THE SPACES BETWEEN
The first impression of a hotel is rarely the room.
It begins at reception. In the first coffee of the morning. In the quiet decision to stay for another drink. In the conversations that stretch a little longer than planned. Increasingly, it’s these shared moments that shape how people remember a place, welcoming not only those staying the night, but also the local community that returns again and again.
As founder and creative director of Bergman & Co., Bergman has built a reputation for creating hospitality destinations that feel as though they’ve always belonged. Her work is less about following trends than creating places people genuinely want to spend time in, spaces that feel familiar from the moment they arrive.
“The biggest shift in hospitality is happening in the spaces between them. Guests increasingly judge a hotel by where they spend their time relaxing, having a meal or a drink.”
That shift provided the foundation for Point Hotel’s transformation. Rather than focusing on individual destinations within the hotel, the design centres on how people move through the building, gathering over coffee, meeting for lunch or lingering into the evening. The result is a collection of spaces that welcome both hotel guests and the local community, inviting people in whether they’re staying the night or simply stopping by.
For Bergman, designing in Brisbane meant responding to more than the building itself. It meant responding to the city. Its subtropical climate, generous light and easy rhythm naturally encourage people to spend more time together.
“Brisbane’s climate naturally encourages people to linger, so rather than designing spaces that simply move guests through the building, we wanted to create spaces that rewarded staying. The hotel feels less like a sequence of destinations and more like a place to spend an afternoon,” she says. “There’s a warmth to the city, and we wanted the hotel to embrace that. The spaces feel relaxed rather than formal, with moments that invite people to pause, connect and stay awhile.”
That philosophy can be felt throughout the hotel’s public spaces. Mornings begin over coffee at KIN before unfolding into long lunches and evening dinners, while nearby, Frank’s brings together specialty coffee, local provisions and a neighbourhood pantry that welcomes hotel guests and locals in equal measure.
Working alongside hospitality fit-out specialists Unita, Bergman & Co. has embraced natural materials, tactile finishes and a palette inspired by Queensland’s warmth. Every decision, from the furniture to the lighting and artwork, has been made with longevity in mind, creating spaces that feel authentic, welcoming and deeply connected to the way Brisbane lives.
“The best hospitality spaces create a gentle tension between where people planned to be and where they decide to stay,” says Bergman. “It’s about creating somewhere people genuinely want to return to.”
It’s a philosophy that quietly reshapes the way Point Hotel is experienced. The moments people remember aren’t confined to a single destination.
By late afternoon, the light shifts across KIN, coffee gives way to cocktails and the hotel settles into its evening rhythm. It’s exactly as Bergman intended: a place people arrive for one thing but stay for another.
