Giddy up! New hotel for Randwick racecourse

A STRIKING new four-star hotel will be built overlooking Randwick racecourse in Sydney, with construction to begin later this year.

A STRIKING new four-star hotel will be built overlooking Randwick racecourse in Sydney, with construction to begin later this year.

Toga Hotels has signed an agreement to run the 170 room hotel, which will be called Adina Apartment Hotel Royal Randwick Racecourse.

The hotel will be located along Alison Rd at the end of the main straight, with views over the racetrack towards the winning post and across Centennial Park to the city skyline.

It will have a restaurant, pool deck bar, gym and conference rooms.

Australian Turf Club chairman John Cornish said very few new hotels had been built in Sydney in recent years.

"Our research shows there is strong demand for rooms to service the needs of visitors to the event precinct of Royal Randwick and its surrounding neighbours which includes the Eastern Suburbs beach precincts,'' he said.

As well as tourists and racegoers, it is expected the hotel will be a base for the families of patients at the nearby Children's Hospital and visiting lecturers and students from the University of NSW.

Toga Hotels manage 52 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and Europe under the brands of Adina Apartment Hotels, Medina Apartment Hotels, Vibe Hotels and Travelodge Hotels.

The hotel is expected to commence construction in late 2012, with an opening date to follow completion of the Royal Randwick Grandstand redevelopment in 2014.