Auntie Annie’s Hotel

The Challenge

Few Melbourne venues carry as much heart and history as Auntie Annie’s Hotel.

Once home to The Palace Hotel, later known as The Quiet Man Pub, the building has always been part of Flemington’s cultural fabric — a place where locals gathered, racegoers celebrated, and stories were shared across generations.

When the venue was reimagined as Auntie Annie’s Hotel, the goal was to blend old-world charm with modern hospitality — a space that would feel both familiar and fresh, paying tribute to its namesake, Auntie Annie, the beloved housekeeper remembered for her warmth and generosity.

The renovation revealed remarkable details from the building’s past — including a horse-shaped cutout in the original staircase banister, a nod to Flemington’s racing heritage. Every element of the redesign honoured this story while creating a beautiful new chapter for Melbourne’s Irish and local community.

However, after reopening, one issue quickly emerged: the sound.

The high ceilings, timber finishes, and open dining layout created an acoustic challenge. Conversations bounced around the room, music muddied, and the once-cozy atmosphere became uncomfortably loud during busy service hours.

For a venue designed to feel like a home away from home, noise had become the uninvited guest.

The management team reached out to SoundFix Acoustics to restore the balance — creating a space that sounds as warm and inviting as it looks.

The Solution

Our acoustic assessment confirmed what the ear could already tell: the reverberation time was too high for a comfortable dining and social environment.

In hospitality, even a one-second reverberation can make a space feel twice as noisy — as sound lingers, collides, and amplifies. The goal was to lower the RT60 (reverberation time) to around 0.8 seconds, the recommended standard for restaurants and pubs under AS/NZS 2107:2016.

To achieve this without compromising the venue’s stunning new interior, the SoundFix Acoustics team designed a discreet, high-performance ceiling acoustic panel solution.

We selected custom 600 x 600 mm foam acoustic panels, precision-cut to integrate seamlessly with the ornate ceiling grid. This configuration allowed for optimal coverage without overpowering the aesthetic — preserving the venue’s heritage character while delivering measurable noise reduction.

Each panel was engineered from high-density acoustic foam, offering superior sound absorption across speech frequencies (500–2000 Hz) — where echo and conversation overlap are most problematic in restaurants.

The Installation

Working within a newly refurbished venue required both precision and care.

Our SoundFix Acoustics installation team collaborated closely with the design and management teams to ensure the process was efficient, non-invasive, and visually consistent with the overall design intent.

🕐 Installation Timing: Completed outside of trading hours to avoid disruption to staff and guests.
🧱 Custom Fit: Each 600×600 mm panel was tailored to fit perfectly within the decorative ceiling recesses.
🎨 Design Harmony: Colour-matched foam ensured the acoustic panels blended into the architectural detailing without distraction.
🧰 Clean & Efficient: The work was completed swiftly, with no interruption to service or damage to existing finishes.

The installation not only resolved the noise issue — it elevated the overall ambiance.

Within hours, the difference was palpable. Conversations flowed naturally, background music felt balanced, and the space finally captured the cozy intimacy its design intended.

The Outcome:

Antie Annie’s Hotel represents the perfect blend of heritage storytelling and modern acoustic design.

By integrating subtle sound absorption into the architectural fabric, the venue maintains its period character while providing a comfortable, enjoyable atmosphere for every guest.

The success of this project highlights the importance of acoustic planning in hospitality design. A beautiful venue deserves beautiful sound — one that enhances the experience, not overwhelms it.

For Auntie Annie’s, the result is more than a quieter space. It’s a harmonious balance between past and present — where conversations carry warmth, not echo.

Whether it’s a new fit-out or a heritage restoration, great design deserves great acoustics.

If your venue struggles with echo, noise, or speech clarity, SoundFix Acoustics can help. Our team specialises in hospitality acoustic design — transforming loud, echo-prone spaces into comfortable, vibrant venues that invite guests to stay longer and enjoy more.

📞 Contact SoundFix Acoustics today for a free acoustic consultation.