Concerns are growing about hotels in Australia, owned by Accor and the Central Apartment Group, being used as detention facilities for refugees and asylum seekers for extended periods and in contravention of international human rights standards for companies which require respect for human rights – UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. One media report alleges that an Accor-owned hotel does not provide sufficient access to open space or medical care. Another, that that asylum seekers at a Central Group-owned hotel are subjected to prison-like conditions and are potentially exposed to COVID-19 via the guards.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Accor and the Central Apartment Group to respond to these allegations. Neither company responded to provide an explanation.