn it into an “eco resort”.

KOORALBYN Resort owner Peter Huang has cut ties with the Ramada brand for the Scenic Rim property revealing plans to turn it into an “eco resort”.

Mr Huang said on the eve of the property reopening tomorrow that he had used the time since shutting the resort on March 23 to carry out improvements.

That included refurbishing the floor tiles, deep-cleaning the resort, and moving the Aussie Muster show closer to the main resort, which has a 100-room hotel at its heart, and Pavilion Tavern.

The Kooralbyn Valley Resort’s new branding.

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He said part of the changes included ending the resort’s Ramada branding and relaunching as The Kooralbyn Valley while the golf course will now be known as Kooralbyn Valley National.

“Augusta (National Golf Club) is the best golf course in America so we changed it to Kooralbyn Valley National and our resort is The Kooralbyn Valley,” he said.

“Like Blue Mountains or Hunter Valley they are really destinations not just a hotel brand.”

Mr Huang said he didn’t want to keep paying fees for the use of the Ramada brand to US-based Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which owns the franchise. A number of hotels across Australia are looked after by Wyndham Destinations, a separate company, under the Ramada brand.

The Kooralbyn Valley resort owner Peter Huang.

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“It is better to use that money for local marketing rather than paying fees to America.”

Mr Huang said the decision by the Chinese Government to ban travel from January 27 had been “devastating” as Chinese groups was its main market.

However, he was hoping to lure domestic tourists through reorientating the property as an “eco resort”.

This included using its own fruit orchards and vegetable gardens to supply the resort and wedding venue. There is also a vineyard and flower farm.

The Kooralbyn Valley resort even has its own airstrip.

“It is a country experience with everything in the one stop. Visitors have the photo opportunity to wander around and identify what food looks like.

“Eventually we will supply part of our buffet with the fruit and vegetables from our own garden.”

Mr Huang called the decision to close the border and keep it shut “ridiculous” and “unnecessary”.

Mr Huang, principal of Brisbane’s Yong real estate group, acquired the resort from receivers in 2014 and opened it under the Ramada banner two years later following a $10 million revamp.

The resort features an 18-hole championship golf course, once ranked in the top 10 in Australia and the former home of Jason Day.

The Kooralbyn Valley Resort on the Scenic Rim.

A spokesman for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said the decision to pull the Ramada brand was a mutual decision agreed by both parties.

“The resort’s business was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis as well as the recent Australian bushfires earlier this year, and the owners have made a decision to operate independently under a renewed strategy,” he said.

“We recognize that these have been extremely challenging times for the hotel owners, and we wish them all the best in their endeavours moving forward.”