The Calile Hotel Brisbane Designed by Richards & Spence

The Calile, Brisbane‘s highly anticipated new address, has opened its doors, pitched as Australia‘s first urban resort. Located in the centre of the James Street precinct, the 175-room architecturally designed hotel draws on the enviable Queensland climate and tropical surrounds to deliver a resort experience in an urban setting.

Designed by talented local architects Richards & Spence, recognised for defining the look and feel of the entire James Street precinct, The Calile design embraces and advances this established tropical vernacular. Inspired by other hot weather cities with a resort focus to inform their design – like Miami, Palm Springs, Rio De Janeiro and Mexico City – Richards & Spence Co-Director Adrian Spence refers to the final outcome as the studios “greatest professional achievement to date”.

For the design team, embracing the climate and tropical surrounds became the foundation of the design. “In our opinion, there is no other city-based Australian hotel conceived as a resort. City-based hotels in our country are pitched to a corporate market, focussed on the conference, rather than on the pool and the hotel’s surrounds. The Calile will change that.”

The elevated, centrally located pool and the surrounding pool deck area with outdoor dining, cabanas and sun lounges play a crucial role in embracing the overall concept. The 175 generous guest rooms also invite the climate in, featuring a mix of individual Juliette, pool-side and terrace-style balconies and two private rooftop terraces.

“Our climate allows us to live outdoors most of the year. The naturally ventilated rooms allow guests to share our unique outdoor lifestyle again reinforcing a sense of place that is uniquely Brisbane,” said Spence.

Designed with the guest experience in mind, open-air spaces and breezeways link to rooms appointed for comfort — cork floors and sisal matting give way to marble bathroom finishes, dedicated living areas with daybed and dining table, custom linen robes, Grown Alchemist bath amenities, a locally sourced mini bar, motorised blackout blinds and UHD television with Chromecast and sound bar.

Beyond the in-room amenities and leisure facilities, The Calile includes an award-winning restaurant, day spa, cocktail bar and fashion boutiques on the ground and pool deck levels. Guests are invited to experience all the ease and comfort of a resort stay with the convenience of an inner-city urban setting.

See more projects by Richards & Spence on Yellowtrace.