20 March 2013

NRMA Hotel Holdings buys the Kurrajong for $7,650,000

| johnboy
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The Land Development Agency has a listing for the sale of the historic, and very beautiful, Hotel Kurrajong.

The purchaser is NRMA Hotel Holdings Pty Ltd As Trustee for KJ Hotel Trust.

Hopefully they’ll do something great with the heritage listed building.

The ABC has more details.

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typical australia when the 1920s counts as “old world charm”….still think it’s an eyesore. and they should maintain the grounds…while it has no impact on the heritage listing, if the building is so important then there should be rules about how it (and the surroundings) are maintained.

No doubt they’ll add a McDonalds and a faux-Irish pub. What a bloody shame that the hotel school didn’t make it – they were doing a great job.

neanderthalsis9:57 am 21 Mar 13

I used to be a Friday afternoon regular at the Kurrajong and have used it on a few occasions (prior to the Realm opening) for meetings. It is quaint and the rooms are basic, but as a boutique hotel, it has some merit. I personally prefer some olde worlde charm in hotels, I get sick of the sanitised dreariness of the Sofitel/Hilton/Rydges.

thebrownstreak699:39 am 21 Mar 13

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

zorro29 said :

this is going to get me some haters….but i hope they give it a lick of paint and a revamp…it’s an eyesore! go past it everyday on my walk…i can’t believe it would be heritage listed. it’s very drab and depressing and the grounds aren’t tended to at all

Well it won’t be getting a revamp if its heritage listed.

Heritage listing doesn’t stop refurbishment.

However, it has to remain within the character of the building.

Heritage renovation tends to be a bit more expensive, but done properly the results can be amazing. I know someone who renovated a large homestead built in about 1860, and it is just beautiful, with all the mod cons installed but hidden.

screaming banshee6:14 am 21 Mar 13

Sounds like a steal at that price

AArrgh Two Post Nutter.

The Kurrajong Hotel was designed in the early 1920’s by John Smith Murdoch. For a while it was one of only two hotels in Canberra. The other being the Hotel Canberra (aka Hyatt). It was the home away from home for many politicians in the early days of Canberra. It was the point of departure for Ben Chifley. It was a hotel till sometime in the 1970’s.

What more does it need for heritage listing? You can’t believe it? Also, the state of the grounds is not related to its listing.

Lastly, I have not forgiven the Grubbymint for taking away the spectacular tree in the western open area (cnr Bligh and Macquarie Sts) and the resounding commercial failure of the venture by our elected bozos, needs another mention.

So, zorro29, not a Smith fan? Each to their own.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd4:57 pm 20 Mar 13

zorro29 said :

this is going to get me some haters….but i hope they give it a lick of paint and a revamp…it’s an eyesore! go past it everyday on my walk…i can’t believe it would be heritage listed. it’s very drab and depressing and the grounds aren’t tended to at all

Well it won’t be getting a revamp if its heritage listed.

Hotel Kurrajong – another ACT GovCo failed attempt at entrepreneurship using our money. It’s easy for bureaucrats who fancy themselves as business high flyers when its not their own money at risk.

this is going to get me some haters….but i hope they give it a lick of paint and a revamp…it’s an eyesore! go past it everyday on my walk…i can’t believe it would be heritage listed. it’s very drab and depressing and the grounds aren’t tended to at all

So the hotel school has carked it? A very strange undertaking that one, in a rather ill-chosen venue. As old hotel revamps go, I think the Brassey has made a much better go of it, blending the creaky floors with new stuff rather nicely.

And according to the Canberra Times, the plan is to convert it into a Travelodge. It’s been a while since I’ve been to the Kurrajong, but I would have thought it was a bit above the Travelodge standard?

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