* * * Webpage is being updated * * *

Who is Mr. Neal Prince? Mr. Prince is a trained Architect from Rice University, an Art Historian, Art Collector and a person with a vast passion for Motion Pictures and Theatre History, especially Set Designs. These elements came together to build a foundation to Mr. Prince's skills, which later became recognized as his ability for designing Hotel and Restaurant Interiors. Mr. Prince incorporated his own passions of above, into an International branding philosophy that remains as strong today as it was when he developed his philosophy of Hotel and Restaurant Designs, which is visible today, in Hotels worldwide. But what makes Mr. Prince different? He was a pioneer within this Industry, along with Dale and Pat Keller, of Hong Kong, in designing Hotels in countries that never had an International Hotel presence. Mr. Prince, along with Kenneth Smith (Interior Designer), Charles Alvey (Graphic Designer), Richard Simpson (Graphic Designer), William Embury (Interior Designer), Joe Grusczak (Interior Designer), James Ray Baker (Interior Designer) and Irene D'Alessio (Interior Designer) and many others were the first, to sent the standards for International Hotel Interiors. And what is incredible is that he did not have the grand budgets that most designers have today. Mr. Prince used local talents and products, when available and appropriate, to augment his designs, which, in return, allowed local Artist, Gallery Owners, Merchants and vendors to view InterContinental not as an invader, but as a partner in creating new sources of commence within the local economy. What is even more unique in Mr. Prince being different, was that Mr. Prince has always credited his success, not in the terms of "I", but "WE". Mr. Prince, being from Corsicana, Texas, has always remained modest and respectful and always have contributed his success due to the fact that designing hotels is a "TEAM" effort, from his Departmental Staff to his Professional Associate Designers that he had brought on to do a certain project for the vast inventory of InterContinental Hotel holdings. This website is to bring together the collections, resources, stories and images documenting a period of time, before computers, mobile phones, fax's or video conferencing. This website is to recapture the time when International Hotel Design Industry remained in its infancy before the growth and development into what we have today as multi billion dollar companies. Each Hotel on this website will encompass how Mr. Prince and his Staff and Professional Associates overcame the troubles of designing Hotels, from a historic point of view, to what was necessary to open the Hotels, maintain the Hotels, and what lessons were learned to be applied for the next project.

-webmaster

Hotel:

Southern Cross InterContinental Hotel

The Southern Cross Hotel, at the time when it was opened was a world class “Intercontinental” hotel, featuring the very best facilities, a specialist staff and superb surrounding in the heart of Melbourne. It had a 435 bedrooms. 8 restaurants and bars and an extensive shopping plaza. Yet another example of the changing blend in Melbourne’s skyline where the old gives way to the new for the purpose of serving international traveler. It was Australia's first modern American-style international five-star hotel of its kind, at the time.

Location:

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and a bustling 20th century city, is a brilliant metropolis. In the commercial centre of this island continent, botanic gardens, lovely parks, and tree lined streets created a unique beauty. And sparkling in the very heart of Australia's  second largest city rises the towering Southern Cross Hotel. A welcome home for businessmen and holiday travellers, a centre for social activity and society, the Southern Cross is the epitome of life in the modern Australia. Within walking distance of the Southern Cross are theatres, concerts, ballet and interesting shopping arcades. And there are sports galore from tennis to horseracing and speciator football. Whatever the Guest taste was, whatever the needs of the Guest were, whatever the Guest pleasure were, this hotel in Melbourne was famously known as The Southern Cross

Architect:

Welton Becket & Associates (New York and Los Angeles)

Leslie M. Perrott & Partners (Australia)

Lead Interior Designer:

Neal A. Prince, R.A., A.S.I.D, Lead Designer

V.P. of Graphic and Interior Design Department, InterContinental Hotel Group 1960-1985

InterContinental Hotel Opened:

1962

InterContinental Hotel Closed:

1977

InterContinental Hotel sold it's interest in the Hotel in 1977, leaving the property held by the Australian ownership until it was sold to the Republic of Nauru, in 1994. The hotel was closed in 1995, and the party demolished the Hotel in order for it to be extensively remodeled. However, this project was never completed and the ruined building stood derelict until finally being completely demolished in 2003, to make way for an office development. (Source: www.emelbourne.net.au)

Rooms:

435 bedrooms, within 15 floors, consisting of Air-conditioning, central heating rooms. During this time in history, air-conditioned rooms were a new amenity of luxury to Hotels, as air conditioned rooms were not standard as they have become in today's Hotels.

Comtemporary conveniences in every guest room

This Hotel was the first International Hotel of its kind. And thus, this hotel hosted accommodations that included single and double rooms, all with its own bathrooms. The Southern Cross also offered elegant suites, and the glamorous State Suite. Every room was luxuriously carpeted, handsomely furnished by Neal Prince and all rooms had a view of the Melbourne skyline. Each room had its own air-conditioning which each guest was able to regulated the heat or coolness to their own pereference, which was not widely avaiable within most hotels at the time, espeically in Melbourne. This Hotel was built for the sole purpose for the comfort of each guest as the designs of the rooms, lobby and each resturant reflected from the highly skilled designer of Neal Prince. Thus, allowing Pan Am passerages, being tourist or business clientel to enjoy such highly prasied standards as this Hotel was.

Restaurants/Lounges:

Wilawa Cocktail Lounge - place of entertain with sophisticated flavor.

The Stable Lounge - famed for yards of ale.

The Club Grill - for prime ribs and vintage wines.

The Mayfair Restaurant - A special treat is the Ice Cream Parlour, with its Gay 1890's decor.

The Tavern Restaurant - aged beef and ageless charm. The Tavern offers light meals with complete bar service in an "old world" atmosphere.

Meeting Facilities:

The Southern Cross is Australia's international conference headquarters. The Ballroom seats five hundred persons for gala banquets and 700 for meetings. Five additional private rooms are ideal for smaller meetings, weddings receptions or dinners for groups of of 10 to 70.

The Southern Cross Ballroom:

The ballroom had the capacity to seat up to 500

Comments:

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and a bustling 20th century city, is a brilliant metropolis. In the commercial center of this island continent, botanic gardens, lovely parks, and tree lined streets create a unique beauty. And sparkling in the very heart of Australia’s second largest city rises the towering Southern Cross Hotel. A welcome home for businessmen and holiday travelers, a center for social activity and society, the Southern Cross is the epitome of life in modern Australia. Within walking distance of the Southern Cross are theatres, concerts, ballet and interesting shopping arcades. And there are sports galore from tennis to horseracing and spectator football. Whatever your taste, whatever your needs are, your hotel in Melbourne is The Southern Cross.

Mr. Prince hired a small gallery to advise for the correct color scheme and became the source of artwork to beheld within the Property for exhibit and within the Hotel rooms.

Images held by the Collection: