The Changing Landscape of the Hospitality Industry

This is the digital era where we are more connected than ever before. People are spending more and more time online. Millennials are the future with the global majority of this demographic residing in the Asia Pacific region. There is a growing need for us to engage and work with people outside our own company walls. So, it’s no surprise that co-working business is growing around the world however, no-one has created a single space that meets an APAC millennial’s blended needs. A vertical village where they could work, play, live, learn and sleep. Their needs are different so the solution must be different to meet these needs.

Since 2014, Next Story Group previously SilverNeedle Hospitality, have recognized this need and diversified to bring truly new hospitality concepts to the changing landscape within the industry.Next Story Group have a very clear and strong vision to become highly specialized within this marketspace. We now have four pillars to our business:- Next Hotels & Resorts, our hotel and space management division and trendsetters in hospitality and urban space development solutions; Brand Karma, is our in-house award-winning marketing agency specializing in digital and emerging media; Virsa, with their flair in modern design who are continuously optimizing and pushing the limits to achieve best practices; and Kafnu, our co-working community space bringing together everything that an entrepreneur or creator needs to live, work, learn, sleep and play – all under one roof.

Throw out your old expectations of what a hotel company should provide and welcome the Next Story Group experience. Next Story Group introduced the world’s first Next Hotel in September 2014 in Brisbane. Recognizing what the modern traveller wants we revised the hotel experience to more align with their needs by removing the barrier of having to visit the hotel reception desk. Prior to arriving guests can check in using the Next App; or utilise our self-check-in desks and receive their room key codes on their smartphones, bypassing the conventional check-in process to get to their rooms more seamlessly.

“Whatever we thought could help create a hassle-free and comfortable zone, we’ve provided in order to meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of millennial travellers”, commented John Warren, Managing Director ANZ, Next Story Group. “In fact, Next Hotel Brisbane were awarded as winners of the Best Tech Hotel at the recent HM Awards, an outstanding accomplishment,” he proudly commented.

Guests can make a choice of some or all of the four-free mini-bar items available to them daily; utilize the complimentary high-speed WiFi available throughout the hotel, or keep up with your fitness regime by doing some laps in the outdoor swimming pool or working out in the 24-hour gym.

"It's all about exemplifying our brand’s promise: ‘Designed to Make your Time Count’”, John added.

A Holistic Approach to Urban Spaces

Today’s paradigm for asset management is out of tune and at risk. The hotels and offices of today have largely been created for Baby Boomers and Generation X consumers: compartmentalized, rigid, and overly-polished.

Yet Generations Y & Z want something markedly different: a blended space that's always adapting to their particular needs.

Optimizing a real estate asset for one purpose no longer works. Next Story Group's biggest value to asset owners is our rapid adaptability. By being able to efficiently change with the times we cater to customer needs today, but adapt with agility to their needs tomorrow.

Next Story Group brings together the best in research, design, marketing, management, and technology to create greater value for each asset than if it were designed and managed with a single purpose.

We believe a holistic approach is the most logical way to futureproof an urban space.

Sage Hotel Ringwood Opens its doors to Guests

Introducing a major new hotel, conveniently located at the gateway to the Yarra Valley in Ringwood.

Sage Hotel Ringwood, located in Ringwood has now opened its doors to guests. And in a first for Victoria, Sage Hotel Ringwood sits directly on top of the Eastland retail destination. Its position provides sweeping views of the Dandenong Ranges and eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

“You can shop ‘til you drop downstairs at the shopping centre and then go upstairs to the hotel or do some work in the co-working space,” Next Story’s Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, John Warren stated. “It’s a new concept in Australia but they’re everywhere in America and Asia.”

Set over 5 levels, the brand new 120 room hotel is immaculately presented and offers a range of boutique king, twin, family and special access rooms starting from $179 a night. The rooms feature Next Hotel’s DreamWeave Sleep system, complimentary Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, Smart TVs with the latest blockbuster movies, coffee pod machines, floor to ceiling windows, walk in showers, mini bars, and ironing facilities. Special access rooms offer disabled accessible bathrooms and can interconnect to standard rooms to cater for carers and family members.

The hotel employs more than 45 staff, most of which are locals. “It makes sense for us to hire local people because we want to bring that to the community; we want people who know the local area pretty well,” stated Marcus Dudley, General Manager.

The hotel lobby and lounge feature polished exposed aggregate concrete floors, contemporary styling and sleek furniture to create a contemporary look in keeping with the modernity of this brand-new facility.

From trendy Melbourne café-styled breakfasts to an eclectic spread of Australian and Asian cuisine on shared plates throughout the day, the hotel's Partake Restaurant is the culinary stop you won’t want to miss.

Mr Dudley said being based halfway between the CBD and the Yarra Valley, the hotel targeted transient workers, tourists and wedding guests. “We see it as a mix of possibilities. For the corporate market, there are opportunities with companies who have key offices or satellite offices in the local business parks from Glen Waverley to Doncaster and Ringwood,” he said.

“We also see an opportunity for the weekends, the connectivity to Eastland and Yarra Valley weddings. In my opinion, there are not enough accommodation options in the Yarra Valley at present.”

Conference and co-working facilities are a priority at Sage Hotel Ringwood. ‘Sage One’ caters for up to 14 people. ‘Sage Two’ has views over the Dandenongs and caters for up to 200 people. The hotel’s co-working Space can cater for up to 80, and Co-working spaces can be rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis with a range of membership inclusions.

Sage Hotel Ringwood is located halfway between Melbourne's CBD and the Yarra Valley. Guests can visit the wineries, lifestyle and arts precincts of the famous Yarra Valley region. With Eastland on their doorstep, guest can indulge in the retail therapy of David Jones, Myer and many more iconic international fashion and specialty stores. Guests can also take EastLink and the Eastern Freeway for quick and easy access to the CBD.

About Sage Hotels:

Sage Hotels are traditional upscale hotels offering services and spaces that are familiar to our guests with all the hallmarks of simplicity and consistency they are looking for; combined with local flavour and a sense of community. Sage Hotels are located in primary and secondary urban centres targeting CBD, CBD fringe locations and primary transport hubs.

About Next Story Group:

Next Story Group is the parent company of Next Hotels, Brand Karma and Virsa. Next Story Group is an integrated hospitality management, marketing, design, franchising, investment and development company, headquartered in Singapore. By creating innovative brands based upon customer demand, Next Story Group is a leading provider of hotels and urban spaces across the Asia-Pacific region. The group currently owns, manages and franchises 37 Hotels & Resorts with over 3,000 rooms, and includes the brands Next Hotels, Sage Hotels, Chifley Hotels, Country Comfort, Sundowner Inns, Riva Arun, Riva Surya and Kiridara.

For more information, please visit www.nexthotels.com

Contact:
Sage Hotel Ringwood, 211 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood, 3134, Australia,
Phone: +61 3 8845 1100
E-mail: reservations.ringwood@sage-hotels.com
Website: https://www.nexthotels.com/sage/ringwood-melbourne/

For media enquiries please contact:

COCOM PR| Caitlin O’Loan| T: 61 7 3892 7736| M: 0407 028 177| E:Caitlin@cocom.com.au