Riley to ‘open on time’
CONSTRUCTION crews are racing to get the Riley hotel ready to go by its planned opening date of November 6.
Staff are putting the final touches on rooms, restaurants and conference areas with furnishings inside.
Prime Constructions director of construction Andy Taylor said Riley would be ready for Crystalbrook Collection workers to arrive on site on November 6 for opening day.
“They will no doubt need time to prepare and get their staff familiar with their new surroundings,” he said.
Mr Taylor said the construction schedule was set ahead to meet Crystalbrook Collection owner Ghassan Aboud’s plan to open the hotel as soon as possible.
“We are not required contractually to be ready for the original refurbished tower to open until January 24, 2019, so we are well ahead of schedule,” he said. “Tower 2 is contracted to be completed by March 6, 2019, but we expect it will be open well before that.”
The first Crystalbrook Hotel to open in Cairns has such attractions as a 1000 sqm pool and a man-made beach. Most of the Riley facilities will be open to the public on November 6, including the lap pool, a gym and all of the rooms barring the second tower guest rooms.
Only one restaurant will be open on November 6: the Paper Crane, a modern Asian restaurant featuring shareplates and South-East Asianinspired hustle and bustle presentation.
The next restaurants to open will be Greenfields and Rocco, the 12th floor rooftop bar, will open December 20.
Mr Taylor said the rooftop bar would be the most iconic part of Riley.