New $18.5m resort for Rotorua

The planned Ramada Lakeside Resort and Spa Rotorua. SUPPLIED

An $18.5 million resort is to be developed on the Rotorua lakeside.

Wyndham Hotel Group announced today it will construct a Ramada Lakeside Resort and Spa Rotorua at the Lake Rotorua end of Whittaker Rd.

It is in the early stages of development and is expected to open in December 2015.

The development will offer a mix of 68 hotel rooms and one and two-bedroom apartments. It will feature a geothermal health spa, onsite restaurant and bar, swimming pool and conference facilities.

The company also announced a new Ramada Suites Christchurch City and a Ramada Hotel and Suites Remarkable Park in Queenstown. The three new developments are part of the company's strategic efforts to grow the Ramada brand throughout the South Pacific and around the globe.

"We are committed to growing the Ramada brand throughout key markets in the region and are proud to add Christchurch, Queenstown and Rotorua to our portfolio," said Barry Robinson, managing director of Wyndham Hotel Group in the South Pacific.

"We see continued growth opportunities in New Zealand and we are actively working on a number of other projects throughout the country."

Globally, the Ramada network includes almost 830 hotels in approximately 50 countries.

"These are key developments for New Zealand, which will positively add to the country's hotel industry and wider economy," said owner of Safari Group, Robert Neil.

"We are proud to partner with Wyndham Hotel Group and the globally respected Ramada brand on these developments. The opening of the hotels will stimulate travel to the regions from a range of travel sectors."