The Fullerton Hotel Sydney set for October debut
Currently operating as The Westin Sydney, the property will be a sister to The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, which shares a similar rich history as a former General Post Office (GPO) building.
The Fullerton Hotel Sydney is the brand’s first international expansion outside of the Lion City and in the lead-up to the launch, remediation works on the façade of the historic landmark continues.
The first stage of cleaning commenced in April and is expected to be completed in time for the Hotel’s official opening in October.
“We have earned our reputation as custodians of heritage through our transformation of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. Similarly, in Sydney, we hope to advocate heritage preservation and shine the spotlight on the unique characteristics of the historic building, especially one as iconic as Sydney’s former GPO. It is our desire to retain the soul of the building and share it with locals and global travellers,” said Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale, General Manager of The Fullerton Heritage.
Guests at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney will experience a home away from home feeling, delivered with genuine service and utmost discreet luxury by the Fullerton team which espouses “hospitality from the heart.”
“Genuine personalised service and hospitality from the heart is at the core of what we do. While we advocate the employment of new technologies, automation and digitisation, our view is that sincerity and compassion make us human, and that these are the elements that keep our guests returning,” added Viterale.
As part of The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ unique trait to showcase experience-based travel and local colour, Fullerton Experiences, a bespoke programme created for The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts, allows guests to discover a different side of the city they are in, through a range of guided activities, excursions and experiences.
Viterale said The Fullerton Hotel Sydney will offer bespoke experiences to guests keen to get up close and personal with Sydney’s history, diversity, arts and culture.
“Each of our properties delivers an authentic and rich cultural experience, based on both its location, and its heritage. Our commitment to experience-based travel connects our guests with the distinctive characteristics of the cities in which we operate, through local arts, cultural and culinary adventures,” he said.
“Starting from opening weekend, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney will offer complimentary heritage tours for hotel guests and the public,” Viterale said. “We plan to share the building’s fascinating history, which spans the hallowed hallways of the heritage building to the ornamental carvings on the façade.
“We want to tell the tales of early Sydney, where the building dominated the Sydney skyline, and bring the building’s soul and historical significance to life,” he said.
The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ commitment to heritage, arts, culture and community is part of the brand’s DNA. Beyond breathing new life into its buildings and the locations they inhabit, the Fullerton team wants to engage with locals through events.
In the mid-20th century, Sydneysiders dressed to the nines and came into town to meet under the GPO clock. The building was long known as an iconic rendezvous point. The Fullerton Hotel Sydney aims to recreate this upon its opening, with plans currently underway to host several community events at the Hotel, starting with launch celebrations in October.
The brand is also committed to implementing corporate social responsibility programmes and will implement an extension of Singapore’s Fullerton Academy at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.
“At The Fullerton Hotels Singapore, we have The Fullerton Academy, a staff volunteerism programme that provides hands-on mentoring and training for underprivileged teens,” Viterale said. “The Fullerton team actively engage the youths to impart both hospitality and creative skillsets through regular workshops on culinary, service, pastry, videography and photography.
“Personally, I have conducted a course on dining etiquette too. We are looking to replicate that in Sydney, and are currently seeking a suitable partner, with details to be revealed after opening,” he said.
Sharing stories of the people, food, culture and heritage behind each of the properties and locations is important to The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts, which positions itself as a storyteller keen on sharing stories of provenance, as well as creating new stories.
“In our ongoing efforts to share stories that matter, we have embarked on a “Fullerton Stories” project which is currently being researched and written by a team of historians. The project will chronicle memories and tales of the former Sydney GPO building’s past through the personal recounts of former employees and members of the public,” Viterale said.
Sustainability and green technology are integral to The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ business and The Fullerton Hotel Sydney will be no exception. Committed to a raft of sustainable strategies which build upon existing environmentally friendly credentials, The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts signed a Plastic ACTion commitment (PACT) agreement with the World Wildlife Fund to reduce a significant amount of single-use plastic by 2020. This includes the elimination of plastic straws and plastic bags.
“Beyond delivering excellent service and customer satisfaction, we strive to be responsible stewards of the environment in the way we operate and serve. The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint and increasing sustainability initiatives across our hotel property portfolio by 2020. Through our efforts, we hope to send an important message about sustainability and join the global effort in creating a greener future,” Viterale said.
Building a sustainable Fullerton does not just stop at reducing the use of plastic. The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ in-room tablet is one of the many digital sustainable initiatives which reduces paper wastage. The e-Compendium tablet runs Tapendium, a technology solution that provides a digital concierge service. At the touch of a button, guests of The Fullerton Hotel Sydney will be able to place a dinner reservation; book a spa treatment; schedule a taxi or arrange a laundry pick-up service.