Iconic Gold Coast hotel gets new name after Versace cuts ties

The Gold Coast’s Palazzo Versace will have a new name come August after the fashion house cuts ties with the hotel after more than two decades.

An iconic Gold Coast hotel is getting a new name after it was revealed luxury fashion house Versace decided not to renew its branding agreement.

The Palazzo Versace hotel will become The Imperial Palace and operate as an independent hotel from August 1.

The hotel’s general manager Richard Clarke confirmed the change on Friday, stating there were still “lengthy discussions” about the hotel’s future with “a number of leading hotel brands”.

He said no agreement had been finalised with any third parties yet so the name change would need to happen in the meantime.

The Palazzo Versace will become The Imperial Palace on August 1.

“The Imperial Palace will continue to operate as a five-star hotel, delivering world-class service and opulent comfort for guests,” Mr Clarke said.

“We’re also thrilled to reveal that the existing furniture, crockery and amenities will remain within the property during this temporary period.”

The Palazzo Versace hotel was part of a $200 million spend when it was first built, with its opulent interior featuring thousands of Medusa tiles, marble finishes, and an array of lavish Versace pieces.

However, the end of the Versace agreement will require much of the hotel to be remodelled, with thousands of Medusa tiles having to be removed.

There are talks with “a number of leading hotel brands” about its future. Picture: David Clark

Palazzo Versace Gold Coast, which is described as the “world’s first fashion-branded hotel”, welcomed its first guests in 2000.

The concept was born three years earlier in 1997 by Soheil Abedian of Australian property development company, Sunland Group.

He flew to Milan the following year for a meeting with the House of Versace where the collaboration was confirmed.

Since then famous guests have included Beyoncé and Jay Z, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez and Rod Stewart.

Mr Abedian, who no longer owns the property, expressed his sadness at the loss of the branding association when it was revealed in April, but said he saw the rebrand as an opportunity for an international brand to come in and manage the hotel, given its prime location.

There are only two Versace hotels in the world. The second, Palazzo Versace Dubai, opened its doors in 2016 with a grand event hosted by Donatella Versace.