Hotels rebrand and expand in shake up

The Hyatt Hotel in Waterloo Quandrant, Auckland, has been rebranded to Pullman. Photo / Supplied

International hotel operators are expanding and rebranding properties in one of the biggest shake-ups in years.

From Auckland to Queenstown, managers are changing positions in a move which has seen both United States' Hilton Hotels and Resorts and France-based Accor expand while the Hyatt Hotels Corporation retrenches.

The Hyatt sign has now disappeared from the roof of one of Auckland's top hotels and after 26 years the property has a new name.

Peter Hook, of Accor in Sydney, said the Waterloo Quadrant hotel near the High Court was now under Pullman's management.

"The arrival of Pullman does highlight a major change that has been going on in New Zealand hotels over the past decade," Hook said.

"The American brands that were favoured when New Zealand began building its international hotel network from the 1970s are finding it far more competitive.

"Owners, particularly from Asia, are more interested in the bottom line and the management contracts that were signed two or three decades ago are not likely to happen again.

"It's very much a performance culture that decides hotel management these days, and with the Asia Pacific region the key source of inbound business for major hotels, owners want companies that really dominate in this region, not necessarily America.

"Pullman ... is the fastest-growing five-star brand in Asia Pacific, in markets such as China, Malaysia, Indonesia and India - all markets that will become increasingly critical for New Zealand," Hook said.

Kate Atkinson, Hyatt's Pacific area director of sales and marketing, said the chain had a long history here.

The Hyatt's sale meant that from Thursday last week Hyatt would no longer manage the hotel nor the neighbouring high-rise apartment block, Hyatt Residences.

But Hyatt would continue to manage Hyatt Hotel Canberra, Park Hyatt Melbourne, Park Hyatt Sydney, Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, Hyatt Regency Perth, and Hyatt Regency Coolum in Australia, Atkinson said.

Accor's All Seasons has already rebranded Christchurch's Hotel SO on Cashel St and is offering rates from $89 a night.

Hilton is opening two new Queenstown properties. Last month, Hilton Worldwide said it had agreements to run Hilton properties at Queenstown's $1 billion Kawarau Falls development and resort: a 178-room five-star hotel to be named Hilton Queenstown and a four-star hotel, to be known as the Kawarau Hotel, featuring 98 one-bedroom apartment-style rooms.

Both hotels are due to be completed this year and Hawkins Construction is the head contractor on the site.

The award-winning Eichardt's Private Hotel in Queenstown has been bought by a privately held investment group based in Melbourne, the Imperium Capital Group, which said it had a range of businesses within its portfolio including a number in the hospitality and leisure sector.

Andrew Cox, Imperium's managing director, said the business planned to build on Eichardt's brand and its luxury services.

"This purchase was a strategic investment in an iconic brand in tourism in New Zealand," he said. "We're open to looking at other acquisition opportunities in the country now we've made this first step."

Management at Eichardt's will stay the same and the new owner takes possession on December 22.

Accor has signalled its intention to expand further here. Hook said the Auckland Pullman could be the first of a number of hotels under the new name in New Zealand.

CHANGING ROOMS

* Auckland's Hyatt now Pullman.
* Christchurch's SO now All Seasons.
* Hilton Worldwide moves to Queenstown.
* Queenstown's Eichardt's changes hands.