Construction Commences on $75M New Novotel Geelong Hotel Tower

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Construction has officially commenced on a striking new 11-storey hotel tower at Novotel Geelong, marking the single largest hotel development in the city’s history and underscoring the strength of Geelong’s visitor economy.

The $75 million project, owned by ERDI Group, will deliver an additional 134 guestrooms, including 15 apartment-style suites, taking Novotel Geelong’s total offering to 243 rooms.

Once complete, the hotel will become Geelong’s largest hotel, cementing its position as the city’s flagship waterfront destination.

Located immediately south of the existing hotel, the new tower will feature a state-of-the-art wellness centre and a 125-seat brasserie-style restaurant, designed to complement the hotel’s award-winning Tempo Kitchen & Bar, with both indoor and outdoor dining and sweeping 360-degree panoramic views 36 metres above the bay.

The development also includes 1,200 square metres of combined event space across both the existing hotel and new tower, strengthening Geelong’s capacity to attract and host conferences, exhibitions and large-scale events.

The project is being delivered by Melbourne-based Ireland Brown Constructions and designed by PACT Architects, with a brief to create a contemporary, future-focused addition to the Geelong skyline.

It comes at a time of rising visitor numbers to the Bellarine and Surf Coast, as Geelong cements its reputation as one of Victoria’s fastest-growing leisure and business destinations.

Since ERDI opened the hotel in 2001, Novotel Geelong has consistently been the top-performing hotel in the local market. Over the years, it has received multiple industry accolades, including Regional Accommodation of the Year at the 2024 Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence, while its signature restaurant, Tempo Kitchen & Bar, recently won Regional Hotel Restaurant of the Year at the 2025 Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence. The hotel further strengthened its appeal with a major refurbishment in 2018.

The commencement of construction represents the first major announcement of the Novotel Geelong expansion, which is set to become a defining feature of the city’s skyline and a cornerstone of its tourism infrastructure.

Hotel website

Novotel (by Accor)