An easy seventy-minute drive (or dreamy ninety-minute riverside train ride) out of Sydney, the Central Coast is one of the Time Out team’s very favourite spots for an easy weekend escape from the city. And while we’re pretty sold on the existing Airbnbs, hotels and guest houses in the area (you can check out our guide to the best places to stay, eat, drink and play in the Cenny Coast here), news of a huge new development has piqued our interest. Next year, doors are set to open at Voco Gosford – a huge 130-room hotel complete with six food and drink venues, a rooftop ballroom and a stunning swim-up bar.
The sky-high spot is the first new-build hotel to open on the Central Coast in more than 15 years, and it’s not doing things by halves. Towering for 28-storeys into the sky above the coastal town, it’s not a hotel that will go unnoticed – with the Central Coast’s tallest rooftop bar acting as the jewel in its crown on the 28th floor.
According to plans, the 130 guest rooms will take their design cues from the area, honouring the laid-back coastal town with earthy tones meeting pops of deep aqua blue and sunshine yellow. Guests can also expect to find quirky features like ice-cream cart mini bars, with windows opening up to the sparkling coastline, and art from local artists lining the walls.
Detail on the dining venues is thin on the ground at this stage, but we’ve been told to expect a total of six drinking and dining dens – ranging from a swim-up bar to a perfectly Aussie gastro pub. Former Black Bar & Grill chef Dany Karam will lead the team at the hotel’s signature restaurant, and though details on that haven’t yet been released, we’re anticipating something steak-heavy with Karam’s signature Lebanese twist.
With an event space that can house up to 600 guests, the new development is likely to spell big things for this little town. It’s due to open towards the middle of 2025 at 108 Donnison Street – you can learn more over here.
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