IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) has announced a major hotel pipeline for NSW, including the launch of extended-stay brand Staybridge Suites and new hotels in Newcastle and Gosford.

IHG has signed an agreement with Australian property developer ALAND to launch Staybridge Suites.

Under the agreement, ALAND will have exclusive development rights for Staybridge Suites in Australia, with a portfolio of at least 15 hotels comprising a minimum of 2000 rooms to be developed across the country.

IHG and ALAND have also signed the first two franchise agreements for Staybridge Suites in Australia: the 130-room Staybridge Suites Sydney Parramatta and 112-room Staybridge Suites Sydney Leppington (below).

Both properties are located in Greater Western Sydney and will be managed by Signature Hotel Management Group.

IHG said the extended-stay segment continued to offer significant growth potential in Australia, supported by demand from corporate travellers, project-based work, relocations and guests seeking greater flexibility for longer stays.

IHG Hotels & Resorts Managing Director, Australasia & Pacific Matt Tripolone said: “This is a significant long-term development agreement for IHG in Australia.

“Establishing a portfolio of at least 15 hotels and 2000 rooms with one development partner gives us a clear pathway to build a meaningful position in the extended-stay segment, where we see considerable long-term opportunity.

“Importantly, this is not simply an agreement about future growth. We are announcing the first two Staybridge Suites hotels in Parramatta and Leppington from the outset, giving the portfolio immediate momentum in two important Western Sydney growth markets.”

IHG said Parramatta and Leppington provided two distinct launch markets for Staybridge Suites in Australia, positioning the brand within Greater Western Sydney’s growing commercial, residential and infrastructure corridors.

It cited Leppington’s proximity to Western Sydney International Airport and the emerging Aerotropolis as providing a complementary location for the brand’s extended-stay proposition.

IHG expands partnership with Urban Property Group

IHG has also expanded its strategic partnership with Urban Property Group (Urban) with the announcement of Crowne Plaza Newcastle (below) and Hotel Indigo Gosford, growing the relationship to three hotels across NSW.

Building on Crowne Plaza Parramatta, signed in 2025, the agreement marks the next stage of a growing strategic relationship between IHG and Urban, spanning metropolitan and regional NSW.

The two hotels will anchor major mixed-use developments in Gosford and Newcastle.

Tripolone said: “IHG has now signed three exciting new projects with Urban Property Group over the last 12 months, illustrating our shared strategic vision for the sector and the growing strength in our partnership.

“Urban has a significant development pipeline across NSW, and we see considerable opportunity to grow together over the long term.

“Regional growth is an important part of our strategy in Australia, particularly in markets benefiting from sustained investment in infrastructure, tourism and major development.

“Newcastle and the Central Coast are both significant visitor and economic centres, and we see strong long-term potential for high-quality internationally branded hotels in these locations.

“Crowne Plaza Newcastle and Hotel Indigo Gosford are outstanding additions to our portfolio and very well suited to their respective markets. We are excited to return Crowne Plaza to Newcastle and to bring Hotel Indigo’s distinctive neighbourhood-led experience to the Central Coast for the first time.”

Crowne Plaza Newcastle, which is expected to open in late 2029, will form part of Urban’s landmark mixed-use development adjacent to Newcastle Interchange.

The 171-room hotel will sit within the 43-storey development alongside 219 residential apartments and feature all-day dining, a lobby bar, more than 550sqm of meetings and events space, including a 425sqm ballroom, a pool and landscaped public spaces.

IHG said Newcastle was undergoing significant transformation, supported by major infrastructure investment, population growth and an expanding business, events and visitor economy.

Hotel Indigo Gosford, expected to open in mid-2030, will form part of Urban’s The Waterfrontprecinct. The 152-room hotel will feature views across Brisbane Water, a neighbourhood café and bar, rooftop pool and premium wellness facilities, with its design and guest experience drawing inspiration from the stories and character of the local neighbourhood.

IHG said continued investment in Gosford’s CBD and waterfront was supporting the city’s evolution as a commercial, residential and visitor hub.

NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035

The NSW Government’s bold new roadmap to turbocharge the state’s visitor economy, the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, has a target of $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure.

To ensure supply meets growing demand, the Strategy’s goals include:

  • Delivering an additional 8.5 million aviation seats
  • Adding 40,400 new accommodation rooms statewide
  • Supporting 150,000 new jobs across the visitor economy.

Destination NSW is leading the delivery of the Strategy. Learn more here.