New 57-room hotel to anchor $330m Richmond Square precinct
A new hotel is set to become the centrepiece of Richmond Square, a $330 million mixed-use precinct taking shape in the pocket between Richmond and Cremorne in Melbourne, with plans now confirmed for a 57-room property across levels one and two of Carmine House.
Rather than functioning as a standalone hotel, the development has been designed to operate as an integrated extension of the precinct's residential offering, pointing to a broader shift in how hotel operators and developers are approaching mixed-use living in Melbourne.
When complete, Richmond Square will be made up of 107 residences spread across Wiltshire House and Carmine House, alongside the hotel, food and beverage venues, wellness facilities and additional lifestyle amenities. The precinct is being positioned to serve both local residents and the growing office population flowing out of Cremorne's tech corridor.
Developer Fortis has described the approval as a departure from conventional mixed-use formulas, characterising the more typical approach as one of "build apartments, add a café, call it a day." The Richmond Square model instead aims to merge accommodation, hospitality and lifestyle services into a single connected offering.
Under the integrated model, Carmine House residents will have access to the hotel's service infrastructure rather than simply living above it. Concierge-delivered housekeeping, linen changeovers, laundry and dry-cleaning, in-house dining and grocery stocking are all set to be available to residents, effectively extending a hotel-style guest experience into permanent residential life.
Fortis has noted that while this kind of integrated living-and-hospitality model has gained momentum in international markets, it remains uncommon in Melbourne, particularly beyond the CBD. The developer's Head of Acquisitions (Commercial) Victoria, Jordan Winada, has linked the approach to evolving buyer expectations, with purchasers increasingly weighing day-to-day functionality and amenity access alongside floorplan size when assessing a property.
The hotel is scheduled to open in early 2027. An operator is yet to be announced.
Fortis has indicated that further hospitality, retail and lifestyle tenancies will be confirmed in coming months as the precinct's curation continues.
Jonathan Jackon, 22nd June 2026
