Hotel Alba is a reimagined lifestyle hotel in the heart of Adelaide. More than a redevelopment, the existing hotel has been transformed into a Mediterranean-inspired urban oasis that redefines relaxed, high-quality accommodation and sets a new benchmark for upscale yet accessible hotel experiences.
The transformation of the former Chifley on South Terrace consisted of a full refurbishment, renewing 100 rooms to elevate the hotel to a 4-star offering. Inspired by local South Australian landscapes, warm, earthy tones were used throughout, complimented by soft blues to create a calming atmosphere.
The construction of a prototype room helped to de-risk the project, applying lessons learnt to streamline the roll-out of the room refurbishments while providing comfort to the client and builder on the final outcome. While the room typologies had slight differences, all joinery and bathrooms were made typical for efficiency.
To meet demand, the existing function room was converted into five rooms, including three accessible rooms which were not part of the original hotel's offering.
A light touch was applied to the external elevations, removing embellishments and unifying the building by painting it one consistent colour to give a fresh and contemporary outcome.
The design process seamlessly merged with the branding development, creating a strong narrative that shaped the hotel’s identity. The project redefines the concept of a relaxed yet upscale lifestyle hotel, setting a new benchmark in Adelaide. The hotel was recognised as one of Australia’s Top 21 Best Luxury Hotels in 2024 by Time Out.
The lobby offers a quiet, calm and inviting feel with a touch of luxury through feature lighting and textural finishes — a sense of what’s to come.
Opening the previously enclosed ground floor space, various internal partition walls were removed to create a new offering for hotel guests and locals.
Mediterranean-inspired restaurant ‘ela’ offers a relaxed dining experience, activating the ground floor featuring strong blues, terracotta and an art deco touch to custom joinery and movable banquette seating. The colour and material palette were enhanced further driving the vision of an urban oasis.
The restaurant required its own brand and identity while ensuring there were synergies to the look and feel of the rooms. The design’s flexibility accommodates busy and quiet periods and supports efficient workflow. The wide bar services inside and out, while the movable banquette seating creates zones or opens the space.
"Working with Studio Nine Architects has been outstanding. Every aspect of the project exceeded our expectations, from innovative design to timely delivery. This transformation has revitalised our hotel, creating an urban oasis in the centre of Adelaide. Walking into the hotel each day fills me with immense pride, and it astounds me what we achieved with the space. Seeing guests equally enjoy the space as much as we do shows we achieved our goals to create a warm, welcoming environment. The hotel has garnered positive feedback from staff and guests, highlighting the enhanced guest experience and operational efficiency. The longevity of the solutions proves the quality of work and attention to detail. We couldn't be happier and look forward to future collaborations. Studio Nine Architects truly delivered excellence with this transformation."
Samantha Farrington
General Manager, Hotel Alba Adelaide
Private dining room ‘little ela’ offers a long communal table for an intimate and exclusive dining experience.
To distinguish and formalise this space, the atmosphere differs from the open plan foyer with moody dark blue tones and a graphic feature ceiling, accompanied by soft dim lighting.
In association with Landskap, the existing pool was retained and transformed into a focal point of the ground floor area.
A bi-fold counter and floor-to-ceiling glazing create an indoor-outdoor connection between the bar and pool areas as an extended hospitality offering. A light touch to the exterior removed embellishments and unified the building with a consistent colour.
The project spurred from a wider master plan of the South Terrace Precinct, following our previous transformation of HotelMOTEL. Subtle design cues were carried through from the neighbouring motel renovation, providing a consistent design language throughout the precinct. Redundant buildings between the hotel and motel were removed as part of the master plan, with landscaping, feature lighting and a new concourse in its place to connect the precinct.
The design shaped the hotel's identity, establishing Hotel Alba as a preferred accommodation and dining experience.
