"Every so often a new hotel announces that a destination has arrived. The Calile does just that for Brisbane. Because this hotel—candy-colored but Brutalist, with no shortage of Aussie fun and cheek—is a poster child for the town’s evolution from mundane, if sunny, business capital to a tastemaking second city. Local star architects Richards+Spence gave the place three separate entrances to help truly integrate it into the buzzy James Street precinct, a once-industrial wasteland that now has more than 130 bars and restaurants. Each entrance inevitably leads to a designer’s playground of textures, styles, and colors. The vaulted lobby is cool and airy with honey-hued travertine walls and roughly hewn stone floors, softened by mid-century-modern furniture. Upstairs, the private pool deck has mint-colored cabanas and a flush of tropical plants to create a sophisticated hideaway for beautiful people in small swimsuits and large straw hats. In the snazzy guest rooms, there’s an ice-cream-parlor palette, offset with smooth concrete ceilings, that feels completely right in this sun-drenched beachside city. All have some form of balcony or terrace for air and views; those architects knew better than to rid guests of the blazing sun and bluer-than-blue Queensland sky." - CNT Editors
