Darwin's Leea Hotel embarks on multimillion-dollar transformation
One of Darwin's most recognisable CBD hotels is undergoing a major overhaul, with the Prendiville Group betting big on the Territory capital's appetite for premium hospitality.
The Leea, the 168-room boutique hotel on Cavenagh Street, is midway through a multimillion-dollar refurbishment that its owners say will position the property as a destination social hub for locals and visitors alike. The first stage is set to open in August, with the full transformation expected to roll out across the next 18 months.
The project is the work of Western Australia-based, family-owned Prendiville Group, which operates more than 20 accommodation and hospitality venues nationally, including the Cottesloe Beach Hotel, Samphire Rottnest and the Mangrove Hotel in Broome. The group is also behind award-winning restaurants Tigerfish and Isola Bar e Cibo.
Award-winning interior design agency Collectivus has been brought in to lead the redesign, with the first stage centred on a reimagined poolside precinct — an open-air pool bar and garden described as "the soul of the hotel." The space will offer made-to-order cocktails, exclusive-to-Darwin wines and seasonal dishes showcasing Top End produce, targeting both hotel guests and the broader Darwin community.
Prendiville Group Regional CEO Garrett Prendiville said the project reflected a deliberate and considered approach to tropical hospitality. "This is the beginning of a new chapter for The Leea and, we believe, a new chapter for hospitality in Darwin," he told the NT News.
"Just steps from the city centre but privately enclosed, the open-air pool bar and garden is the soul of the hotel; a stylish, relaxed space where visitors and locals gather to enjoy premium hospitality in a breezy resort atmosphere."
He said the group was drawn to Darwin's existing energy as a foundation to build on. "Darwin already has an electric sense of energy and personality. Our vision is to create a vibrant social hub that complements that spirit while bringing a level of design detail and food and beverage experience that feels fresh for the city."
Later stages of the transformation will introduce a new modern restaurant with expanded dining areas integrated into the poolside and garden precinct. The food program will be overseen by nationally recognised chef and Prendiville Group Director of Food Russell Blaikie, whose credentials lend considerable weight to the group's ambitions for the venue.
With tourism numbers gradually recovering and Darwin's hospitality scene continuing to mature, the Leea refurbishment arrives at a moment of growing confidence in the city's potential as a genuine food and beverage destination. The Prendiville Group's track record in delivering resort-style hospitality in coastal and regional markets suggests The Leea could become a meaningful benchmark for what premium looks like in the Top End.
The first stage of the transformation opens in August.
Jonathan Jackson, 4th June 2026
