Hotel Bellinzona, one of Hepburn Springs’ best-known landmarks, has been sold to US-based Travel + Leisure Co. and will be rebranded as Club Wyndham Bellinzona Hepburn Springs.
The property was marketed earlier this year with a guide of around $16 million. It drew more than 75 enquiries and several competitive offers before the sale was finalised. The previous owners, The Houses Hotel Group, purchased it in 2020 for about $4 million and invested heavily in a refurbishment that restored it as the region’s largest luxury hotel.
The 122-year-old Bellinzona has seen many changes since its establishment in 1903. Once a grand guesthouse, it has been through multiple owners and incarnations. The most recent transformation in 2020 included new interiors, modern furnishings and upgrades to its facilities: 43 rooms including six executive suites, a heated indoor pool, spa and sauna, the 160-seat Virgin Kitchen restaurant, a 40-seat lobby bar, and conference and event spaces for up to 650 people.
Travel + Leisure Co., which operates vacation ownership clubs around the world, says the acquisition reflects its focus on wellness destinations. Barry Robinson, the company’s President of International Operations, described Daylesford as “the heartland of wellness in Australia” and said the purchase would give Club Wyndham owners access to a destination long on travellers’ wish lists.
This is Travel + Leisure’s second Australian acquisition this year. The company also bought Castaways Resort & Spa in Mission Beach, Queensland, which has since been rebranded Club Wyndham Mission Beach.
The change of ownership means the property will become part of the Club Wyndham South Pacific network, the largest vacation ownership club in the region, with more than 100,000 members and 68 resorts.
Club Wyndham operates under a timeshare or “vacation ownership” model. Instead of purchasing a week in one fixed location, members buy annual credits which can be redeemed for stays across a portfolio of resorts.
The system differs from traditional timeshares of the past, where buyers were locked into the same week each year at the same property. In the Club Wyndham model, credits can be used flexibly for short or long stays, peak or off-peak times at any resort within the network. Owners pay an upfront cost to join the club, plus ongoing annual maintenance fees, and in return have access to properties ranging from coastal resorts to city apartments and spa destinations like Daylesford.
Bellinzona’s heritage charm, gardens and connection to the local community are part of what has made it a favourite for generations of visitors. Daylesford and Hepburn Springs attract nearly a million of visitors each year but less than 10% of those visitors are international. The challenge for the new owners will be to maintain the hotel’s distinctive character while integrating it into a global vacation network.
