News Releases

06 March 2019

Next Story Group Grows Footprint in Australia and Enters Top Destinations of Sri Lanka and Vietnam


First integrated offering of Next Hotels and Kafnu opening in Colombo in November 2019

Singapore, 6 March 2019 – International hospitality company Next Story Group is expanding across Asia Pacific markets in 2019 with its successful hotel brand Next Hotels and genre-defining urban lifestyle concept, Kafnu. The Group opened Kafnu Alexandria – Australia’s first Kafnu property – on 1st March and is gearing up to open Next Hotel Colombo, Kafnu Colombo and Kafnu Ho Chi Minh City in the coming months.

“Our growth strategy is focused on entrenching our foothold in Australia where we have our biggest portfolio of hotels. Our knowledge of this market has provided us with a strong grounding to successfully launch Kafnu into this market. At the same time, we are expanding into new markets and up and coming tourist destinations in South East Asia and South Asia. We believe that both our hospitality brands – Next Hotels and Kafnu – are well positioned to offer unique experiences in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. We are very excited about our property openings in these markets in 2019 as they will be new milestones for Next Story Group,” said Darren Edmonstone, Chief Executive Officer of Next Hotels & Resorts.

Next Story Group currently has 40 operating and pipeline properties in its portfolio. Among the first of the Group’s pipeline hotels to open, in November 2019, will be Next Hotel Colombo. Offering modern innovative hospitality under the upper upscale Next Hotels brand, Next Hotel Colombo will be the first Next hotel outside of Australia. It will be located within Colombo City Centre, the iconic 47-storey mixed-use development in Colombo, a city that is known as the world’s No.1 “must photograph” destination. Over the last few years, Sri Lanka’s burgeoning hospitality industry has been changing the country’s landscape and PATA now ranks Sri Lanka 5th amongst Asia Pacific’s top destinations.

Next Hotel Colombo will have 164 guest rooms and suites over 8 floors (10th to 17th), as well as unique sleep pods that provide restful moments for guests who arrive early or require a late check out. Guests will enjoy the outdoor pool on the 9th floor and have access to the gym and yoga room. Located on the 9th floor terrace, the specialty restaurant features a show kitchen and offers views of the city, the Bere Lake and the Indian Ocean. Guests will be treated to an exceptional dining experience at this restaurant with its offering of innovative gastronomical delights centred on local produce. The hotel is also the ideal venue for corporate meetings and social functions.

The hotel provides direct access to the upscale mall within Colombo City Centre, featuring more than 50 international brands, a six-screen cineplex and a virtual reality playground. It is also within walking distance to major sights including Beira Lake, Gangaramaya Temple and Park, Viharamahadevi Park, the National Art Gallery, the National Museum, the Town Hall and Galle Face Green ocean-side park.

On top of that, Next Hotel Colombo will be the Group’s first hotel to feature Kafnu as part of its comprehensive offering. Guests of Next Hotel Colombo can optimise their productivity at the 750sqm Kafnu Colombo, which will offer shared workspaces, meeting rooms and a lounge.

Since Kafnu’s launch in 2017, the innovative brand has expanded its network to four operational properties. Conceptualised as an urban village for the new generation of creators, Kafnu combines the best elements of a shared workspace, hospitality, and a social community. Members have global access to Kafnu properties and benefit from bespoke learning and networking activities that support co-creation, co-exploration and co-innovation.

Next Story Group is also marking its entry into Vietnam in the first half of 2019, with the upcoming opening of Kafnu Ho Chi Minh City. The 2440sqm property will be housed in an 8-storey building in the heart of the city, close to Districts 1 and 2. Kafnu Ho Chi Minh City will offer 8 hotel rooms where members can get a good night’s rest, a variety of workspace options, six meeting rooms and a multi-screen event space that can accommodate up to 150 guests. A virtual fitness studio will offer members more than 1,500 classes to choose from and the food and beverage options will include Soy, a modern Asian restaurant, and Habitat Cocktail Bar, which features live music.

In Australia, Next Story Group opened Kafnu Alexandria on 1 March 2019. Kafnu Alexandria is located next to The Grounds of Alexandria, within one of Sydney’s thriving creative and industrial hubs, and only five minutes from Sydney Airport. The 3,000sqm property offers 16 guest rooms, a range of workspaces and meeting rooms, as well as a virtual fitness studio, and Tonik, a gin bar that stocks over 20 varieties of Australian gin and local craft beers.


About Next Story Group

Next Story Group creates and transforms urban spaces into thriving communities by harnessing the power of human imagination and innovation. The group currently owns, manages and franchises hotels and resorts in Australia, Laos and Thailand, bearing its brands including Next Hotels, Sage Hotels and LinQ Hotels. It also manages four Kafnu spaces in Sydney, Bengaluru, Taipei and Hong Kong.For more information: www.nextstory.com

Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood:Retail therapy takes on brand-new meaning

14 February 2018

Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood: Retail therapy takes on brand-new meaning

Next Story Group declared, "a new Sage rises in the East", when unveiling state-of-the-art 120-room Sage Hotel Ringwood, Melbourne in October. The hassle-free shopper's accommodation heaven spans five floors on top of the Eastland Retail Destination.

Hotels on top of shopping centres are common abroad; popular because of convenience for shoppers and the buying power of tourists. The Singapore-based Next Story Group is the first to introduce this concept to Melbourne, with 29 hotels already open in Australia under the Next Hotels & Resorts brands, the group has been busy reconstructing and raising guest expectations with their innovative take on the industry.

"You can shop 'til you drop downstairs at the shopping centre and then go upstairs to the hotel or do some work in the co-working space," Next Story Group's Australia and New Zealand managing director John Warren said. "It's a new concept in Australia but they're everywhere in America and Asia."

To read the full article, please download here.

To book your upcoming stay at Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood, please visit www.nexthotels.com/sage/ringwood-melbourne/ or call 1300 346 835.

About Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood:

The brand new 120-room Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood spans five floors atop the Eastland Retail Destination in Ringwood. Enjoy the convenience of having the shopping centre at your doorstep and the comfort and hospitality that Sage offers including free Wi-Fi, co-working spaces, and a gym and then more.


About Sage Hotels:

Sage Hotels are traditional upscale hotels offering services and spaces that are familiar to our guests with all the hallmarks of simplicity and consistency they are looking for; combined with local flavour and a sense of community. Sage Hotels are located in primary and secondary urban centres targeting CBD, CBD fringe locations and primary transport hubs.


About Next Story Group:

Next Story Group designs, manages, and markets hotels and urban spaces. Seeing each real estate asset as a living ecosystem, the group precisely optimizes each space's design and performance based on customer demand. With experienced leaders in design, marketing, operations, and emerging technology, Next Story Group takes a holistic approach to each space it manages, futureproofing its owners’ investments.

The group’s brands include Next Hotels, Kafnu, Brand Karma, and Virsa. For more information visit www.nextstory.com.

Next Story Group Winners at HM Awards

5 September 2017

Next Story Group Winners at HM Awards

Next Story Group was well represented at this year’s Hotel Management Awards, scooping top honours across three categories with a Highly Commended in a fourth on Friday night, 1st September at Sydney Town Hall.

Next Hotel Brisbane, inspired by the modern business traveller, was recognised in front of 730 hoteliers and industry leaders as the Best Tech Hotel and also received a Highly Commended for the Business Hotel category with Jack Dahl, a valued employee, awarded as winner for Front Office Associate.

Sage Hotel Adelaide, also part of NEXT Hotels, was announced as winner of the Hotel Housekeeping category.

John Warren, Managing Director ANZ, Next Story Group commented, “I am extremely proud that Next Hotel Brisbane has been recognised with these two prestigious awards. We are also extremely proud of Jack Dahl for receiving this highly-contested award and are thrilled that Sage Hotel Adelaide’s Executive Housekeeper was awarded the winner of Hotel Housekeeping,” he added.

Next Hotel Brisbane delivers design, technology and service style and focuses on efficiency that starts from the point of booking all the way through to final departure. Before guests arrive at the Next Hotel Brisbane, they can download the Next Hotels App onto their smart mobile phone and use the Express Check-in function to register, select their room and receive their mobile key in three simple steps.

All 304 Next Hotel Brisbane guest rooms are equipped with an interactive LED TV and a proprietary Guest Communications Centre, which serves as the nerve-centre of the room. Sage Hotel Adelaide offers 138 rooms and is centrally located on South Terrace. Both properties offer guests free Wi-Fi throughout the entire hotels.

To book your upcoming stay at Next Hotel Brisbane, please visit www.nexthotels.com/next/brisbane/ or at Sage Hotel Adelaide, please visit www.nexthotels.com/sage/adelaide/ call 1300 346 835.

For interview requests, please contact: Caitlin O'Loan COCOM PR M: 0407 028 177 T: 07 3892 7736 E: [email protected]

About Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood:

The brand new 120-room Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood spans five floors atop the Eastland Retail Destination in Ringwood. Enjoy the convenience of having the shopping centre at your doorstep and the comfort and hospitality that Sage offers including free Wi-Fi, co-working spaces, and a gym and then more.


About NEXT Hotels and Next Hotel Brisbane:

NEXT Hotels is an upper upscale hotel brand designed specifically to address the needs of the modern business traveler. Space, technology and service are re-engineered so that the time-crunched and modern business-focused traveler optimises time, exemplifying the brand’s promise: “Designed to Make your Time Count.” NEXT Hotels empower the guest with choice, flexibility and control. The flagship brand of Singapore-based Next Story Group, the world’s first NEXT Hotel opened in September 2014 in Brisbane, Australia, with 304 rooms. Located in Queen Street Mall, Next Hotel Brisbane also comprises an outdoor pool deck overlooking the Mall as well as Brisbane’s premier retail shopping district, space that hosts Australia’s first Forever 21, the renowned US-based fast fashion giant.


About Sage Hotels:

Sage Hotels are traditional upscale hotels offering services and spaces that are familiar to our guests with all the hallmarks of simplicity and consistency they are looking for; combined with local flavour and a sense of community. Sage Hotels are located in primary and secondary urban centres targeting CBD, CBD fringe locations and primary transport hubs.


About Next Story Group:

Next Story Group designs, manages, and markets hotels and urban spaces. Seeing each real estate asset as a living ecosystem, the group precisely optimizes each space's design and performance based on customer demand. With experienced leaders in design, marketing, operations, and emerging technology, Next Story Group takes a holistic approach to each space it manages, futureproofing its owners’ investments. The group’s brands include Next Hotels, Kafnu, Brand Karma, and Virsa. For more information visit www.nextstory.com.