Hotel invests to meet evolving incentive market de

Wednesday 23 January 2008

Hotel invests to meet evolving incentive market demands

Crowne Plaza Queenstown has confirmed an investment of an additional half a million dollars by April 2008 to upgrade guest beds and repaint the 139-room hotel exterior.

The decision to make such a major investment just two years after the lakeside hotel’s extensive $12million renovation was driven by the assessment of and reaction to market demands.

“We’ve noticed a significantly increased volume of incentive business and high-end leisure travelers over the past two years,” said Julie Jolley, Business Development Manager for Crowne Plaza Queenstown.

“Our market mix has changed dramatically since the hotel’s refurbishment and higher end incentive customers in particular are requesting rooms with king size beds. To thrive in the competitive hotel industry we’ve got to respond to guest feedback, which is why we’ve worked hard to secure owner investment of half a million dollars to enhance our guests’ experience.”

Fifty per cent of the hotel’s inventory will be replaced with superking beds in guest rooms from 1 April 2008.

“The hotel was built to make the most of our stunning alpine surroundings. Eighty per cent of our rooms enjoy lake and mountain views. Now we can make any stay even more enjoyable by offering superking beds with luxurious new linen.”

An exterior paint makeover is also underway as the hotel’s entire façade is restored to its former glory. As a result of 26,880 trips up a ladder, 6,720 man-hours on the job, 2,200 litres of paint, 500 rollers and 400 paintbrushes, Crowne Plaza Queenstown will shortly be pristine white; the same shade which graced the walls when the hotel was originally built in 1976.

“Crowne Plaza Queenstown offers a chic, contemporary experience with a mix of minimalist design features and urban modern art. As one of Queenstown’s original hotels, this now secures our premium hotel brand position as The Place To Meet. It’s always been our intention to paint the exterior in the final phase in our re-brand and the summer provides the ideal weather for this to happen,”said Jolley.

Crowne Plaza Queenstown’s award-winning renovation was recently recognised by a New Zealand Institute of Architects Resene Awards for Dalman Architecture, who masterminded the project.

The hotel was also named a finalist in the Spatial Design category at the Design Institute of New Zealand’s BeST awards. threesixty restaurant was the 2007 Queenstown Business Award winner for Excellence in Hospitality.

ENDS

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