Queensland, Australia
New hotels in Maroochydore
The Sunshine Coast's commercial hub on Ocean Street, awaiting its first upper-upscale new-build: a 180-room Crowne Plaza approved for a 2028 opening.
Now open in Maroochydore
No verified openings in Maroochydore yet.
Coming soon in Maroochydore
We track one hotel confirmed for Maroochydore: Crowne Plaza Maroochydore, a 180-room tower on Ocean Street that won development approval in December 2025, with construction targeted for early 2026 and an opening planned for 2028. It will be the Sunshine Coast's commercial hub's first upper-upscale, conference-focused hotel, until then, Maroochydore's Ocean Street strip and Cotton Tree village remain the area to base yourself in.
What to do
A weekend in Maroochydore
Spend the morning on Maroochydore Beach, a long stretch of golden sand good for swimming, surfing and beach walks, then walk or drive to Cotton Tree, the relaxed village at the mouth of the Maroochy River, for lunch. In the evening, Ocean Street's restaurants, bars and live-music venues, Maroochydore's main dining strip, cover dinner a short walk from the Crowne Plaza site.
A full week
With more time, hire a stand-up paddleboard or kayak on the calm waters of the Maroochy River at Cotton Tree, or book a river cruise for a laid-back look at local marine life. The Maroochy Bushland Botanic Gardens make for a quiet half-day, Sunshine Plaza covers a rainy-day shopping trip as the region's largest shopping centre, and Cotton Tree's Sunday markets (7am to noon) are worth timing a morning around for local produce, arts and crafts.
Where to stay in Maroochydore
Ocean Street
Crowne Plaza Maroochydore is a new-build tower planned for Ocean Street, the Sunshine Coast's commercial and civic centre, developed by Felix Capital. The project was originally announced in November 2024 as a smaller, 153-room voco Maroochydore before IHG and Felix Capital repositioned it in August 2025 as a larger, conference-oriented Crowne Plaza: responding to regional forecasts of roughly 2,400 additional hotel rooms needed on the Sunshine Coast by 2032.
Which hotel for your trip
Business & conference travellers waiting on Maroochydore's first upper-upscale hotel
Crowne Plaza Maroochydore's conference-focused repositioning and Ocean Street address, once it opens in 2028, will give the Sunshine Coast's commercial hub a genuine business hotel for the first time: worth checking back on as construction begins in early 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a branded hotel open in Maroochydore yet?
Not among the projects we track. Crowne Plaza Maroochydore is confirmed but targeting a 2028 opening, with construction expected to start in early 2026.
What was Crowne Plaza Maroochydore originally announced as?
A smaller, 153-room voco-branded hotel in November 2024, before IHG and Felix Capital repositioned the project as a larger, conference-focused Crowne Plaza in August 2025 on the same Ocean Street site.
What is Maroochydore known for?
It's the Sunshine Coast's commercial and civic centre, anchored by Ocean Street's restaurant strip, Sunshine Plaza shopping centre and the Cotton Tree village at the mouth of the Maroochy River.
How many hotel rooms does the Sunshine Coast need by 2032?
Regional forecasts cited in Crowne Plaza Maroochydore's planning documents estimate roughly 2,400 additional hotel rooms will be needed across the Sunshine Coast by 2032.
Where is Cotton Tree in relation to Maroochydore?
Cotton Tree is the village at the mouth of the Maroochy River, a short walk or drive from Maroochydore's Ocean Street strip.