Next Story Group Acquires Melbourne Property to Establish the First LinQ Hotel

Soft opening of LinQ Hotel Melbourne Southbank slated for 1 September

SINGAPORE,May 16,2019 --International hospitality company Next Story Grouphas acquired a new-build hotel at 167 City Road in Melbourne's vibrant waterfront hub of Southbank. The soft opening of the 16-storey,162-room property is scheduled for 1 September 2019. After a complete fit-out,the hotel will deliver a guest experience that is reflective of the Group's upper midscale LinQ Hotels brand from 1 November 2019.

This will be the Group's first hotel under its LinQ Hotels brand,which offers unconventional independent hospitality for the next generation of travellers. It also delivers a hassle-free experience and offers a great base to explore the destination.

Representing the Group's three core brands,the LinQ Hotel Melbourne Southbank will complement the Next Hotel Melbourne at 80 Collins Street,which is slated to open in Q2 2020 and the Sage Hotel Melbourne,Ringwood,which has been in operations for over a year.

Next Story Group's acquisition further reinforces the importance of Australia as a key market where most of its hotel portfolio is located. It is also aligned with Next Story Group's expansion plans,which focus on strategic growth in Australia,South East Asia and South Asia. Next Story Group is committed to creating differentiated experiences for travellers and aims to establish the right brand in the right location.

"This latest addition to our hotel portfolio has a superb location,right in the heart of Melbourne's Southbank precinct. We are excited about the opening of the LinQ Hotel in Melbourne which is famous for its year-round calendar of social,sporting,arts and cultural events. Coupled with the unique value proposition of our LinQ Hotels brand,we are confident that our new property will be able to deliver strong trading performance," said Darren Edmonstone,Chief Executive Officer of Next Hotels & Resorts.

The LinQ Hotel Melbourne Southbank is the ideal accommodation for both corporate and leisure travellers visiting Melbourne. Just a short walk from the Southbank Promenade,Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centreand Crown Entertainment Complex,it provides guests easy access to all the offerings of Southbank,the city's premier destination renowned for its restaurants,art galleries and stylish retailers.

Businesstravellers will appreciate that the Melbourne CBD is a short walk across the Yarra River from the hotel and it is a 20-minute ride from Tullamarine Airport. Public transport nodes including the Flinders Street Station are also close by,allowing guests to catch a train or tram to anywhere in and around Melbourne. This also makes the LinQ Hotel Melbourne Southbank the perfect base for leisure travellers to explore Melbourne and its multitude of attractions. Sports fans in particular will be thrilled with the hotel's proximity to sporting venues including AAMI Park,MCG and Rod Laver Arena.

About Next Story Group

Next Story Group is an international hospitality company that creates and transforms urban spaces into thriving communities. Next Story Group currently has 40 operating and pipeline properties in its portfolio,which includes hotel brands-- Next,Sage,and LinQ-- and the genre-defining urban lifestyle concept,Kafnu. For more information: www.nextstory.com

Logo- /20190214/2375429-1LOGO-a