IHG Hotels & Resorts has completed the multi-million-dollar transformation of InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, reopening the 198-key beachfront property with a clutch of new facilities aimed squarely at the growing premium leisure and bleisure market on Australia’s eastern seaboard.
The reimagined property, part of IHG’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio, now features an ocean-facing infinity pool and terrace, a Club InterContinental lounge and two pickleball courts, believed to be a first for a Sydney hotel. The highly anticipated Èliva Spa is scheduled to open in early May, completing the overhaul.
Sydney-headquartered architects Woods Bagot led the interior redesign, applying what the firm describes as a fresh interpretation of coastal luxury to the site on the city’s eastern shoreline. Many of the 198 guestrooms and suites have been reconfigured to maximise natural light and ocean views, reinforcing the hotel’s pitch as a premium base for both business and leisure travellers visiting Sydney.
At the heart of the refurbishment is a new pool deck positioned above the coastline. The infinity-edge pool is heated year-round and framed by private cabanas, sun lounges and layered planting, from canopy palms to native coastal grasses, with fire pits bringing the space into use through the cooler months. An adjoining poolside dining offer features lighter fare alongside the brand’s new “Nourish Bowls”, which are available throughout the hotel at any time as part of IHG’s push on nutritionally balanced menus.
Business travellers are likely to gravitate towards the new Club InterContinental lounge, one of the brand’s most recognisable features. Finished in sun-washed tones with nautical references, the space offers breakfast, complimentary afternoon tea and evening drinks with Champagne and canapés, alongside quiet nooks designed to double as informal meeting space. A private open-air terrace overlooking the ocean gives Club guests a retreat separate from the main pool deck.
The addition of two pickleball courts is intended to tap into the fastest-growing racquet sport globally and adds a point of difference in a competitive Sydney market. When Èliva Spa opens next month, it will bring magnesium mineral pools, infrared and salt saunas, cold plunge baths, a crystal steam room and a recovery lounge equipped with PEMF infrared masks, LED facial masks, compression boots and vitamin C-infused showers. A 24-hour fitness studio completes the wellness offer.
The new facilities build on the December opening of Shutters Restaurant & Bar, and are supported by a curated destination guide drawing on the InterContinental concierge network, a brand hallmark for almost 80 years, with recommendations spanning the Gordons Bay underwater nature trail, heritage-listed Wylie’s Baths and neighbourhood cafés.
The Coogee Beach reopening lands as IHG continues to grow the InterContinental footprint in Asia Pacific, with more than 240 hotels and resorts now operating globally under the flag. Further openings in the pipeline include InterContinental Port Moresby and InterContinental Barossa Resort & Spa, both of which are due to come on stream in the coming years.