Just over a week since its opening, the Bli Bli Hotel has already been well-received by the local community on the Sunshine Coast.
The hotel aims to provide areas for a variety of occasions, with a bistro and bar, rooftop terrace, sports bar and several events and function spaces. The bistro is a family-friendly space, with a kids’ play area, a budget-conscious senior’s menu, and a sizeable kids’ menu. The dining offering has been bolstered by the live-fire grill, with the menu featuring dishes such as wood-roasted local prawns and a selection of premium steaks.
Maeva Hospitality director Scott Armstrong said that the opening has been a long-awaited addition to the Sunshine Coast pub scene.
“They have been waiting a long time for this venue to open and from what we can tell they have been very pleased with the outcome and think it has been worth the wait. We’ve been booked out for lunch and dinner for each service since opening and are taking significant forward bookings for both the restaurant and five function spaces. It’s an exciting time for our business,” Armstrong described.
The variety of spaces that the venue offers has allowed guests to find an area suited to their reason for visiting. In particular, Armstrong said that providing a gaming space that was separate from the rest of the venue has proven to be a good choice.
Bli Bli Hotel is designed with a relaxed, natural feel and designer Diana Challinor has utilised a pastel colour palette and bespoke elements such as glazed tiles, hand-blown glass chandeliers and hand-printed Australian bush wallpaper. Armstrong highlighted the popularity of the rooftop, which is a relaxed but elevated space for social occasions with Mediterranean-inspired décor and an open-air retractable roof.
“My favourite space is the rooftop terrace. It’s filled with natural light and people are drawn to the bright furniture and coastal vibe,” Armstrong commented.
The hotel is a joint venture between Maeva Hospitality, formerly Sunshine Coast Hotels, and the Deery family, owners of the Story Bridge Hotel and the Woodford Hotel. The staff are all Sunshine Coast locals, with a mix of experienced staff and newcomers to hospitality.
“There is a nice blend of experienced staff and we also have many that have no hospitality experience but interviewed very well. We are excited about working with our key suppliers to provide ongoing training and mentorship to develop their skills and provide a sound pathway for a career in hospitality,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong is particularly proud of the energy that the team is bringing to the venue.
“We are well equipped with experienced managers at the helm and a great new team of enthusiastic staff on the floor. [They’re] all super keen to learn and with that warm and happy disposition that Maeva Hospitality staff deliver,” he enthused.
With an already impressive number of bookings, things are looking good for the upcoming festive season. Armstrong feels confident that the venue will be able to cope with the increased volume of guests, with the staff already used to managing full houses since the venue’s opening.
“We see many challenges in delivering a high level of service to a high number of guests on an ongoing basis. We continually look to engage with and get to know our customer base. It’s going to be a bumper summer, Christmas and New Year period for us. It’s a really exciting time for Bli Bli Hotel,” Armstrong concluded.