A new 182-room hotel about to open in Queenstown features a unique design which borrows from the way people live in their homes.
The Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park opening early next month will boast an innovative 'open lobby' that creates space where guests not only check in but eat, drink, work, socialise and have fun at the same time.
A growing trend in hotels in the United States and Europe, it is a first for New Zealand and will be considered the "beating heart" of the hotel, general manager Mathew Simister says. The "next generation" design blends the front desk, restaurant, bar, lounge area and business centre into one highly flexible and social space.
First launched in Europe in 2012, the open lobby concept was devised by the group behind Holiday Inn owners, IHG Hotels & Resorts, following research into how people use space at home and how hotel spaces can be combined to provide guests with more functional and productive areas.
The Queenstown hotel is the first Holiday Inn to be built in New Zealand in 10 years and is, says Simister "an investment in the future of tourism." It already has advance bookings.
He says the open lobby is one of the most exciting features of the new hotel. "It transforms the traditional hotel lobby and separate dining areas so they flow into one inviting, comfortable and energetic living space and is totally flexible with whatever guests are doing whether it be work or play or both."
As well as the reception area, the lobby features an expansive fireplace, media zone, E-bar (with wireless printing), a café, bar and Giants restaurant. It is designed to mirror a laid-back living room and offers guests a casual and flexible space.
The concept is popular overseas (IHG opened the 100th open lobby hotel in Belfast in 2019) and the Queenstown version follows closely on the first of its kind in Australia, the Holiday Inn Werribee in Melbourne which opened earlier this year.
IHG has plans to include the design in six other Australian Holiday Inns over the next few years and says it will eventually be a feature in all its existing properties in Australia and New Zealand.
Simister says it is a real credit to the owners who pushed on and kept building during the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic and is a sign of the confidence in Queenstown and the re-opening of New Zealand following lockdown restrictions.
"While there has certainly been a desire to travel from people in non-lockdown areas, things have been quieter because the Auckland market makes up a big proportion of Queenstown tourism. It will be nice to have that when it returns; we are hoping for the best."
Simister says the hotel has bookings confirmed from mid-December and there has been good demand for accommodation over the New Year period. "We are also expecting a big month in March as the Queenstown marathon and other events were re-scheduled to 2022."
The new hotel will employ over 50 staff when open and is located in the new Remarkables Park lifestyle development near Queenstown Airport which includes a retail, accommodation, residential and recreational precinct.
"Many of the rooms and suites have views of the Remarkables mountain range," Simister says. "We are only five minutes from the airport, close to The Remarkables ski area and perfectly positioned to enable people to explore all sides of Queenstown and the greater central Otago region."
Designed with floor-to-ceiling glass, the hotel features reflections of Queenstown's natural beauty inside with timber finishes, natural stone, forest greens and iron ore providing a sense of connection to the landscape. Rooms come in Twin, King and Accessible options and all include coffee machines, robes, slippers and smart TVs enabling app streaming and free Wi-Fi.
Natural tones such as eucalyptus and paprika feature in the soft furnishings while the bathrooms are bright and roomy and come with skincare amenities.
For sports-minded guests, the ski slopes are about a 30-minute drive away (the hotel also provides a secure drying room with ample storage for ski and outdoor gear), the hotel has a hi-tech gym and scenic trails for running, walking and biking are easily accessible.
Simister says for those travelling for business, the hotel has four meeting rooms catering for small events of up to 30 people and larger 200-people gatherings. The E-bar also provides space for guests to work and, at the same time, feel part of the social vibe of the open lobby.
"We will be doing everything we can to keep people safe during their stay," he says. "We will be cleaning all rooms and areas of the hotel to the highest possible standard and following government regulations closely," he says.
To celebrate the opening Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park is offering accommodation rates from $160 per room per night. It will also offer flexible cancellation policies to cover uncertainties created by the pandemic.
Guests will be rewarded for their stay through IHG Rewards, where they can enjoy member-only benefits and earn points on every stay at 6000 destinations globally.
To book go to holidayinnremarkables.com or phone reservations on 0800 322 222.