Where heritage architecture meets contemporary hospitality

5 October 2026

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The former Hilton Brisbane is entering a new chapter as InterContinental Brisbane, with Woods Bagot reworking the landmark hotel while retaining the architectural character of the building originally designed by Harry Seidler.

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Ruby McKenzie

The Queen Street Mall hotel will see its guestrooms, public spaces and hospitality offering reimagined, with the staged refurbishment expected to continue through late 2027 while the hotel remains open.

Reworking the hotel experience

The 319-room hotel will increase to 324 rooms, with guestrooms and suites redesigned around warm neutral tones, natural stone, marble, dark timber and mid-century-inspired furnishings.

One of the most significant interventions will be the hotel’s soaring atrium. The space will be reworked to make greater use of natural light while retaining visual connections from the rooms above.

A new arrival experience on level six will include the lobby and reception, with Club InterContinental also relocating to the floor overlooking Queen Street Mall and the Edward Street luxury precinct.

The refurbishment extends beyond the guestrooms. Plans include a new Argentinian grill, an Italian pasta and wine bar and a redesigned lobby bar, alongside a new gym, spa and wellness offering. The pool deck will also be reworked to make greater use of Brisbane’s subtropical climate and outdoor lifestyle.

Working with an existing architectural language

For Woods Bagot, the project is an exercise in bringing a significant existing building up to contemporary hospitality standards without losing its architectural identity.

That extends to the wider precinct, with plans to revitalise the retail galleries beneath the hotel and strengthen connections between Queen Street Mall and Elizabeth Street.

The result will be a hotel that feels distinctly contemporary while remaining connected to the architecture that has defined the site for decades.

The transformation is expected to be completed in 2027, ahead of Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Explore more commercial architecture, hospitality projects and design practices on ArchiPro, including the work of Woods Bagot and the spaces shaping Australia’s evolving hospitality landscape.