Project Overview
Client: Canberra Labor Club
Project Type: New-build hotel development
Hotel Brand: Mercure (Accor)
Key Metric: 125-room mid-scale hotel
Location: Belconnen, ACT
Sear Hospitality was appointed to support the project from early feasibility and brand engagement through to opening and continues to act as the Owner’s Representative, working closely with the hotel management team to optimise performance and protect the owner’s long-term interests.
Scope of Services
Sear Hospitality provided end-to-end hotel advisory and owner representation services, including:
Hotel Feasibility & Market Advisory
- Market demand, positioning and competitive analysis
- Room mix, pricing strategy and revenue optimisation modelling
- Operating model and cost benchmarking
- Financial feasibility and risk assessment
Brand Selection & Operator Engagement
- Strategic assessment of brand options
- Support through Accor brand negotiations and approvals
- Alignment of Mercure brand standards with local market conditions
Concept & Design Advisory
- Review of architectural layouts and hotel efficiency
- Guestroom sizing, back-of-house planning and circulation
- Public area and food & beverage concept guidance
- Design reviews balancing brand compliance with capital efficiency
Pre-Opening & Operational Planning
- Operational structure and staffing frameworks
- Service flow and operational design
- Pre-opening planning and readiness support
Ongoing Owner’s Representation
- Acting as the primary liaison between ownership and hotel management
- Ongoing review of operating performance and KPIs
- Budget, capex and asset management oversight
- Support with annual business planning and forecasting
- Advisory input on operational efficiencies, service standards and revenue growth opportunities
Key Challenges
- Integrating a globally branded hotel into a club-led ownership structure
- Balancing brand compliance with development and operating cost efficiency
- Ensuring alignment between ownership objectives and operator delivery
- Supporting the transition from development into a stable, high-performing operational phase
Outcome
Through early involvement and continued owner-side representation, Sear Hospitality assisted Canberra Labor Club to:
- Successfully deliver a commercially viable 125-room Mercure hotel
- Achieve brand compliance while maintaining strong development economics
- Establish clear governance and reporting structures post-opening
- Support the hotel management team in driving sustainable operating performance
Mercure Canberra Belconnen now operates as a professionally planned and well-governed hotel asset, positioned to deliver long-term value for the owner.
Sear Hospitality’s Value
This project highlights Sear Hospitality’s ability to provide end-to-end hotel advisory and ongoing owner representation, ensuring hotel assets are not only delivered successfully, but continue to perform post-opening.
