Hotels

Of the country’s major hotel markets, Wellington appears to have come out of spring the strongest with average weekly occupancy mostly above 80% since mid-October, according to figures from STR.

Winners spanned the New Zealand Hotel, Department, People, and Major Awards categories.

Hotel guest nights across New Zealand in October 2022 surpassed the million mark for the first time since the pandemic started.

Almost all of New Zealand’s major hotel markets are finishing spring stronger than they started, according to figures from STR.

Mt Hutt, The Rees, Matakauri Lodge, and Azur Luxury Lodge have all picked up awards at the World Ski Awards for 2022.

A good October has turned into an even better November for Christchurch’s hotel market, according to figures from STR.

Operators are being forced to cap room supply while demand and cost pressures rise.

Auckland is back on the rise after suffering a mid-October occupancy and ADR drop, according to figures from STR.

Queenstown occupancy and ADR appear to have stabilised at a new post-Covid ‘normal’ – at least for late spring – according to figures from STR.

NZ Super Fund says its NZ Hotel Holdings joint venture with The Russell Property Group and Lockwood Property Group had a very busy FY22, “continuing with the strategy to be New Zealand’s best hotel portfolio”.

The recovery is being led by particularly strong room rates, says the agent.

A steady climb in occupancy across the country since early September pushes the rate up to a 2022 high.

Christchurch has hit an occupancy high for 2022 after a long climb from the Omicron-impacted doldrums of March this year.

A new booking platform that enables hotels to offer pricing tailored to individual customers has launched in New Zealand.

The opening of the $35m Sudima Kaikōura has finally become a reality after long Covid delays – just in time for the much-anticipated summer.

With new hotels and brands coming, the country’s largest hotel operator is already looking to fill about 300 vacancies in NZ.

The capital is having a strong spring with the return of the World of WearableArt after three years helping to drive occupancy and ADR.

More than 450 delegates are expected to gather in Auckland today and tomorrow for the first New Zealand Aotearoa Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition.

Staffing challenges could create reputational damage if summer demand is not satisfied, warns the consultancy.

Christchurch hotels The Pavilions and The George are partnering up with Lincoln University to offer $3,000 scholarships to students.

After spending most of the year struggling to crack 50% occupancy, Auckland is finally on the move with the major metrics all trending in the right direction.

Increasing operating expenses, particularly for labour and utilities, are also weighing on sentiment.

Average weekly occupancy and ADR have slid from their winter highs at Queenstown but the October school holidays will hopefully give the resort another spring boost.

Invercargill’s 4.5-star The Langlands Hotel has been officially opened.

Average weekly occupancy across all of New Zealand barely budged over winter, hovering around 55% since early July 2022, according to figures from STR.

Room nights sold in five out of eight key markets returned to pre-Covid levels in August.

It is still early days in the recovery but could Wellington’s crown as the country’s best-performing hotel market for the past two-and-a-half years finally be slipping?

Christchurch has enjoyed an improving occupancy rate this year, recovering from an Omicron low in mid-March to reach 66% on average across the city in late-August, according to STR.

The apartment hotel operator brings back its short-stay offerings in NZ after reverting to long-term accom during the pandemic.

There was been little movement in Auckland’s hotel market over winter with new room supply and returning managed isolation facilities keeping a lid on occupancy rates and ADR.

Average weekly occupancy at Queenstown has plateaued in the high 60s, with a consistent performance seen since the July school holidays, according to figures from STR.

The operator abandons its proposal for a luxury hotel and new VIP casino on the banks of Lake Whakatipu.

Average weekly occupancy across all of New Zealand has been stuck around 54% for the past month although ADR has been performing relatively well, according to figures from STR.

Village Accommodation will use the landmark Auckland asset for its new Habitat Hotels brand.

ADR jumps as guests fork out to secure scarce rooms in Queenstown and Te Pae helps boost demand in Christchurch.

The country’s best-performing hotel market during the pandemic, Wellington, has been matched by Queenstown for most of the past month, according to figures from STR.

The group says hotel operations in NZ “are still challenging” with competition for skilled labour intense for the foreseeable future.

The first Microtel by Wyndham in Wellington marks the brand’s entry into Aotearoa.

Queenstown hit an average weekly occupancy high of 70.5% during the July New Zealand school holidays, according to figures from STR.

Queenstown’s The Carlin Boutique Hotel has joined the Small Luxury Hotels of the World network.

Christchurch bucked the trend of falling occupancy seen across New Zealand last week, according to figures from STR.

After a two-year hiatus, the New Zealand Hospitality Conference is back taking place at the Grand Millennium in Auckland starting today.

Average daily rates jumped in June with little resistance from consumers, says the consultancy.

While other major hotel markets have seen good occupancy and room rate performance during the July school holiday period, Auckland is lagging.

The strong results, particularly in Rotorua, are being achieved despite occupancy still in recovery, says the agent. 

Pullman Auckland has reopened to guests for accommodation and events after returning from managed isolation duty.

Auckland’s hotels are expected to return to pre-Covid levels of RevPAR in 3-5 five years.

New ways of attracting talent are emerging, says the global management consultancy.

A strong upturn in Queenstown’s hotel market is underway with average weekly occupancy touching 68% last week, according to STR.

Average weekly occupancy across New Zealand has finally passed 50% for the first time this year, according to STR.