Melbourne-based developer in talks to open Quest Apartment Hotels at Robina

A MELBOURNE-based developer is in talks to potentially bring a well-known hotel chain to Robina. It would be a first for the rapidly-growing suburb.

Robina Group's Hylton Slater with Darrell Irwin at Pellicano's Centreline Place development site.

THE doors could swing open to the first boutique hotel in the Gold Coast’s Robina precinct in the not-too-distant future.

As part of its plans for a recently-acquired site, Melbourne-based developer Pellicano is in discussions with accommodation group Quest Apartment Hotels.

It is understood Pellicano paid $2 million-plus for the 2769sq m parcel in Centreline Place, adjacent to the train station in Robina’s Stadium Village precinct.

Director Nando Pellicano confirmed a residential/serviced apartments concept was an option being considered for the site and it was in talks with Quest.

“Nothing is formal at this stage — it’s still in discussion,” he said.

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Quest has been in a rapid expansion phase in recent years and Pellicano has previously partnered with the accommodation group on projects in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Mr Pellicano said the Robina site was earmarked for an eight-level building comprising a potential mix of residential units and a 60-room apartment hotel.

He said lodgement of a development application was imminent.

“We’re very confident Robina has got the critical mass now (for an accommodation offering) with all its commercial and health sector drivers,” Mr Pellicano said.

More than $17 million of development-ready land in the Robina precinct has been sold in the past 12 months.

Darrell Irwin, in one of his last transactions for Colliers International before joining Robina Group and Clarence Property, negotiated the Pellicano deal with colleague Geoff Lamb.

He said the significant amenity — including a major shopping centre, trains station, public and private hospitals as well as sporting stadium — surrounding the site was a key drawcard.

Robina Group’s Hylton Slater said there had been strong demand for boutique development sites in the precinct.

“Our focus has always been on developing a diverse masterplanned destination that features a city-scale level of opportunity and the contribution other developers and businesses make is a key part of achieving this,” Mr Slater said.

Pellicano’s proposal for an apartment hotel comes almost a decade after another milestone development for the precinct — Robina’s first office tower, The Rocket.