THE CALILE, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
STAY
The Calile Hotel
I’d heard great things about this new hotel opening in Brisbane and was looking forward to checking it out myself. When the opportunity arose unexpectedly to stay at The Calile in January, I more than jumped at the chance!
I had high expectations, and I can honestly say that my stay here exceeded all of them. Let me tell you why.
The location is perfect. Fortitude Valley is THE place to be in Brisbane right now and the location of the hotel on the corner of James and Doggett Streets is right amongst the very best shopping, restaurants, cafés and bars that Brisbane has to offer. I love the fact that the surrounding boutiques are filled with fabulous Australian Designer offerings such as ‘Zimmerman’, Bassike’, ‘Dion Lee’, ‘Venroy’ and ‘Camilla and Marc’.
The white brick and concrete exterior of the building is imposing, and the interiors are superb. Designed by local Architects Richards & Spence, the beautiful interior is made up of marble surfaces, timber panelling, geometric shapes, leather furnishings, brass fixtures, sisal rugs and a simple colour palette of greens, blues and pink. As Queensland enjoys warm weather for most of the year, the open-air hallways and breezeways are an excellent idea. You can sense a Miami or Palm Springs vibe intermixed with a uniquely Australian feel and authenticity.
The 175 rooms and suites are supremely comfortable and stylish with their beautiful interiors, locally sourced mini-bars, black-out blinds (to combat those early Queensland sunrises!), beautiful organic skincare brand ‘The Grown Alchemist’ bathroom amenities and lovely linen bathrobes.
The staff were warm, welcoming and efficient at all times during our stay. My husband was coughing when he arrived, and one of the staff who happened to be in lift with him at the same time noticed it and was very empathetic. He then asked if he could bring some lemon and honey tea up to the room for him to help his cough - how thoughtful this was!
The hotel could easily be referred to as an ‘urban resort’ that you really don’t need to leave. Their facilities include a magnificent 30-metre swimming pool with palm trees, umbrellas and poolside cabana’s for outdoor dining and drinks, the fabulous Forme Fitness Centre for those in need of a work-out, the in-house Library stocked with a selection of carefully curated books and journals, an amphitheatre for events and the stunning Spa. The in-house dining options are both exceptional - ‘The Lobby Bar’ (great coffee, delicious food and perfect for a drink or two) and ‘Hellenika’ (see my post on this fabulous restaurant under ‘EAT’).
‘Kailo Wellness Medispa’ at The Calile is well worth a visit during your stay. The treatment rooms are serene and relaxing, and they offer individually tailored skin, body and health programs. There are 7 stunning treatment rooms, 3 Spa wellness pods and products from Ultraceuticals and DMK are on offer. Book in for some special pampering during your stay - all the more reason not to leave this impressive hotel. I can’t wait to come back and do it all again!
