The Calile in sunny Brisbane isn’t just a hotel, it bills itself as Australia’s first urban resort. The Queensland property wholeheartedly embraces its warm climate and sub-tropical surroundings, and the hotel is an oasis that seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor living. After strolling down The Calile’s dramatic staircase off James Street, you’ll arrive on its sprawling pool level where you can recline in cabanas, sunchairs or walk right into the equally airy Greek restaurant Hellenika. The rooms are chic and come with outdoor spaces ranging from small balconies to their Calile or Ada suites where you could easily host a small party with friends outdoors.

Through its unique color palette, standout design touches and a smart use of space The Calile turns heads with its urban resort theme. Here the hotel’s general manager, Jeremy Nordkamp walks us through some of the hotel’s most interesting features.

1. The Pool Is Calling You
The Calile’s heated pool is the piéce de resistance of the property and the largest inner-city hotel pool in Australia with 200,000 liters of cool, calm enticing water. It’s a year-round hot spot since cold weather isn’t a thing here. Green and white sunchairs and cabanas flank the pool atop light green stone tiles and Turkish travertine which also prominently sports the hotel’s name on the pool’s tiles. Day or night it feels as if this lengthy pool is calling your name, beckoning you with chilled poolside tunes and pink-jacketed Hellenika staff serving cocktails. “The Calile’s pool is a place for relaxation and pure enjoyment in the midst of summer to the sub-tropical winter (if you can call it that…),” says Nordkamp.

2. Chic Color Palette
Three colors punctuate the interior design of the rooms at The Calile; pastel pink blue, and green. “Within each color, the developers selected bathroom tiles, marble for vanities, tables and benchtops, paint colors and leather to match,” says Nordkamp. All of the color selections reinforce the resort theme of the property and evoke a sense of calm. It’s all about details at The Calile — even the car park and room keys have been color-coded to match.

3. Hide and Seek Space Solutions
The storage solutions at The Calile give the hotel an open plan experience without losing any necessary functions. Recessed water fountains allow for a water break without crowding the space with an actual fountain. Instead, each room comes with a tap located within the wall that allows guests to fill up their carafe and go plastic-free. In the rooms, three big drawers provide space and a hidden cupboard cleverly conceals an iron and ironing board. Lastly, their gym is a beacon of clever storage — where most gyms are usually covered in equipment and machines, everything here is nicely stored in shelves that seamlessly blend into the walls.

4. Natural Finishes Blending Straight and Curved Lines
Where possible The Calile’s designers used ethically sourced architectural products including oak and cork throughout the hotel. Using the bark of the cork tree ensures the tree is not cut down or cleared, making it a very sustainable product with the great additional benefit of thermal and acoustic properties that perfectly suit the sub-tropical environment of The Calile. With the finishes, you’ll also notice the interplay between straight and curved lines, which is no coincidence. The architecture of The Calile development is described by architects Richards & Spence as: “Classic masculinity softened by the curve.”

5. Marvel the Marble Lobby Bar
The Calile is equally appealing day or night, and its circular rose-colored marble Lobby Bar is a great place to close out your day with a cocktail. Every part of the bar was cut from the same piece of marble. “Seating at the bar is designed for socializing, says Nordkamp. “The windows opening out into Ada Lane, an up and coming foodie destination, embrace Brisbane’s beautiful climate.”