1. Hamptons Sydney is the next luxury on-the-water venue like no other offering private and public events to our Sydney-siders.

2. Century Group’s luxury brand St Regis Hotels & Resorts is set to make its first Australian mark with the opening of a Melbourne property in 2022. Located in the Flinders Bank precinct, the hotel will span 33 storeys and include 168 luxurious guestrooms and suites.

3. Grand Mercure Auckland has newly refurbished meeting and event spaces.

4. Howard Smith Wharves, the lifestyle and entertainment development opening in Nov on the banks of the Brisbane River, has revealed additional spaces. The precinct will include The Rivershed, a former heritage building turned event space for 480 seated guests or 630 for cocktails.

5. Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park has been renamed Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park following its $50 million refurb. The property is Sydney’s first Sheraton Grand and its finished renovations give a new look to its guest rooms.

6. Fullerton Hotels and Resorts has announced it will take over management of The Westin Sydney next year, marking the brand’s first foray outside of Singapore. As of 18 October 2019, the hotel, located at 1 Martin Place, will rebrand to The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.

7. Sydney hospitality group Applejack will open its first Sydney CBD venue in November this year, named Bopp & Tone. The restaurant and bar will open in the space that was formerly Steel Bar and Grill, located across from Wynard Station at 60 Carrington Street.

8. Sydney’s iconic Evening Star Hotel has been transformed into a pan-Asian restaurant and bar, dubbed Gweilo. Former China Doll and Est chef Seb Gee is behind the menu, which features contemporary Asian street food with a western twist. Think haloumi with hot and sour peppers, prawn, truffle and mushroom spring rolls and KFC bao burgers.

9. Diplomat Hotel in Canberra officially relaunched on 11 October, following a $2 million refurbishment. Part of RoundHouse Hotels, Diplomat Hotel engaged interior designer Blainey North to guide the renovation project, which encompassed the 67 accommodation rooms, conference space, public areas and bar and dining venues.

10. Once a boarding house and community hub, Cropley House has reopened as an event space, following a year of renovations. Located in Baulkham Hills in Sydney’s north west, the two-story mansion dates back to the 1920s and is situated on five acres of green parkland.