Crystalbrook Collection has opened the doors to the chain’s most exciting addition to date, Crystalbrook Kingsley in the New South Wales regional city of Newcastle.

Situated in the heart of Newcastle, opposite Civic Park, Crystalbrook Kingsley transforms the city’s former Council Administration Centre, locally known as the Roundhouse, into an elegant and sophisticated 130 room five-star hotel, according to Crystalbrook Collection CEO, Geoff York.

“It’s been an extremely fulfilling two and a half years, collaborating with architects, interior designers and sustainability specialists to get us to today,” he told Wayfarer.

“When it comes to personality, we had a natural fit. We’ve been able to embrace everything exceptional about the history of the building, the history of Newcastle – and the Newcastle of today and tomorrow to create a Culturally Connected personality, rich in detail,” he said.

York said being able to breathe life into an iconic Newcastle building has given the hotel tons of character while also being sustainable as much as possible.

“We love that from an environmental stance, we were able to give a new lease of life to this iconic building,” he said. “With our ongoing commitment to sustainability, we are continually seeking ways to avoid single-use of anything.

“Here we have world-class Modernist, Brutalist architecture that we could embrace and add longevity to… it is a wonderful win for sustainability,” York said.

The multimillion-dollar redevelopment preserves the original façade of the Roundhouse building and adds a plush interior inspired by Newcastle’s coal mining past, a rooftop bar and restaurant, and ground level café.

Destinations in themselves, the rooftop bar and restaurant, named Romberg’s and Roundhouse respectively, in tribute to the building’s architectural history, boast breathtaking 360-degree views of the city.

Full-grown olive trees at Roundhouse restaurant create a natural canopy of stippled shade over tables throughout the day affording guests the experience of dining in a curated orchard. Also noteworthy; 80% of produce served is grown within a three-hour radius of the hotel.

In an Australian first, Crystalbrook Kingsley will have 100% waste-free bathrooms, with all bathroom amenities biodegradable or recyclable. Other sustainable initiatives include the use of upcycled and recycled material in construction, a single-use plastic free environment, keyless room access, and paperless check-in and check-out.

York said Crystalbrook Collection was also able to recycle the vast majority of internal materials that needed to be removed in the transformation.

The property also has a major focus on featuring the latest in-room technology.

“Implementing best in class technology was of vital importance,” he told Wayfarer. “All rooms and suites come equipped with tablet control centres, STAYCAST by Google for video streaming, and access to hundreds of recent release complimentary movies.”

Crystalbrook Kingsley is led by General Manager, Carl Taranto, who said the property “is truly a transformative moment for the city of Newcastle.”

“The opening coincides with an explosion of interest in the Hunter Region just two-hours north of Sydney,” he said.

“We look forward to showing visitors to Crystalbrook Kingsley – in the design and personality of the hotel, as well as the restaurant, bar and café offering – what Newcastle is all about: vibrant energy and nostalgia in one moment.”

Crystalbrook Kingsley is located at 282 King St, Newcastle NSW 2300.