More than a year after its announcement, ALH’s Forest Hotel at Frenchs Forest officially opened today, forming the cornerstone of parent company Endeavour Group’s $45 million redevelopment of the former Parkway Hotel site.
“The day is finally here, and our doors are OPEN!” came the cry on social media.
Built to replace popular live music venue the Parkway Hotel, which was the rebranded Cobb & Co Hotel, which was previously the Antler Hotel, the new Forest is accompanied by a huge new Dan Murphy’s bottleshop, which opened in September. ALH has operated the site for over a decade.
The project will also include an adjacent six-storey, 100-room hotel, where once was the Skyline Drive-In theatre, with a gym, spa rooms, landscaped lawn and 164 car spaces.
Forest’s new Sports Bar offers state-of-the-art TAB facilities and an assortment of big TVs, including the outdoor ‘mega’ screen, and boasts the only indoor and outdoor seating areas on the northern beaches. There are also both indoor and outdoor children’s play areas.
The Bistro serves a menu based in classic pub meals “and more”, and seating includes a continuation of the outdoor trend with another large eating area, called The Terrace, with options ranging from generous group tables to intimate settings for couples. Located in the centre of the Hotel it features an open ceiling for diners to enjoy sunshine or stars.
There is also a function room able to seat over 200-pax or nearly 500 people standing.
Licensee Deb Haskins leads a contingent of local staff from the peninsula, and hiring continues as the large-format pub gets up to speed.
During the COVID restrictions the Forest can accommodate up to 660 patrons, based on social distancing requirements.
Guests will be required to sign in on entry, as in all venues, but the new booking system does not come online until Monday.
For this the first weekend of trade the Forest Hotel is accepting walk-ins, welcoming on a “first come, first served” basis the thousands that have eagerly awaited the return of one of the region’s best-known pubs, aka the ‘Fountain on the Mountain’.
