The refurbishment of Melbourne’s iconic 5-star hotel, The Royce, saw a complete reimagining of the property’s interiors, with the redesign respecting the rich heritage of the building.

Multiple Havwoods timber flooring products feature throughout the hotel, delivering on the brief to select flooring that not only addresses the need for durability in high-traffic areas but also has the design aesthetics that reflect the luxury standards of the hotel.

The stunning historical building that now hosts The Royce Hotel in Melbourne's famous suburb of St Kilda, was originally home to one of Melbourne’s first luxury car showrooms, showcasing the coveted and classic Rolls Royce.

Opening in 1928, the luxury car salon set a new standard for elite showrooms with lofty gold ceilings, marble stairs and wrought iron chandeliers.

During its redevelopment in the 1990s as a luxury hotel, the design was respectful to the original heritage of the building. The Royce Hotel was recently refurbished again, reopening in February 2023 with the design taking inspiration from the grandeur and elegance defined by its past.

Chroma Group was appointed to complete the full recent refurbishment, from guest rooms through to the construction of a stunning new glass conservatory, with the design incorporating and highlighting the original Art Deco features of the building.

The finishes and products selected included Havwoods Natural Versailles panels from the Henley collection. Chosen as the flooring for the new restaurant area due to its opulent and timeless aesthetic coupled with its quality and durability, Versailles was perfectly suited for a high traffic public space. The design style of the Versailles timber flooring, which was elegantly framed using the matching Havwoods HW1396 Natural panels, perfectly reflects the luxury standards of The Royce Hotel.

Columba chevron pattern

Havwoods Columba timber flooring from the Italian Collection was selected to feature in guest rooms throughout the hotel in both standard 1-strip planks and the classic and sophisticated chevron pattern.

Columba chevron pattern

The light vanilla tones and timber textures of the Columba flooring beautifully complement the soft fabric textures and modern colour palette.

Project details

Project: The Royce Hotel

Location: St Kilda, Victoria

Designer: SJB

Contractor: Chroma Group

Products: Havwoods timber flooring - Columba Plank & Chevron, Versailles Natural & Matching Plank

Photographer: Rite Visuals