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Novotel Auckland Airport was officially opened today by Kingi Tuheitia and New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, in a traditional dawn ceremony. The launch of the innovative hotel – just 50 metres from the international terminal – comes just over 100 days from the kick-off of the World Cup, and will provide a huge confidence boost to New Zealand tourism after the devastating Christchurch earthquake earlier this year.
The $65 million hotel project has been developed by one of New Zealand’s largest Maori entities, Tainui Group Holdings, in partnership with Auckland Airport and Accor, who operate the hotel.
Auckland Airport handles over 13 million passengers annually, projected to grow to 24 million by 2025, with 73% of all international visitors to New Zealand arriving or departing from Auckland. That figure is expected to grow substantially in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake, making the opening of the Novotel highly strategic for the country’s short-term and long-term tourism needs.
It will also significantly benefit most international visitors, as many flights to Auckland arrive late at night and connections to key regional airports are not till the following morning. International flights departing Auckland often leave early in the morning, making an overnight stay at the airport necessary, especially as it can take up to an hour’s drive to reach downtown Auckland.
A contemporary, stylish hotel that pays homage to New Zealand’s heritage and traditional culture
“For the majority of visitors to New Zealand, the Novotel is the first and last impression they have of the country, so the design of the Novotel has been infused with subtle references to New Zealand’s natural environment, culture, art and heritage,” says General Manager, Paul Columbus. “We believe it will be a showcase for the best New Zealand has to offer.
“Part of the New Zealand experience is the close encounter with nature, so the hotel has been surrounded with distinctive indigenous plants, including Pohutakawa (NZ Christmas) trees, while the triangular architectural features of the building are designed to reflect the bows of traditional Maori ‘waka’ canoes, which first arrived here at Manukau Harbour many hundreds of years ago.”
There is a distinct green theme in the hotel’s lobby where guests are greeted by a ‘living wall’ of indigenous plants that are nurtured by a hydroponic system. All the timbers used in the Novotel are 100% FSC-accredited Southland maple beech, which are harvested on a sustainably-managed basis, and are part of the hotel’s commitment to become a fully certified Earthcheck hotel. Major effort has also been made to reduce energy and water usage in the hotel’s daily operations.
The design of the hotel has been undertaken by leading New Zealand architect and designer, Warren & Mahoney. Some of New Zealand’s most promising designers and artists have been commissioned to work on the hotel’s fit-out, and the locally-produced items range from a vast, self-supporting spiral steel staircase in the lobby to a Maori patterned ‘Patiki’ screen in the restaurant, designed to represent abundance and ‘manaakitanga’ (caring for people).
While paying homage to the past and to Maori heritage, the Novotel is also very much a reflection of contemporary New Zealand, with the latest in communication technologies, including full arrival and departure monitors in the lobby to ensure that guests are kept fully informed of the latest plane movements.
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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