Quest has unveiled plans for new suburban hotels on Truganina in Melbourne’s west and Blacktown in Greater Western Sydney, with the expansion worth around $1 billion. 

During the pandemic, the group closed seven hotels and was involved in rent disputes between franchisee and retiree landlords. 

However, under the leadership of veteran hotelier David Mansfield, the group has been re-energised.

Mansfield took over running Quest this year when Singapore’s The Ascott Limited (a subsidiary of real estate giant CapitaLand) took full ownership from founder Paul Constantinou. 

James Shields, Quest’s general manager of growth and capital strategy announced that the group expected to deliver 37 new properties worth over $1 billion for franchisees by 2026. 

“Five are presently under construction and [deals on] an additional 19 are currently in advanced negotiations,” Shields said. 

Quest’s current network is one of the biggest hotel groups in the region with 126 properties and 9194 rooms.

As borders open and travel restrictions ease, recovery is being experienced right across the hospitality sector. Bookings, particularly by corporate travellers, were looking “very encouraging,” Mr Shields said.

“The further out you go [from the cities], the stronger the demand is,” he said. 

“It’s strongest in the regions where there’s insatiable demand in places like Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Orange and Nowra, followed by the suburbs, and then the CBDs where it’s starting to build again.”

Irit Jackson, 17^th November 2021