Farewell to QT as Oaks take over prized resort
BUSINESS NEWS
QT Port Douglas will be taking on a new identity and will be called Oaks Resort Port Douglas after leading accommodation provider Oaks Hotels & Resorts, a division of Minor Hotels, announced it has acquired the freehold interest of the boutique resort and adjoining land.
In a deal brokered by CBRE, the 170-room resort will present holidaymakers with Oaks Hotels & Resorts’ smart simplicity and spacious apartment accommodation in a coveted coastal destination, which is touted as the jewel in Tropical North Queensland’s crown.
The Chief Operating Officer of Minor Hotels, Australia and New Zealand, Craig Hooley, said
his company was delighted to announce the successful acquisition of this quality asset, which will operate under the Oaks brand and forms part of the strategic direction to own and operate hotels that deliver a strong value proposition to both our guests and our investors.
“Port Douglas is a key domestic market for us, and while we already have a strong presence in the region with sister property Oaks Lagoons, we see the two properties as each having their own unique offer and providing guests with diverse accommodation options from which to explore the region.
"The addition of Oaks Resort Port Douglas will perfectly complement our existing brand portfolio of 56 hotels nationally and we look forward to welcoming guests to this vibrant resort under our new management," he said.
Formerly Rydges Sabaya, it re-opened in 2012 as QT Port Douglas following a retro transformation. However, in recent times it has come under criticism.
In a June report published by News Corp, the resort was “roasted by guests for being unclean, falling apart and having bad service.”
It was further reported that the hotel had been dubbed a “fail”. Scores of customers have raged that bed linen was stained, furniture broken, rodent droppings filled in the laundry, service was almost non-existent, showers were cold, cutlery was grubby and rotting food was left in rooms.
And in June this year when Newsport reported that QT Port Douglas had been placed on the market as part of an asset review, Norman Arundel, Director Hotel Operations, Event Hospitality and Entertainment, the then parent company, said Port Douglas is no longer the right fit.
“While QT Port Douglas has been a much loved part of the QT family, the property is on the market following an asset review.
“Since the opening in 2012 of QT Port Douglas, the QT brand has evolved and for this reason Port Douglas is not the right fit,” he said.
Oaks Hotels & Resorts is one of Australia’s largest self-contained, accommodation providers, currently incorporating a portfolio of over 50 properties spanning across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and India.
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