Enjoying a long and distinguished history, Hadleys Hotel is Tasmania�s oldest continuously operating hotel, having opened in 1834.  Originally built by convict labour, it is now classified by the National Trust. The hotel will be rebranded as Grand Mercure Hadleys Hotel Hobart.
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Grand Mercure Hadleys Hotel Hobart
34 Murray St
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

The upgrades will cause minimal impact to guests and will complement an earlier renovation of the existing building, which saw the exterior fully restored exterior and refurbishment of all rooms and public areas. 

The extension of the hotel will allow the Grand Mercure to accommodate more conference and function business. The hotel currently offers six function rooms capable of seating 250, but with the addition of the Grand Ballroom meeting capacity will increase to 600 delegates. 

Hadleys Hotel has always been known for its innovations, being one of Australia�s first hotels to introduce electric lights and an electric elevator. The newest upgrading programme has introduced the latest in 21st technology to the 19th century landmark. 

Also joining the Accor network today is the Doherty Ballarat Hotel & Convention Centre, located in the Victorian goldfields region opposite Sovereign Hill, 75 minutes drive from Melbourne.  

A rustic style hotel set amid 4 hectares of landscaped gardens with tree lined pathways and a �Hidden Garden�, the hotel undergo a soft refurbishment with plans to rebrand the property to Grand Mercure Ballarat Hotel & Convention Centre when the upgrading programme is completed in 2008. 

The hotel offers two restaurants, a walk-in wine cellar and lounge/bar with log fires, extensive leisure facilities including outdoor swimming pool, gymnasium, games room, royal tennis, squash court and jogging track and Thalgo Sanctuary health and beauty day spa. 

The property is one of Victoria�s largest convention and function hotels with 20 versatile meeting rooms ranging in size from boardrooms to a tiered auditorium, catering for up to 300 delegates.  Complementing the onsite meetings facilities, the hotel is located adjacent to the recently opened Ballarat Convention and Exhibition Centre with seating capacity (theatre style) for 1000 or 700 banquet delegates.  One of the largest regional conference centres in Australia.  Plans are being submitted for 75 new luxury suites taking the total accommodation top 146 rooms.

The addition of Grand Mercure Hadleys Hotel will increase Accor�s Tasmanian network to three hotels, joining Mercure hotels in Hobart & Launceston. 

The Ballarat hotel is Accor�s first in the city, adding to a network of over 30 hotels across Victoria.

Accor Vice President Australia, Simon McGrath, said that the two hotels would be significant additions to the Accor group: �Hadleys is one of Tasmania�s and Australia�s best known heritage hotels and with the new branding, as well as the significant new extension to the hotel, we believe that we can greatly increase the hotel�s position and reputation in the market place,� he said.

�Accor has well over a decade of experience operating in Tasmania and Victoria, and brings to both hotels the group�s extensive sales, marketing and distribution network, as well as a strong network of conferencing partners.�

Grand Mercure is a 4½-star brand present throughout the Asia Pacific region in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Queenstown, Bangkok, Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing. The brand includes other historic hotels, including Grand Mercure Mt Lofty House in the Adelaide Hills.

The Doherty family will now concentrate on their property developments and farming interests in Tasmania and South America.

Accor, the European leader and a major global group in hotels, the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 170,000 employees. 

Peter Hook
General Manager Communications
Accor Asia Pacific
T: +61-2 9280 9860
E: [email protected]