X marks the spot – how Hotel X earned the title of ‘The Valley’s hotel’
When is a hotel more than just a hotel? In the case of Hotel X, it’s when it gives back to the community. The striking Fortitude Valley accommodation destination has been undergoing a bit of an evolution recently, teaming up with some of Brisbane’s best live-music venues and festivals to promote and showcase local musical endeavour. By putting music and community at the forefront, Hotel X is looking to cement itself as the first choice for those looking to stay close to the action.
For most travellers, a hotel is usually just a place to rest one’s head, or a base of operations – where guests can get a bite to eat, freshen up, peruse emails, or take some time out. Rarely does our relationship with hotels go beyond the necessities, and even the most luxurious of accommodation destinations tend to devote their attentions inward, rather than outward.
That’s not the case at Hotel X in Fortitude Valley.
Nestled in the heart of Brisbane’s nightlife and entertainment precinct, the five-star hotel (which opened in 2021) has adopted the unofficial title of ‘The Valley’s hotel’. While the area isn’t short on accommodation options, few purposefully look to ingrain themselves into the cultural fabric of the suburb. This is partly due to Hotel X’s unique standing amongst the greater portfolio of its operator, IHG Hotels & Resorts, which runs 19 brands globally – including Kimpton, Intercontinental and Holiday Inn. Hotel X is part of IHG’s Vignette Collection, which encompasses a number of one-of-a-kind hotels that wield a level of autonomy separate from the larger network. Vignette Collection hotels are all about character – and in the case of Hotel X, that character aims to match tempo with the beating heart of the city in which it resides.
If there’s one person that understands The Valley’s unique qualities, it’s Hotel X’s general manager Jeremy Colahan. Since joining the hotel in 2023, Jeremy has sought to foster mutually beneficial relationships with other Fortitude Valley businesses, building upon Hotel X’s established reputation as a basecamp for revellers and deepen its connection to the precinct at large.
“We sit here in the heart of Brunswick Street, surrounded by music, culture, creativity,” says Jeremy. “So it’s really important for us to understand the area that we’re in and how we can elevate our product, as well as the local community and local businesses along the way.”
When we catch up with Jeremy, BIGSOUND has just wound down for the year. The world-renowned music conference – the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere – is an annual event that takes over The Valley for a week in September. Hotel X was a major partner for BIGSOUND in 2024, acting as a meeting point for its conference attendees and musical acts. During the week, the hotel’s lobby hosted a number of activations, including a pop-up tattoo parlour from Valley Ink.
“I’ve never seen the hotel have such an atmosphere than when BIGSOUND was here,” says Jeremy. “We had the tattoos going and there would have been 150 people around the lobby having coffee – it was just such a good environment.”
Though BIGSOUND continues to be a big draw for Fortitude Valley and Brisbane’s cultural scene at large, Jeremy understands that the music industry has been navigating choppy waters since the advent of COVID-19. As Hotel X is positioned at the core of the city’s live-music epicentre, the hotelier is keenly aware of how a downturn in the scene impacts institutions like Hotel X.
“When the music industry is hurting, hotels feel it,” says Jeremy. “When there’s good and consistent concerts on at The Fortitude Music Hall, at The Tivoli, at The Triffid, hotels benefit from that. There are more people in our bars and restaurants (at Hotel X, that’s French-inspired Bisou Bisou and chic rooftop bar Iris), and there’s more people staying overnight. The music industry does need that support now and we see it as our obligation, as someone that benefits also from the music industry, to lean in a little bit more.”
Under Jeremy’s stewardship, Hotel X has endeavoured to support the music scene where it can, reaching out to venues and organisations to figure out ways to uplift and promote The Valley’s numerous happenings and the creatives involved. In 2024 alone, Hotel X has teamed up with festivals such as Open Season, Sweet Relief and Ability Fest, as well as organisations like the Australian Women in Music Awards. The hotel has also sought to amplify the work of creatives on a smaller scale with Sounds of X – a bespoke ritual that beckons guests to the lobby, where they can listen to music from Australian musicians (including Busby Marou, Violent Soho, The Jungle Giants and Powderfinger) via a pair of record players, each equipped with Bluetooth Marshall headphones.
Hotel X’s celebration of its Fortitude Valley home doesn’t start and end with music – the hotel has also found ways to showcase local businesses to its guest clientele. The team nods to the Valley’s thriving craft-beer scene with its HOTEL XPA, a beverage brewed in partnership with Range Brewing. The hotel also gifts its VIPs cookies from the virally popular Brooki Bakehouse, its wet amenities will soon be sourced from a Fortitude Valley-based maker, and the hotel is even recruiting staff using app-based software developed by local tech startup Get Ahead Recruitment. What’s more, programs like regular charity run clubs organised in collaboration with UNFIT RUNNING helped Hotel X earn the award for Outstanding Community Service & Achievement at the Queensland Hotels Association 2024 Awards.
As Brisbane’s star continues to rise in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic Games, the city’s hotel scene is expected to get even more crowded. Jeremy hopes the groundwork being laid now will help Hotel X earn a rep for being the go-to accommodation choice for interstate and international travellers – especially those that value getting a deeper connection with the city they are visiting.
“What differentiates Hotel X is our commitment to growing the community here in The Valley,” says Jeremy. “By highlighting the best of what’s local – whether it’s music, culture, creativity – we’re creating these unique and localised luxury lifestyle guest experiences right in the heart of Fortitude Valley.”
Head to the Hotel X website to make a booking for your next vacay or staycay.