Crystalbrook Vincent, Brisbane
The luxury property, formerly The Fantauzzo, suggests that a modern-day hotel makeover should go beyond cosmetic changes.
You won’t notice any drastic changes when you first arrive at Crystalbrook Vincent, the Brisbane hotel formerly known as The Fantauzzo Art Series Hotel.
The SJB-designed geometric façade remains unchanged, save for new signage reflective of its new owners, as does the homage to the hotel’s namesake, Vincent Fantauzzo, whose prints and original art still fills its lobby, hallways and 166 rooms and suites.
But the luxury hotel, which was first opened at the historic Howard Smith Wharves precinct in 2019, has undergone a significant shift since it reopened under the Crystalbrook Collection banner last year.
Not from a cosmetic aspect, but a sustainable one.
The Hotel group, which now has eight Australian properties under its banner – including Kingsley in Newcastle, Albion in Sydney, Crystalbrook Byron (formerly the Byron at Byron) and three in Cairns – has positioned itself as a champion of responsible luxury.
Earlier this year the hotel closed its Italian restaurant Polpetta and in August unveiled Mews, a farm-to-table offering focussing on fresh, locally-sourced food.
What’s new
The company has partnered with sustainable tourism accreditation organisation EarthCheck to help improve its waste-reducing strategies, and the hotel’s eco commitment is reflected from the moment you check in.
Plastic hotel key cards have been replaced by recycled wooden discs and transactions are entirely digital, with paper usage in the hotel kept to an absolute minimum. You won’t find single-use plastic around the joint, either; every bathroom within the hotel is 100% waste-free, every item being biodegradable or recyclable.
Bathroom toiletries are all large pump-sized and feature native ingredients and essential oils, and even the toothbrushes are planet-friendly (they’re made from sugarcane and corn starch).
Glass water bottles in each room can be refilled via the filtered water stations on each floor, and there’s an incentive to request a ‘footprint free stay’, receiving a food and drink credit if you opt out of a daily room service and linen change.
While many eco-friendly hotels promote their environmental commitment to the point of exhaustion, Vincent on the other hand lets guests discover this on their own without feeling greenwashed.
The rooms
If you stayed at the hotel under its previous owners, you may be familiar with the sleek, moody design of the rooms and suites.
Staying true to its low-impact commitment, much of the fittings and decor is upcycled but doesn’t diminish its sense of opulence, and each room features one or more large framed prints from Fantauzzo’s extensive body of work.
With its position beneath the iconic Story Bridge and overlooking Howard Smith Wharves eateries, few outlooks in the city can compare, so it’s worth snagging a room with a view of the river if you can. That said, the lush greenery of the nature wall rooms also offer a beautiful vibe.
Food and drink
At night, the silty river becomes a phantasmagoria of colour, reflecting the illuminated CBD skyline and foreshore, best viewed from the hotel’s rooftop bar Fiume while sipping on a consciously created cocktail. I order a Pink Koala, any worry of a sore head the next day negated by the fact I’m supporting furry native creatures with every sip.
On Friday nights through Sundays, the bar is packed with a mix of hotel guests and locals. If you can book a table (which we’re told is best to do a week or two in advance), it’s the perfect spot to watch the sun set and have an aperitif before heading down for dinner at Mews, the hotel’s restaurant.
The feel good vibes continue at Mews, with sustainability and locally sourced ingredients a cornerstone of the restaurant. About 80 per cent of the ingredients are sourced three hours from the hotel, and there’s even a handy key showing the sustainable elements of each dish, so you know which features ethically farmed meat, culturally conscious native ingredients or zero waste veggies.
You’ll need at least three or four days here to eat your way along the wharf, which begins with the Cantonese-style Stanley, a go-to for fashionable Friday lunches, followed by modern Japanese joint Yoko Dining, and the very popular Greca.
Next you’ll find Mr Percival’s, a charming boathouse eatery with a focus on fresh seafood. Keep walking along the waterfront and you’ll pass the family friendly Felons Brewing Co - which despite it gigantic size still manages to fill almost every outdoor table on sunny weekends - and finish at quaint Italian restaurant Ciao Papi.
Amenities
Its proximity to some of the city’s best restaurants is one of the biggest drawcards of this hotel, which is also nestled right in front of Brisbane’s nightlife hub, Fortitude Valley.
There’s no spa, but there is a gym and an outdoor rooftop pool with one of the best views in Brisbane. Despite a capacity to accommodate more than 200 hotel guests in its rooms, only a couple of dozen can fit around the pool area and there are only ten deck chairs, so you may find yourself jostling for a spot to relax on days when the sun’s out.
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