Welcome to Crowne Plaza Adelaide, and furthermore, welcome to Adelaide’s East End during AHICE 2022!
There’s a lot happening in Adelaide, and we’re right in the middle of it all, in the East End. The East End is where locals revel in the city’s style, culture and entertainment. A neighbourhood littered with street art, galleries, boutique stores and iconic restaurants, pub establishments and chic bars. But it’s not only that, anymore, international institutions and innovation precincts are moving to the eastern part of North Terrace, creating a thriving coalescing hub of activity and events. Let’s walk you through what’s happening and happened:
Lot Fourteen and The Innovation Precinct
Directions for 2-min walk to Lot Fourteen
After welcoming Amazon in February, Lot Fourteen is rapidly establishing an innovation and hi-tech ecosystem, collocating like-minded businesses in the central city setting. The precinct is attracting some of the world’s most innovative brands and businesses leading the industries of the future, energising the careers of young people who see a future in South Australia full of opportunity and potential. Google’s Cloud public sector team at Lot Fourteen will work across health and medical research. The hub will also be a training and event venue for its customers and partners. Lot Fourteen brings together entrepreneurs and innovators from South Australia’s leading abilities in space, defence, hi-tech and creative industries in a precinct designed and curated as a collaborative ecosystem.
Opening in the first half of 2021, the Australian Space Discovery Centre offers a place to meet and explore the latest innovations in space technologies and learn about Australia’s role in expanding national and international space activities. It will also feature a Mission Control Centre for space businesses and researchers to control satellites and space missions; viewable through the centre’s theatrette.
Commonwealth Bank will be the first tenant in Lot Fourteen’s Entrepreneur and Innovation Centre, announcing today they will establish a Technology Hub in South Australia. As South Australia’s global reputation for hi-tech, health innovation and entrepreneurship continue to attract multinational companies to the state, CBA believes Adelaide has the ingredients to be a major centre for technological innovation, collaboration and will help Australia advance towards becoming a more digital economy.
Tarrkarri – Centre for First Nations Cultures will be Australia’s premier Centre honoring more than 60,000 years of continuous First Nations cultures across the country. This major project, launched in December 2021, will be the cultural heart of Lot Fourteen and be internationally recognised as an iconic place of belonging, healing, reconciliation and pride for the people of South Australia and will help drive interstate and international tourism to Adelaide as a unique major cultural destination.
East End Restaurants and Bars
One of the main reasons punters journey along Rundle Street and East End are for the eateries and taprooms. Let us share with you some of the most recent openings:
Two Pot Screamer – 4-min walk – a split-level eatery and cocktail bar recreating Australian classics – for example – chik-o-roll with curried vegetables, brick patry, beer mustard and smoked tomato sauce.
Society Bar – 3min walk – underground bar with a wide range of classic contemporary cocktails, local wines, beers and spirits. As well as modern Australian share plates.
Smokelovers –2-min walk – in the bones of a former tobacconist, the bar pays homage to its heritage with its menu and fittings. Next door to a Rundle Street icon in the Exeter.
Minimono Noodle Bar – 3-min walk – an authentic, compact Japanese ramen and curry experience.
And then of course, there’s Crowne Plaza Adelaide’s own, both on level 10;
Koomo – Adelaide’s highest restaurant with stunning views of the city and Adelaide hills, serving up an Asian-and-Japanese influenced menu.
Luna10 – Enjoy unparalleled views of the city skyline and the Adelaide Hills from Adelaide’s hottest new poolside cocktail bar and lounge.
Running Tracks & Parks
Running and being with nature has been some of the moments of peace and health during (and coming out of) this COVID-period. Many of us at the hotel have also taken up running during the period. The locations prime-positioning allows for ease of access down to Karrawirra Parri (River Torrens) and Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Here are a few running tracks around the area, including information on Park Runs:
Torrens Parkrun – the official start is at Torrens Lake Weir, on the path adjacent to the Par 3 Golf Links and Red Ochre Grill, however, staying at the hotel – it would be advised to run it in reverse.
Pakapakanthi Parkrun – The compact course starts and finishes near the north-west corner of the park, off Wakefield Rd. It has four u-turns and two looping turnarounds on a mixture of paved and gravel paths with a small grass section.
Uni Loop – the unpaved 2.2km trail is a local favourite for university sports people and runners alike. A personal go-to for Interim Marketing Manager, Lewis Whittenbury, as it’s his soccer team’s training grounds.
And then there’s the Adelaide Botanic Garden. A leisurely 5-minute walk to the Main Entrance Gates on North Terrace. Get sucked out of Adelaide, and into another world as you walk around an inner-city paradise of greenery.
Just Missed Mad March!
March is well-known around South Australia for being the most incredible time of year with festivities happening here, there and everywhere, with the hub of it all in the East End. Hotel partner, Adelaide Fringe Festival, hosts nightly parties through their Garden of Unearthly Delights and Gluttony at the end of Rundle Street, with activations, events, food trucks et al. Similarly, Adelaide Festival and Womadelaide bring in a plethora of international talents and acts into the city over the period. But, once March is over, the fun doesn’t stop. Illuminate Adelaide is in its second year, who we’ve partnered with for preferred accommodation, with the festival of lights bringing the Gorillaz along with many other bright city activations.
But Friday night, the 6th, we’re playing our part in the current festival – Tasting Australia – with Koomo playing host to One Night of Greek Mezze with Adam Swanson. If you’re staying on, see if there’s still a seat left – as tickets are going hot.