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Thursday, February 16, 2023

Inside TFE Hotels' Vibrant New Adelaide Address




TFE Hotels’ homegrown hospitality brand, Vibe Hotels, will complete its ‘lap of the Aussie map’, expanding its footprint to every state and territory when Vibe Hotel Adelaide debuts on March 1. Underpinned by a love for all things local, and embracing Australia’s enviable love of lifestyle and energy, Vibe Hotel Adelaide promises to deliver a ‘retreat in the city’ experience - oozing an elevated yet casual ambience for modern travellers.

Thoughtfully designed by multi-award winning Australian architecture studio, Loucas Zahos Architects, the 123-room hotel is the final instalment in a 20 year project by Adelaide-based developer GuavaLime, completing their long term vision for the Flinders East Precinct on the leafy fringe of the Adelaide parklands.

Behind its impressive 18-storey glass frontage, Vibe Hotel Adelaide incorporates stunning interior design features to become the brand’s new flagship in 2023.

“The bottom line is that we wanted to do things in a very South Australian way,” explained Pasquo Cassetta, a Senior Architect with Loucas Zahos Architects. “Let’s just say you’ll know you’re in Adelaide, not in Paris, when you visit this hotel.”

A true point of difference for Vibe Hotel Adelaide is undoubtedly its superb use of local artisans.

“We sourced a range of specialists, including local artist and metal worker, Jeremy Herbert of Iron Edge Design who is responsible for a number of prominent artworks around Adelaide, to help breathe life into the Vibe project,” explained Mr Cassetta.

“Jeremy was commissioned to design bespoke screens and the 15-metre chandelier that is the centrepiece of the lobby. His exceptional design vision, especially when accompanied by the beautiful selection of Australian timbers and clever lighting installed, has created a remarkable sense of arrival that will definitely speak to guests.”

The eye-catching serpentine chandelier is suspended from the lobby’s dramatic, raw concrete ceiling using special acrylic rods that will be illuminated to ‘glow’ differently over a 24-hour cycle. According to the artist, “The idea is to change the light colour to become brighter or softer and suit the different moods of the day, tailoring ambiance in this important reception zone.”

A second striking installation, also created by Jeremy Herbert, appears on the north facing wall of the site near the hotel’s Storehouse Flinders East Restaurant and Bar. Inspired by an historic Adelaide street scene circa 1960, Herbert’s external artwork is based on an original photograph of the actual location that is now home to the Vibe Hotel Adelaide. Stretching an impressive four metres across and two metres high, it was crafted using perforated timber panels and purposely continues the theme of the lobby installation for a seamless feel between the hotel’s interior and outdoor spaces.

In a nod to the custodians and stories of the local Kaurna culture, a third pressed metal artwork – sourced, designed and printed in South Australia – sits on the western façade of the building celebrating the traditional wealth and exceptional natural potential of the Adelaide region.

Inspired by the Kaurna idea that “we are all born within the cycle of cultural and spiritual renewal”, the urban art piece originated from an idea presented by Australian born artist Stefan Bruneder, but was further developed by Kaurna Meyunna artists, Susan Williams, and Karl Telfer. A collaboration between the three artists, the final work is an interpretation depicting a full year lifecycle for traditional owners of the land, carefully balancing female and male aspects of Kaurna culture. Look carefully and there are some 120 different local motifs and totems acknowledged across the impressive art piece, including depictions of bilbies, echidna and goanna tracks, wattle seeds, emu eggs, river fish, clapping sticks and elements like waves, clouds, star constellations and bushfires. These motifs are reflected on the external wings of the Vibe.

At its heart, the Vibe Hotel Adelaide’s DNA is about energy, both new and old. Similarly, the interior design showcases natural materials and sensual textures. From raw concrete ceilings to Tasmanian Oak bathroom screens that add to Vibe’s ‘city retreat’ feel, and baths at the window edge of rooms - every surface is softened and tactile to add to the guest experience.

Elevating the brand’s accommodation offering, Vibe Hotel Adelaide has created several different room and suite categories to appeal to both business and leisure travellers – including Premier Suites, Urban Retreat Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, and lead in Guest Rooms. All upper-level view guest rooms echo the lobby to feature exposed concrete ceilings, warm wood finishes, with in-room photography sourced from local artist Alex Frayne adding to the quintessential South Australian experience at Vibe.

Vibe Adelaide features a suspended bridge pool that allows guests to “swim” between the hotel and the neighbouring ONE Apartments. The pool runs alongside a pedestrian bridge, with guests having access to a pool deck with a spa, sauna, and communal plaza.

On the ground level, the hotel’s design-focused style reflects a vibrant, inner-city community with great dining, drinks, and entertainment available at Storehouse Flinders East restaurant and bar.

In close proximity to bustling Flinders Street, Storehouse is a refreshing indoor-meets-outdoor concept, opening into a verdant courtyard and dining terrace that evokes the nearby parklands. Think curved garden beds filled with Australian native plants, while blackbutt timber floors, generous windows, and festoon lighting to create the perfect atmosphere for a lively social scene at any time of the day.

For those looking to explore beyond the hotel, Vibe Hotel Adelaide is located within walking distance to iconic Rundle Mall, Central Market, Botanic Gardens, Hutt Street and Vardon Avenue – exciting dining precincts home to a plethora of boutique restaurants, iconic pubs, and trendy cocktail bars that are loved by locals and visitors alike.Superbly placed for events, the Vibe Hotel Adelaide is also in a prime location for guests to experience events such as Adelaide Fringe Festival, VALO Adelaide 500 and WOMAD.

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