Langham Hotel Sydney is pretty in pink

THE Langham group is looking to expand in Australia after the launch of the new hotel in Sydney - whose signature colour is pink.

Langham sydney escape

THE touches of pink are starting to appear at the new Langham Hotel in Sydney.

Pink, you see, is Langham's signature colour and it is the first subtle change since the Observatory Hotel became The Langham less than three weeks ago.

The other thing I noticed was the smell. The 13 other Langham hotels around the world have a scent. Here it is ginger flower and it smells so good that we bought the smell (candles really) to replicate the sensation at home. The smell wafts through the airconditioning units and is with you no matter where you are in the hotel. Comforting.

I stayed at the 96-room Langham last week and, to be honest, it is still, at this stage, very much the old Observatory offering. And there's nothing wrong with that.

The rooms are generous in size and traditionally furnished. The hotel, in Kent St, is a little distanced from the hustle and bustle of the city, something I really enjoy. It's about a 15-minute stroll to the city centre.

Because it is small (in comparison The Sheraton on the Park has 557 guest rooms) it has an intimate feeling and, according to new general manager Sonia Lefevre, it also has a loyal clientele.

"Guests are already asking us about what changes we have planned," she said as we dined in The Globe Bar and Brasserie. "They like the hotel, which is great for us, they tend to stay here for extended periods and they want to make sure we maintain the hotel's feeling. This property fits perfectly into the traditional Langham brand, so our plan is to observe how people use the property and then make the appropriate adjustments."

In hotel terms, the Langham purchase of the Observatory happened quickly.

In personal terms, Lefevre's return to Australia from Hong Kong  - she's originally from Adelaide  - was dramatic.

"Returning from maternity leave after working at The Langham Hong Kong for 2 1/2 years, I was delighted to learn that we had finally made an acquisition in Sydney," she said.

"Langham Hospitality Group has been circling the Sydney market for some time and we have finally found an elegant and iconic property for us to invest in. With a swift move to Sydney, and a short 60-day changeover, the official launch was on August 8."

The Sydney hotel is the second of Langham's Australian properties. The other is at Southbank in Melbourne.

There's no doubt that the Lo family sees Australia as a market in which to grow and it is understood the Langham Group is looking to expand into Perth and Brisbane.

Access Economics research suggests that hotel bed shortages in Perth had already cost the tourism economy more than $213 million, so expanding into the west is a high priority for every hotel chain.

The next opening for the Langham group will be in Chicago and there are another 14 new projects planned  -  a mixture of the two brands; the old-world charm of the Langham and the more funky Langham Place brand.

And then right on time the wait staff at The Globe present us with pink cocktails and pink macaroons.

"The first Langham was opened in 1865 so at 7.05 each night we serve anyone in the bar a complimentary cocktail to celebrate," Lefevre says. "There's only one rule  - it has to be pink."

Of course.

 --- Brian Crisp is News Limited's National Travel Editor.