The Palace Hotel

The historic heritage listed Palace Hotel has adopted various uses over its life, however the exterior remains largely intact after recent restoration to its former glory

The Palace was erected in 1897 during the Gold Rush by an American entrepreneur, John De Baun, on the site of the Freemason’s Hotel. When it opened, it was considered to be the finest hotel in the southern hemisphere. Boasting of marble stairs, electric lights, hot water, and a bathroom on every corridor, no expense had been spared for visitors.

When the Commonwealth Bank bought the place in the 1970s, it was only a hard-fought local campaign which saved the Palace from being demolished and replaced by a modern office building. Even so, after Alan Bond’s company took over the property, it was closed as a hotel and much of the interior was lost, or greatly changed, to erect a tall office block behind the façade.

The Palace Hotel was used as a bank until 2012 and today, after a significant restoration, it is commercial office space, while remaining a significant landmark on St George’s Terrace.