Crystalbrook Collection, one of Australia's leading sustainable and independent hotel and resort companies, will be the first Australian hospitality company to go completely cashless to assist with hygiene and social distancing measures as travel restrictions continue to ease.

From 1 July 2020, all hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars and spas across the Crystalbrook portfolio will only allow card payments to ensure the safety of all guests and staff.

Speaking on the change, Geoff York, CEO & Group Director, says “one of the refreshing elements of being a relatively young hospitality group is that we're able to act quickly and nimbly. We saw an opportunity to change the way we think and act in a post-COVID world.” 

The research is enough to scare you off rifling for loose change forever, with “the average note carrying nasties including E. coli and Salmonella along with a host of 26,000 other bacteria,” York says. “When you consider that cash is often in the same environment as food, such as in a restaurant setting, it seemed like common sense to us to remove that risk.”

Crystalbrook Collection will also be offering a contactless and paperless check-in and check-out and optional complimentary face masks along with a host of other deep cleaning measures.

All bookings can be made directly through crystalbrookcollection.com

*Little Albion, a Crystalbrook Collection Hotel implementation of programme late July 2020.

– ENDS –

About Crystalbrook Collection

Crystalbrook Collection is one of Australia's leading sustainable and innovative independent hospitality companies. Each hotel in the portfolio carries an authentic expression of its location, a passion for responsible luxury, considered design and a twinkle of fun for a uniquely enriching experience.

Crystalbrook Collection is an Australian tourism and hospitality group. Its portfolio includes:

- Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort, Cairns, Queensland

- Little Albion, a Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel, Sydney, New South Wales

- Byron at Byron, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort, Byron Bay, New South Wales

- Bailey, a Crystalbrook Collection Hotel, Cairns, Queensland

- Flynn, a Crystalbrook Collection Hotel, Cairns, Queensland – opening October 2020 

- Kingsley, a Crystalbrook Collection Hotel, Newcastle, New South Wales – opening Q1 2021

The Group also owns and operates a collection of ten restaurants, three spas, Crystalbrook Station and its subsidiary pastoral businesses. 

Mindfully Safe

Mindfully Safe was launched by Crystalbrook Collection in response to Covid-19. The programme focuses on reducing travel anxiety by providing mindfulness and meditation tools developed in partnership with mental-wellbeing group The Indigo Project. Crystalbrook will also donate $5 to mental support service Beyond Blue for every stay booked directly until the end of 2020. Mindfully Safe also incorporates cash free transactions and heightened deep-cleaning hygiene measures.

Learn more here:

crystalbrookcollection.com/mindfully-safe

Crystalbrook Collection and Ghassan Aboud Group

Crystalbrook Collection is owned by accomplished entrepreneur and philanthropist Ghassan Aboud. Ghassan Aboud Group is a multi-business conglomerate engaged in automobiles, real estate, retail, bespoke catering, media and logistics. In business for more than two decades, the group operates from its global headquarters in the United Arab Emirates with offices in Australia, Belgium, China, Jordan and Turkey.