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HomeAustralia & N.ZealandSofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa officially New Zealand’s most “exclusive” hotel
Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa was relaunched in late 2010

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa officially New Zealand’s most “exclusive” hotel

The Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa has been admitted into the aspirational Exclusive accommodation category of Qualmark – New Zealand tourism’s official quality assurance system.

Qualmark Exclusive status was developed to help international travellers easily identify New Zealand’s up-market accommodation options, and as the name suggests, Exclusive status is for establishments that are truly at the top of New Zealand’s accommodation market.

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa’s General Manager Wouter De Graaf says, “Our hotel certainly meets the definition of a Qualmark Exclusive hotel to the letter – intimate, elegant and sophisticated offering true privacy aimed at the luxury traveller.

“Since the Sofitel opened in 2005 and our more recent multimillion renovation in 2010 we’ve set out to benchmark a new level of hotel luxury for the Central Otago region to aspire to.

“To date, only eight luxury lodges and villas in the region have been awarded Qualmark recognition, so we are thrilled to be New Zealand’s first Qualmark exclusive hotel which is a true testament to the commitment and passion of our entire team.”

Qualmark Exclusive status is extended to intimate, exclusive and highly individual establishments which offer the finest of locations, facilities, activities and service.

Properties must achieve a five star grade with a 95% score or better in order to be eligible for Qualmark Exclusive status. They then have to meet additional requirements including stability of management, established track record, undertaking international marketing, appropriately qualified staff and reference checks. Once these criteria are met, the receipt of an Exclusive status is based around the experience

In addition to its new Qualmark Exclusive status in the accommodation category, Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa has also earned Enviro-Gold status in the Qualmark category for Green operators.

Introduced in 2008, Qualmark Green assesses and rates tourism operators on environmental performance. High achieving businesses carrying a Qualmark Enviro logo are assessed on their environmental performance with Enviro Awards (Bronze, Silver or Gold) given to top performers in five key action areas pertaining to waste management, water conservation and community and conservation initiatives.

Mr De Graaf says, “It makes me very proud to say that the Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa is not only one of New Zealand’s most exclusive hotels, but importantly we are now officially also one of the most environmentally responsible hotels taking care of our destination for future generations of travelers.”

Sofitel Luxury Hotel’s Asia Pacific Vice President Markland Blaiklock travelled to the Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa from Bangkok to accept the Exclusive Qualmark plaque and Enviro-Gold award which will be displayed at the front of the hotel from next week.

Launched in 2005 as Queenstown’s original five-star hotel, Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa was relaunched in late 2010 following an impressive $2 million upgrade and extension. The renovation program was instrumental to implementing and creating a new environmentally framework for the hotel and its staff to work within.

Motivated by a desire to reinvent and elevate the guest experience, whilst remaining sensitive to its surrounding environment, Sofitel completed an ambitious three-month project, resulting in a transformed grand ground floor, revolutionised lobby, lounge and reception. In addition, Sofitel launched Left Bank Cafe, inviting hotel guests and other patrons to take breakfast and lunch in charming Parisian style, without ever having to leave the heart of Queenstown.

Co-Founder & Chief Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | + Articles

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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