The 4.5 star Novotel Christchurch Airport hotel, designed by Warren and Mahoney, opens to the public today. Novotel Christchurch Airport general manager Olivier Lacoua and his team were thrilled to showcase the design of the hotel to domestic and international visitors.
“I think we have one of the best view points of the Southern Alps in Canterbury from our bar, restaurant and conference facilities. People are drawn to this from the very moment they walk through our doors,” said Lacoua.
Speaking about the design, Warren and Mahoney’s Principal Architect Bill Gregory said the new hotel offered a warm welcome and excellent hospitality, which reflected the Novotel experience.
“The building design features two-storey shear walls and steel braced columns, creating a rich combination of inviting public spaces.”
Natural timbers, textiles and ceramics have been used internally to contrast the building’s robust exposed external structural elements.
“Set within the heart of the airport campus, the hotel distinguishes itself from the silver, grey and glass materials of the terminal buildings, with the warm roughness of its terracotta cladding and timber veneered soffits. The result is a high performing design that offers a world-class experience for travellers,” said Gregory.
ChristchurchNZ Chief Executive Joanna Norris, said the Novotel Christchurch Airport was a significant new addition to the city’s accommodation sector.
“This is a beautiful and stunningly located property. The rooms and conferences spaces are of an exceptional standard and the location enables leisure, conference and business visitors to Christchurch to move seamlessly from their flights directly to their hotel.
“This property complements a strong offering of hotel accommodation in Christchurch at a time when the city continues to experience significant growth in visitor numbers as more and more people explore the beauty of our city and region.”
It’s a sentiment shared by Canterbury Chamber of Commerce chief executive Leeann Watson, who said it was great to see the opening of the Novotel at the airport this week.
“The Novotel brand has a long tradition of being a welcoming mainstay in Ōtautahi Christchurch for visitors. With visitors numbers on the rise for our city and region, together with our Te Pae Convention Centre scheduled to open in 2020, this wonderful new hotel is a great addition to our accommodation sector.”
View more about this project here.
