InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is set add its first Holiday Inn hotel in Queenstown later this year following the conversion of the former Goldridge Resort, as the company also signed a deal for a new build 120-room Holiday Inn Express hotel in Christchurch city centre set to open in 2018.
The new hotels will operate under franchise agreements in partnership with USAR Queenstown Ltd and USAR Christchurch Limited, backed by well-known New Zealand hoteliers, the Sarin family.
“With international tourism numbers on the rise it was important to partner with an established global brand,” said Raman Sarin, Head of Sarin Investments.
“Both Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express have a huge presence in all of our key source markets and we are confident of the success of these two new hotels in Queenstown and Christchurch.”
The rebrand of the Goldridge Resort to Holiday Inn Queenstown will officially take place in December 2016 following a NZD$3.5million refurbishment of rooms and public areas. A 50-room extension to the property is also planned for the near future adding to the hotel’s existing 75 rooms. The property overlooks the Frankton Arm inlet of Lake Wakatipu, with easy access to The Remarkables and Coronet Peak ski fields.
The hotel will join IHG’s Crowne Plaza Queenstown to offer two internationally branded hotels in one of New Zealand’s key tourism destinations.
The new Holiday Inn Express Christchurch hotel, set to open late 2018, will sit conveniently in the Christchurch CBD and a mere 100 metres from the new convention centre due to open in 2019.
The property will also be within reach of ‘The Frame’, a large green space featuring cafes and restaurants, cycle paths, walkways and large landscaped areas for festivals and events. IHG also has a Crowne Plaza hotel currently under construction in Christchurch due to open mid-2017.
“There is high demand for hotels in key destinations across New Zealand – including both Queenstown and Christchurch – as the result of a thriving tourism economy,” said Karin Sheppard, COO Australasia & Japan, IHG.
“Tourism is a growing NZD$32 billion industry for New Zealand with hotel room nights on a steady increase over the last two years, both from domestic travellers (9.2% increase) and international travellers (13% increase).
“We are therefore delighted to announce the signing of these two new hotels as a further extension of our midscale brand expansion in the region,” she said.
Upon completion of the refurbishment, Holiday Inn Queenstown will offer guests a great selection of amenities including a fully-furnished deck with BBQ facilities; a bar and restaurant featuring exquisite lake and mountain views; access to the sauna to unwind after a long day at the slopes and tennis courts for the summer months.