Gus' cafe included in new designs for luxury hotel

Construction is due to begin soon on a five-star hotel between Bunda Street and Garema Place.

Gus' cafe was one of several businesses forced to close ahead of the demolition of Garema Arcade, which began in April.

Luxury operator Crystalbrook Collection has signed on to run the hotel, which will include 238 rooms, restaurants and event spaces.

The developer, local firm TP Dynamics, has ambitious plans to open the 10-storey hotel in 2027.

Together with architects Fender Katsalidis, the developer has revised the hotel design since buying the land from Geocon in early 2023.

A new Gus' Place is included in the plans, the architecture firm said.

The cafe will be relocated to an expanded site on the same corner of Bunda Street and Garema Place it occupied for almost 60 years.

Then known as Gus' Cafe, the establishment was credited as having brought alfresco dining to Canberra when it opened in 1967.

The cafe is heritage listed but the status refers to its "intangible heritage" rather than the physical building itself.

Its future was uncertain when the cafe closed its doors in January.

At the time, TP Dynamics owner Tony Pan said the group wanted to bring Gus' back to the new hotel, but the relevant discussions had not yet happened.

As well as a new and improved Gus' Cafe, the hotel will include a signature restaurant on the ground level, to create a "vibrant dining arcade", the designers said.

The new renders show an updated concrete facade that curves along Bunda Street.

Inside, the hotel will include a cantilevered pool that overlooks a landscaped atrium. A rooftop restaurant and bar are also in the plans.

Fender Katsalidis associate principal David Robinson said the group was excited to be part of the revitalisation of Garema Place.

"The striking scale and greenery of the atrium provides a moment of surprise and intrigue that will make for a truly memorable guest experience," he said.

Crystalbrook Collection, an Australian hotel group owned by Syrian billionaire Ghassan Aboud, operates a portfolio of hotels in Brisbane, Byron Bay, Newcastle and Sydney all with a focus on sustainability.

Crystalbrook Collection CEO Geoff York said the Canberra hotel would continue the brand's expansion.

"The hotel is part of a major transformation of Canberra Civic centre and we're pleased to partner with FK and TP Dynamics to bring a unique design and immersive guest experience to life," he said.