Breaking news

Over the past decade, Art Series Hotel Group, has been the darling of the Australian hotel sector as one of the fastest growing Australian conceived, owned and operated hotel groups.

Will Deague, CEO, Deague Group says;

“Over the past decade we have been deeply passionate about growing the Art Series Hotel Group around Australia and hosting millions of art inspired experiences for guests. We are very proud of what our team has achieved and are excited to hand over the brand to Mantra Group who will build the brand to future success.”

Mantra Group have confirmed it will be business as usual for Art Series Hotel Group. All agreements with namesake artists remain unchanged and the new owners will focus on fostering new relationships with artists for future hotel properties.

With the new direction for Art Series Hotel Group, this ends a long standing extremely successful partnership with Event Hospitality, Deague adding “Event Hospitality, have played an integral role with the success of Art Series Hotel Group, we will continue to hold Event Hospitality in high regard and thank them for all their efforts.”

Art Series Hotel Group swung open the doors of their first hotel, The Cullen in Prahran in 2009. The Group has grown to include seven hotels around Australia including The Cullen, The Olsen, The Blackman, The Larwill Studio and The Schaller Studio in Victoria, The Watson in Adelaide and The Johnson in Brisbane.

There are currently two new hotels in the pipeline, including The Chen in Box Hill which is in the final stages of construction (by Deague Group) and will be opened by Mantra Group in November 2017, and a luxury six-star property which is set to open at Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane in late 2018.

All Art Series properties, with the exception of The Schaller Studio and Howard Smith Wharves will form part of the proposed transaction with Mantra Group.

Located in Australia’s hottest art and cultural hubs, the Group’s success has been the ability to offer guests up close and personal experiences with iconic Australian artists with a bustling catalogue of ways to immerse in the art that adorns the walls, including one on one tours and dedicated art channels. The hotels have achieved countless accolades and awards and are regularly noted on the hottest hotel lists in Australia and overseas.

The Art Series Hotel Group has been at the forefront in innovative hotel marketing and communications winning a number of highly acclaimed awards for their marketing campaigns including one of the most awarded (and memorable) campaigns, ‘Steal Banksy’ based on the creative idea of ‘Stay the night. Steal the art’, winning two Gold Effies, a Gold Cannes Lion and two Spikes.

Founders of Art Series Hotel Group, Deague Group is a 158-year-old integrated property development company with a proud family history that firmly binds it to the fabric of the Australian property story. In 2001, David and Will Deague commissioned a project titled ‘William Creek and Beyond’ to create excitement around landscape painting in Australia. It was on this trip with ten of Australia’s greatest artists including Dr John Olsen that the Art Series Hotel Group idea was born.

Inspired by and dedicated to Australia’s most contemporary artists, Art Series Hotel Group will continue to offer a hotel experience a little extraordinary and like no other under the Mantra Group.

Art Series Hotels Accolades List

• ADMA Australian Creativity and Effectiveness Awards - Best Campaign for Reverse  Reviews (2016)
• Graphis Design Annual – Golden Trophy – Art Series Hotel Group Website (2015)
• Best Use of a Small Budget (up to $300,000) – Art Series Hotel Group - Reverse Reviews finalist (2015)
• LE Miami– Most Original Campaign – Finalist (2014)
• WARC Global Innovation Prize - Overstay Checkout (2013)
• Cannes Lions – PR & Activation – Silver Lion (2013)
• Festival of Media Global Awards – Best Event/Experiential Campaign (Steal Banksy) (2013)
• LIA – Digital, Travel (Steal Banksy) – Silver  (2013)
• ADMA – Steal Banksy – Grand Prix  (2013)
• ADMA – Out of Home, Experiential (Steal Banksy) – Gold  (2013)
• ADMA – Travel & Hospitality (Steal Banksy) – Gold  (2013)
• ADMA – Social Media (Steal Banksy) – Silver  (2013)
• MFAs – Travel/Entertainment (Steal Banksy) – Winner (2013)
• MFAs – Small Budget (Steal Banksy) – Winner (2013)
• MFAs – Media Innovation (Steal Banksy) – Winner  (2013)
• Spikes Asia – Use of Media – Event & Field Marketing (Steal Banksy) – Silver (2012)
• Spikes Asia – Sales Promotion: Product/Service – Consumer Services (Steal Banksy) – Silver (2012)
• Effie Awards – Most Original Thinking (Steal Banksy) – Gold (2012)
• Effie Awards – Small Budget (Steal Banksy) – Gold (2012)
• Effie Awards – Short Term Effects (Steal Banksy) – Silver (2012)
• Effie Awards – Travel, Leisure and Media Category (Steal Banksy) – Gold  (2012)
• Cannes Lion – Steal Banksy – PR Lion (2012)
• Clio – PR Category (Steal Banksy) – Silver (2012)
• Clio – Interactive Social Category (Steal Banksy) – Bronze (2012)
• Mumbrella – Finalist Bravery (2012)

The Cullen
• Hotel Management Awards – Best Boutique Hotel, Finalist (2015)
• Victorian AHA Awards – Boutique Style Accommodation of the Year (2013)
• The Smith Hotel Awards – Best Budget Boutique Hotel, Finalist (2013)
• Tatler UK – 101 Best Hotels in The World (January 2013)
• TripAdvisor – Trendiest Hotels in Australia (January, 2012) – first place
• TripAdvisor – Top 10 Trendiest Hotels in the World (January, 2012)
• TripAdvisor – Top 25 Hotels in the South Pacific (January, 2012) – first place
• Australian Gourmet Traveller, Travel Awards – WINNER, Best New Boutique Accommodation (2011)
• TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellent (June, 2011)
• Australian Gourmet Traveller – Best Accommodation for Art Lovers, 2011 Hot 100 List (January, 2011)
• Mr & Mrs Smith-  #2 Budget Boutique Hotel in the world (2011)
• TripAdvisor – Top 10 Trendiest Hotels in the World 2011 (January, 2011)
• Expedia – Annual Insiders Select List, Top Ranked Hotels (2011)
• Conde Nast - 2010 Conde Nast US Traveler Hot List (2010)
• British Airways Highlife – Top 7 Art Hotels in the World (November, 2010)
• TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellence 2012 (June 2012)

The Olsen
• Hotel Management Awards – Best Boutique Hotel, Finalist (2015)
• TripAdvisor – Trendiest Hotels in Australia (January, 2012)
• TripAdvisor – Top 25 Hotels in the South Pacific (January, 2012)
• Australian Gourmet Traveller – Best Accommodation for Art Lovers, 2011 Hot 100 List (January, 2011)
• TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellence (June, 2011)
• Conde Nast – 2011 Conde Nast US Travel Hot List (2011)
• Kanoo World Traveller – Top Four Hotels in Australasia (December, 2010)
• TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellence 2012 (June 2012)

The Blackman
• Victorian TAA Awards – Best Superior Accommodation (June 2017)
• EXPEDIA INSIDERS SELECT – Top 10 Hotels in Australia (July 2013)
• Victorian AHA Awards– Superior Accommodation of the Year (2013)
• TripAdvisor – Top 25 Hotels in Australia (January, 2012)
• TripAdvisor – Trendiest Hotels in Australia (January, 2012)
• TripAdvisor – Top 25 Hotels in the South Pacific (January, 2012)
• Australian Gourmet Traveller, Travel Awards – Finalist, Best New Boutique Accommodation (2011)
• Australian Gourmet Traveller – Best Accommodation for Art Lovers, 2011 Hot 100 List (January, 2011)
• TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellence (June, 2011)
• TripAdvisor – No.1 hotel in Melbourne (April, 2011)
• Expedia – Annual Insiders Select List, Top Ranked Hotels (2011)
• DestinAsia – Luxe List, Best New Hotels Asia Pacific (2010)
• TripAdvisor - No.1 business hotel in Melbourne (2010)
• TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellence 2012 (June 2012)

The Schaller Studio
• Victorian TAA Awards –  Finalist for Regional Accommodation of the Year (2017)
• Bendigo Business Excellence Awards - Finalist for People's Choice Awards (2017)
• Bendigo Business Excellence Awards - Finalist for Best Accommodation & Tourism Business (2016)
• Bendigo Business Excellence Awards - Finalist in People’s choice Award – Top 3 (2016)
• Bendigo Business Excellence Awards -  Finalist Employee of the Year – Juan Corradi (2016)
• RACV Tourism Awards –  Finalist for Deluxe Accommodation (2015)
• Graphis Design Annual – Silver Trophy – The Pantry Cafe and Restaurant  Brand Identity and Applications (2015)

The Larwill Studio
• TripAdvisor – Traveller’s Choice Award for Hotels and No. 1 hotel in Melbourne (2017)
• TripAdvisor – Traveller’s Choice Award for Hotels and No. 1 hotel in Melbourne (2016)
• TripAdvisor – No. 2 hotel in Melbourne (2015)
• TripAdvisor – No. 1 hotel in Melbourne (2014)

The Johnson
• Gourmet Traveller – Best Pool (2017)
• Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards – Best Media Strategy for The Johnson launch (2017)