The formal opening of voco Queenstown was celebrated on Thursday 10 September, with the Mayor of Queenstown Lakes, John Glover, and the Member of Parliament for Southland, Joseph Mooney, joining owners, operators and partners to mark the arrival of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium brand in Queenstown.
Over 70 guests, including industry partners and media, gathered at the hotel for an evening celebration that opened with a pōwhiri conducted by Mana Tāhuna. Guests were welcomed by owner Pro-invest Group, operator Connect Hospitality and IHG Hotels & Resorts, who together have brought the property to life following its conversion from a Holiday Inn Express & Suites.
“It is almost two months to the day since we opened voco Queenstown, and what two months it has been. We could not be prouder of the way Queenstown locals and the travelling public have embraced this hotel,” said Jason Sabin, Portfolio General Manager, Connect Hospitality. “Our location, right in the heart of Queenstown, deserves a premium product to match, and I am enormously proud of what this team has achieved in making the vision for voco Queenstown a reality.”
“We’ve always believed Queenstown is one of Australasia’s standout tourism destinations. The transition to voco reflects both our confidence in the market and our ambition for the asset”, said Ronald Stephen Barrott FRICS, Founder & Chairman, Pro-invest Group. “It has allowed us to elevate the guest experience, introduce new dining and social offerings, and evolve the hotel in line with growing demand for premium accommodation in the destination.”
“Queenstown is a remarkable place, and it is always affirming when international investors and global hotel brands choose to put their name to it. The Queenstown Lakes district welcomes around three million visitors a year, and that level of demand requires world-class accommodation,” said John Glover, Mayor of Queenstown Lakes. “Developments like voco Queenstown deliver exactly that, sustaining meaningful employment for local people and supporting local suppliers and businesses across the region.”
“Quality hotel investment like this signals confidence in New Zealand as a destination, and it directly supports the visitor experience that keeps travellers returning and recommending us to others. It is particularly pleasing to see a premium international brand like voco choosing to expand its New Zealand footprint,” said Joseph Mooney, Member of Parliament for Southland.
The transition to voco Queenstown delivered a full refurbishment of all 227 guestrooms and suites by Space Studios and a complete redesign of the lobby and food and beverage spaces. Every room now offers recycled-material bedding and carpets, Antipodes amenities, aerated rain showers and 24/7 room service, with 18 premium suites adding Dyson styling tools and Marshall speakers.
The warm, alpine-inspired lobby is anchored by Mīharo, a woven harakeke and slumped-glass artwork by Māori artist Cheree Te Orangaroa Downes. New restaurant and bar Mozzarella & Co. blends Mediterranean and South Island flavours around a show kitchen with wood-fired pizza oven, in-house bakery and chef’s table, plus firepit terraces and a private dining room for 14.
voco is IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium brand, and voco Queenstown is the second voco to open in New Zealand, joining its sister property in Auckland.
