New Crowne Plaza announced for Shell Cove

IHG Hotels and Resorts has announced its first hotel location on the New South Wales South Coast will be at The Waterfront, Shell Cove, with the major hotel operator set to open the Crowne Plaza Shell Cove Marina in 2025 after striking an agreement with Oscars Group.

The brand-new waterfront hotel is a major part of the vision for the NSW South Coast’s new world-class marine tourism destination, by Shellharbour City Council with Frasers Property Australia. The Crowne Plaza Shell Cove Marina will boost the community’s entertainment credentials, serving as another place from which to enjoy this beautiful part of the world.

IHG has 17 hotel brands and manages 6,000 destinations around the world. In addition to its Crowne Plaza brand, other brands in its portfolio include Holiday Inn, Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts and Regent.

Construction of the Crowne Plaza Shell Cove Marina is expected to start later this year. In addition to hotel rooms and suites, it will include serviced apartments and private residential apartments. 

In addition to regional tourism and conference facilities, the Crowne Plaza Shell Cove Marina is expected to be popular with domestic and international nautical visitors optimising the berthing, maintenance and services facilities of the world-class marina.

A recent report by Localis for Shellharbour City Council monitored visitors to the area over the past two quarters. In the quarter since the opening of the boat harbour (from November 2021 to January 2022), visitor numbers to The Waterfront, Shell Cove increased 75% with ~136,815 visitors to the area.

Mathew Gulliver, Development Director Shell Cove, Frasers Property Australia says the IHG Hotels and Resorts team will join a growing group of successful new businesses operating at The Waterfront, Shell Cove.

“Later this month, Whale Watching Cruises will be launched from the marina. Shellharbour Wild is the operator and the vessel is a 14-metre RIB called “Adventure” which seats 48 passengers and two crew. Whale watching will run during the migration season of May to November and then eco- cruises will commence in the off-season,” says Mr Gulliver.

“Elsewhere in the community, The Waterfront Dining Precinct has been a hive of activity, particularly since the harbour opening last year, while The Waterfront Tavern, Georgia Rose and The Salty Squid are all proving popular. The Town Centre offers even more casual dining options, as well as retail convenience to the community,” he says.