Iconic Hydro Majestic hotel to be revived with an added touch of the present for the future.

Plans for a complete revitalisation of the iconic Hydro Majestic were announced today, outlining a long awaited opportunity to peel back the layers and rediscover the essence of the most famous historic holiday resort in the Blue Mountains.

The vision for the proposed rejuvenation is to continue the Hydro Majestic’s unique and eclectic combination of architectural styles where additions made to the hotel over the past hundred years reflect time and place.

The refurbishment scheme will see the hotel’s facilities, interiors and gardens, which now stretch 1 kilometer across the escarpment, revitalised to a world class standard – rediscovering past glorious architectural and design aspects, recapturing atmospherics whilst adding a touch of the here and now to take the building into the future.

The challenges of adding another layer of history to this significant building have not been taken lightly.
A team of highly revered heritage experts, architecture specialists and designers have been enlisted to realise this vision, with particular weight given to examining and respecting the Hydro Majestic’s social history and heritage. 

The team, assembled by Sydney based hotel investors, is under the guidance of the acclaimed heritage consultant Graham Brooks with Jonathan Bryant of Graham Brooks and Associates. With over 30 years of professional experience in Australia, Asia, UK, Europe and US, Brooks is a nationally and internationally recognised specialist in cultural heritage management and cultural tourism and is the Chairman of the International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICOMOS).

“We are all proud to play a key role in the revival of the much loved Hydro Majestic at Medlow Bath,”
said  Brooks. “The Hydro Majestic Hotel has developed eccentrically over time under the guidance of retail baron Mark Foy, from relatively humble beginnings as an Edwardian house hotel and hydropathic resort to its glory years as grand hotel and resort between the two world wars.

Throughout, it has enjoyed periods of great success and periods of lengthy decline. We are delighted that the current scheme to rejuvenate the hotel includes a comprehensive plan to revive the whole hotel, facilities, gardens and grounds to a truly world class standard.”

Collaborating with Brooks and Bryant is distinguished Australian architect, Robert Costa of Robert Costa Architecture. Costa has had a long history with the Hydro Majestic and brings over 14 years first hand experience and intimate knowledge of the building to the project. As Costa explains, “the Hydro Majestic has never been a static development. The evolving nature of the property allows for each generation to apply its own mark on the building as a legacy for the next generation.

As we now add the 21st Century layer, we are mindful of the past, but always with an eye to the future, to make the hotel continue to live well beyond this generation.  Our layers and alterations choose to borrow from the existing structures, enhancing the old and providing a feeling of renewal entirely.”

Also a part of the team is international interior designer, Peter Reeve of CRD. Reeve has created luxurious, new, historically inspired interiors which reference the past and fold into the present with absolute luxe.

Reeve explains his inspiration, “we have striven to harness the atmosphere and mood of the Hydro Majestic, creating a palette of carpets and rich textiles based on period motifs, timbers and stones which reference the austere beauty of the Belle Epoque and the glamour of Art Deco along with bold moments of the now. We have re-imagined spaces to create a breathtaking assortment of individual yet related venues and put the ‘hydro’ back into Hydro Majestic with spa and treatment facilities completing the dream of indulging all day long.”

The team continues with acclaimed Blue Mountains based landscape architect and heritage consultant, David Beaver, who will revisit the grand gardens of the Blue Mountains with inspiration from legendary landscape architect, Paul Sorensen, creating a landmark of European and Australian planting. The whole rejuvenation scheme will be managed by the highly skilled construction professionals, Devlan Project Management.

A Development Application for the rejuvenation of the Hydro Majestic will be submitted to the Blue Mountains City Council in the coming weeks with a re-opening date anticipated for late 2012.

Steeped in historical and social significance, the newly renovated Hydro Majestic hotel, with its outstanding facilities, fine dining and accommodation, is set to offer an enormous boost to tourism and employment in the region and will re-establish the Blue Mountains as a popular national and international tourist destination.


Images and interviews are available on request.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it