NH Hotels landing in Sydney as Minor makes its move

The Thai-based hotel chain is bringing a top European and Latin American brand to a gateway destination and has plans to expand in the city.

Artists impression of the NH Hotel Sydney Airport

Thai-based Minor Hotels will launch a new brand of accommodation in Australia with its European and Latin American NH Hotels branding about to be launched into Sydney for the first time.

The diversified conglomerate plans to open a $55m NH Hotel in Robey St, Mascot near Sydney Airport as well as a second more upscale property closer to the city’s CBD that it will also manage on behalf of an independent owner.

Minor Hotels chief executive Dilip Rajakarier said the NH Hotel properties were designed by Bates Smart and would join more than 330 hotels in 30 countries around the world under that branding. He said the 90-room Sydney Airport property would ­appeal to both corporate and leisure travellers.

The Bangkok-based Minor Hotels purchased NH Hotel Group in 2018 integrating it into their corporate portfolio.

Apart from the Sydney Airport property, Minor will also open a NH Collection Sydney property on Wentworth St in Sydney’s CBD in 2025. The 254-room hotel will feature a restaurant and bar, as well as meeting and conference facilities and a gym.

There are more than 80 NH Collections hotels throughout the world, and the hotel will be within walking distance of Central railway station.

Apart from Australia, NH Hotels will also be moving into parts of Asia.

“Australia is quite strong, we had a really good year last year,” said Mr Rajakarier in an interview with The Australian.

“It was one of our best years. This year the trend continues to be strong particularly in the leisure sector, the business is coming back strong,” he added.

However, Mr Rajakarier said group hotel business was a bit soft in Australia, but he said he expected it would pick up next year.

“One of the obstacles has been the delays in issuing visas. There have been such a big back log, it affects conferences with the biggest obstacle also being flights.”

Mr Rajakarier said Australia needed 100 per cent of its flights to return. Until then, group bookings would be a little compromised.

“This is taking some time. Airfares will come down, it will be a bit compromised,” he said.

“In the past Australia was a desirable place to visit. I am sure Australia will become stronger like it did before. For a family of four (travel) gets quite expensive.

“For us, Europe is very strong. Domestic flights in Europe are comparatively not as expensive as long haul.”