CALMING shades of grey, striking metal bed frames and antique statement pieces feature in the Grand Hotel’s refurbishment, with the pub’s $50,000 facelift now complete.
Three rooms, including two bedrooms and a bathroom, have received a facelift consisting of fresh carpets, paint and new artwork.
The historic hotel was one of six $50,000 grant recipients of Airbnb’s Country Pubs Project, beating more than 9000 nominations to win.
Hotel licensee Andrew Palmer worked alongside local tradespeople and suppliers to breathe new life into the rooms and inject their own local personality and country charm.
“The paint job and new carpet have made a huge difference in freshening up the place up,” he said.
“Now we’ll be able to properly utilise the upstairs area which was always meant for accommodation.
“We’re really happy the charm and historic significance of The Grand Millicent has not been lost in the refurbishments – overall, it just feels fresher, cleaner and more welcoming.”
The Country Pub Project was developed after Airbnb research found 70pc of Australians wanted to take a road trip to see more of Australia, yet only 14pc of Australians spent a night in a regional pub during the past 12 months.
Airbnb spokesperson Brent Thomas said he was delighted Airbnb could now play a role in promoting the revamped pubs and the communities they are located in to guests from far and wide.
“This is about getting more Aussies to discover the great hidden gems we have in our own backyard and to showcase the quintessential Aussie hospitality you get when you visit a country pub,” he said.
“Publicans are the ultimate hosts, but like many people in country communities they have been doing it tough lately due to drought and economic hardship.
“Through this, we want to encourage more Aussies to not just visit these great establishments but spend the night in them.
“Enjoying one of our oldest forms of hospitality and in turn boosting the spirits of these towns by spending precious tourism dollars in areas where it really counts.”
