New Zealand continues to drive forward with its hotel construction boom, recently announcing several major property developments across Auckland and Queenstown. The latest round of expansion in the sector has been fuelled by ongoing growth in NZ tourism more broadly, increasing 44% over the past 10 years and pressing a need for greater accommodation infrastructure.
The newest kid on the block when it swings open the doors from 1 December will be the 69-room QT Queenstown. Noted for its quirky and artistic nature, QT Hotels & Resorts will bring a fusion of modernity and nature to the forefront, presenting guests with contemporary-styled interiors blended with views across Lake Wakatipu.
Meanwhile, Auckland has witnessed the most hotel bustle with the MSocial, Grand Mercure and SO Sofitel brands all bringing new offerings to the city. Millennium Hotels and Resorts soft-launched its M Social brand to the market only last month, revamping the old Copthorne on the corner of Viaduct Harbour and Quay Street. The 190-room hotel arrives with a distinct technology focus and will be officially unveiled through a grand opening this December.
AccorHotels is leading the charge in Auckland however, with two big projects on the run. The SO Sofitel luxury brand is due to launch in Q1, 2018, and will offer an innovative and playful aesthetic along with the brand’s trademark French-style luxury influence. The 130-room property will be situated in the heart of the city’s central business district, neighbouring the Britomart precinct and waterfront. Just around the corner on Queen Street, a 24-month, multimillion dollar transformation of AccorHotels’ Grand Mercure Auckland was completed this year. Renovations have resulted in a new open-air eatery on ground level called The Lane, offering retro bike hire along with donuts and coffees during the day, before turning into a stylish cocktail bar at night.
