Originally trading as the Oriental,[citation needed] it was designed by Richard Gailey and built in 1885 by Cussack & O'Keefe.

Single storeyed extensions have been built on the north-east and north-west sides, and a drive-in bottle shop was at one stage located at the hotel[1] From 1996 the Wickham attracted members of the LGBTI community and was known to be gay-friendly.

In 2014, it was renovated, re-opened and rebranded to attract a wider range of clientele, with the former car park being turned into an outdoor laneway type of space.

[1] An awning with pressed metal ceilings cantilevers over the footpath on the main facades facing Wickham and Ballow Streets.

The walls above the awning are rendered and lined to suggest stonework and are embellished by horizontal bands at the sill and impost levels of the windows.

The main entry, located on the Wickham Street facade, opens to a foyer which has a richly embellished plaster ceiling and cornice and contains a generously proportioned timber stair leading to the first floor.

Internally the first and second floor retain much of the original fabric including rendered masonry walls, plaster cornices and skirtings.

[1] The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.

The building is one of a group of hotels designed by architect Richard Gailey which contribute to the architectural character of Brisbane through their imposing presence, extensive use of ornamental cast-iron and classical detailing.