Skycity's 5 Star Hotel To Open April 6

SKYCITY’s new five star hotel and signature restaurant on track to open 6 april 2005

The $85 million five star SKYCITY Grand Hotel and new signature restaurant – dine by Peter Gordon - are both on track to open to the public on 6 April 2005. With less than one month until opening, the new restaurant and hotel are in the final phase of internal fit-out, expected to be complete by the end of March.

The stunning new hotel and restaurant have been created by a “who’s who” of local and international designers, architects and artists, featuring renowned New Zealand artwork throughout.

Leading New Zealand architects Craig Craig Moller (also designed Sky Tower and the SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre), created the hotel exterior and structure. The room interiors were designed by internationally acclaimed Chhada Siembieda (specialists in luxury hotel interiors and responsible for the acclaimed “W” hotel chain as well as the Hayman Island Resort, Sydney Hilton and the Hotel Intercontinental in both Sydney and in Hong Kong). SKYCITY’s new premium restaurant (dine by Peter Gordon), was conceptualised by Tom Skyring (widely regarded as New Zealand’s leading restaurant and bar designer and also responsible for Bar3 at SKYCITY, Euro, Pasha, George and Ottos in Auckland city) with guidance from international celebrity chef Peter Gordon.

The staff uniforms for the hotel were created by fashion leader Kate Sylvester and for the new restaurant, by established New Zealand designer Murray Crane (owner of Crane Brothers and Little Brother menswear stores in Auckland and Wellington). The luxury spa, which is expected to open in late April, has been designed by Bernie Harris, Sydney (responsible also for Spa Chakra in Sydney).

The operator of the East Day Spa (Wellington) has been selected to set up a similar (but larger scale) luxury health retreat within the SKYCITY Grand Hotel. Taking a holistic and natural approach to body and skin care, East Day Spa infuses ancient beauty therapies from the east to “provide the ultimate therapeutic experience, offering the highest standard in treatments, service and luxury.”

SKYCITY Grand Hotel features 21 levels and 316 rooms of uncompromising quality. The rooms comprise a range of luxury accommodation options including The Grand Suite, eight Premier Self Contained Suites, 11 Executive King Suites and 296 Luxury King rooms.

Level seven of the hotel provides a range of exclusive guest services, an outdoor balcony and restaurant – The Terrace (to be used predominantly for hotel guest breakfasts but is also available for private functions). Additional features on this level include the 25m lap swimming pool, sauna and spa pool, a gymnasium offering the ultimate in fitness technology and equipment (from Bodytech) as well as personal training sessions upon request (to be supplied by Les Mills Auckland) and a private members club with full guest service 24 hours, and complimentary wireless and broadband connectivity.

Located within SKYCITY Grand Hotel’s main entrance is SKYCITY’s new signature restaurant – dine by Peter Gordon. As the self-titled name suggests, the restaurant is to be jointly owned and operated by the internationally renowned celebrity chef, arguably New Zealand’s highest profile culinary celebrity (best known for his involvement setting up The Sugar Club and The Providores in London).

Gordon is acknowledged as founder of the fusion food movement, for his numerous best selling cook-books and various international media appearances and for his ongoing charity work. At the recent 7th annual leukaemia fundraising dinner held earlier this month - a charitable event which Peter helped start up - over £350,000 was raised for the cause and Peter Gordon himself was auctioned off for £19k to cook in someone's home within the year.

With seating capacity for up to 80 people in total, dine by Peter Gordon will offer New Zealand a taste sensation from Wanganui born Peter Gordon’s internationally acclaimed cuisine repertoire. The restaurant itself features high ceilings, a predominance of white tones contrasted with dark aged leather seating, stained wooden floors, marble bar and raised marble fireplace. Seating will be on various levels and “unexpected finishes,” such as hand made rice paper and hand finished plaster, create the setting for a truly unique dining experience.

Dine by Peter Gordon also offers a private dining area for up to 14 people as well as an intimate arrival lounge suitable for pre-dinner drinks. As his only New Zealand restaurant, Peter Gordon will return intermittently throughout the year (every few months) to introduce new menus and oversee the dining experience. Another unique feature of the restaurant’s design will provide guests with a view of Peter Gordon and the kitchen staff at work in the kitchen.

Following a recent recruitment drive for new staff, some 200 new staff have been employed by SKYCITY and are currently undergoing specialised hotel and hospitality training tailored to ensure a strict level and standard of service is achieved for the opening of both the restaurant and hotel on 6 April. Head Chef for dine by Peter Gordon, Cobus Klobber (promoted from within SKYCITY), has recently returned from a month long training session in the UK where he trained under the tutelage of Peter Gordon to prepare him for his new job heading up the kitchen team of dine by Peter Gordon.

Paul Gallop, SKYCITY Grand Hotel Operations Manager, says the new hotel is going to offer a luxurious oasis in the central city.
“The hotel design is absolutely stunning. Guests of the “Grand” will be offered something truly unique - a five star experience in the heart of the city that’s contemporary and friendly and often surprising,” he says.

“Already advance bookings indicate that the SKYCITY Grand Hotel, combined with the new SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre, will provide a significant boost to New Zealand tourism. We now have the ability to host larger international conventions from the lucrative top end of the market that expect five star service and facilities. The location of the “Grand” above the new SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre and linked by over-bridge to SKYCITY Auckland, means large scale convention guests have a world of accommodation and entertainment options all conveniently located under the one roof,” he says.

Mr Galllop adds that there are additional benefits exclusive to SKYCITY Grand Hotel guests such as an in-room dining selection from Peter Gordon’s restaurant menu and the option to book leading chefs from SKYCITY’s kitchen team to cook a meal for guests in their suite.

SKYCITY Grand Hotel will host an elegant vip cocktail launch event to mark its opening on Tuesday 5th April and dine by Peter Gordon, will host a private function on the 6th April. Both new facilities will be operational from the 6th April and are available for reservations now. For enquiries and reservations for the SKYCITY Grand Hotel (90 Federal Street Auckland city) phone +64 9 363 7000 or visit www.skycitygrand.co.nz and for reservations and enquiries for dine by Peter Gordon, phone +64 9 363 6000 or visit website www.skycity.co.nz.

Fact Box: SKYCITY Grand Hotel

21 levels of contemporary elegance and facilities above Albert St. Two restaurants – an on-site buffet restaurant – the Terrace – and the new dine by Peter Gordon signature restaurant. Private members club lounge offering 24 hours guest service and complementary wireless and broadband connectivity. A 25m lap swimming pool, gym (latest equipment and personal training sessions by Les Mills personal trainers upon request), sauna and spa pool. Full range of guest services including latest technologies and the East Day Spa (expected to open late April). Four point bathrooms (bath, shower, toilet and basin separate). 42-inch plasma screens in each of the 17 top-end suites. Central city location. Leading New Zealand artwork throughout from some of New Zealand’ s most prominent artists including stunning new artwork commissioned especially for the Grand by Shane Cotton, Dick Frizzell, Graham Fletcher, Terry Stringer, Michael Hight, Max Gimblett, Robert Ellis and Karl Maughan. Plus photography featured in every room is from the acclaimed collection by the late Robin Morrison (which SKYCITY now owns and every room has at least three of his photographs which are different in each room).

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