KATE NEWTON
Five-star ratings don't come easy, which is why Napier has just the one when it comes to self-contained units.
The bearer of that honour is the Crown Hotel, having been awarded Qualmark's top rating this week.
That news may come as a surprise for those who remember what the Ahuriri icon
used to be like, but since November the Crown Hotel has become a luxury hotel, restored in its original Art Deco style.
The old part of the building was built in 1932 and now houses the dining room, conference facilities and three "heritage suites".
With timeless furnishings and even a gas fireplace in one of the rooms, the suites are all about elegance and quite different to the freshness of the 24 rooms in the new and adjacent three-storey complex.
It's a case of contemporary meets historical and it's what general manager Bronwyn Jesney credits with helping the hotel get its five-star status.
"I think it was the combination of old and new as a point of difference," Bronwyn said.
"We were judged on pretty much everything from cleaning to the standard of furnishings to paperwork."
But all the hard work was worth it, she said, because now the service and systems in place are being recognised.
"Internationally, Qualmark is huge, it's what wholesalers and guests use to judge accommodation," Bronwyn said.
The owner of the Crown Hotel, LandMac Holdings, also has plans to expand, having built the neighbouring land which Moana Fisheries is currently on.
Napier's County Hotel also has a five-star rating under Qualmark's hotel category.
