Melbourne’s historic Pentridge Prison site has been transformed into a luxury hotel by TFE Hotels, having officially opened for business. The venue has been turned into a hotel and entertainment facility.
Since closing in 1997, TFE unveiled its new Adina Hotel, which is comprised of 106 rooms. The official opening date on the first of May signalled the end of the 26 years since the prison closed operations. The new renovation has seen the opening of Olivine wine bar, North and Common restaurant, Chapter Place events venue, and The Interlude, an urban retreat experience as well.
The ribbon cutting was attended by a range of officials including TFE Hotels’ regional general manager for Victoria, Stephen Moore, local MP for the Pascoe Vale area, Anthony Cianflone, and general manager of the new hotel, Jesse Kornoff. A traditional Welcome to Country and ceremonial cleansing of the site was conducted by Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Bill Nicholson in a private event.
“This land was traditionally a gathering place and source of water, plants, and animals for the Wurundjeri people,” Moore said.
“So, it was fitting that Uncle Bill conducted a Welcome to Country and a spiritual cleansing of a place that had a lot of sad and negative energy in its former life as a prison. In our eyes, the transformation of Pentridge has now come full circle, and can officially begin a new chapter as Melbourne’s newest dining and entertainment precinct.”
The Olivine wine bar seats 100 guests, and pays homage to the former prison space it once housed. The redevelopment of the 170-year-old building becomes one of only 40 prison hotel redevelopments worldwide, and is one of the largest bluestone restoration projects to have been undertaken in Australian history.
