New Zealand has welcomed its first voco branded property today with the highly anticipated launch of voco Auckland City Centre, a brand new, state-of-the-art hotel in the heart of the City of Sails.
A joint partnership between Pro-invest Hotels and IHG Hotels & Resorts, the launch of voco Auckland City Centre is the voco brand’s first foray into New Zealand and signals the continued growth of the brand across the globe.
With an ideal position in the centre of Auckland on the corner of Albert and Wyndham Street, the new hotel is part of a dual tower development that also includes the 294 room Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre which is due to open later this month.
Elevated amongst the beating heart of Auckland, the vibrantly playful hotel blends premium essentials with indulgent touches to deliver 201 spacious rooms and suites that showcase voco’s warm signature style. Each of the stylishly appointed guest rooms and suites feature plush, sustainable bedding with cocoon-like comfort, hand-picked artworks, smart in-room technology and stylish marble bathrooms that feature eco-conscious rain showers and amenities from Antipodes.
Designed by interior architecture practice, Richards Stanisich, the new guest rooms and suites offer a tranquil place to unwind, featuring a moody palette of deep blues and charcoal greys complemented by splashes of the signature voco yellow, warm timber tones with brass accents and unique artworks.
The hotel’s cosy ground floor all-day Italian trattoria, Mozzarella & Co serves a-la-carte and buffet breakfast as well as artisan pizzas and pasta for lunch and dinner, complemented by a boutique wine list, beers and cocktails.
Set for a mid-June opening, good times will await sky-high at Bar Albert, voco’s rooftop destination which also doubles as New Zealand’s highest rooftop bar. The glamorous Art Deco inspired bar will feature an open deck and moody, sumptuous interiors enticing guests to enjoy a tipple either inside or out.
Pro-invest Hotels, Area General Manager, New Zealand, Fraser McKenzie says the launch of the voco brand into the New Zealand market signals a positive upturn in travel as international travellers return to the country.
“As one of the most highly anticipated hotel openings of the year, the launch of voco Auckland City Centre marks an exciting period of growth for the voco brand as we see an influx of travellers returning to New Zealand,” he said.
“A stay at voco Auckland City Centre is all about indulgent accommodation with a refreshing twist and we’re thrilled to finally be able to share the fun, unique hallmarks of this property with our guests.”
According to Shantha de Silva, Chief Operating Officer, Pro-invest Hotels, the launch of the new hotel signifies the increasing demand for new accommodation in Auckland.
“We’re thrilled to be opening the first voco property in New Zealand and believe it’s a positive sign of the travel industry regaining momentum. It also highlights Pro-invest Hotel’s significant growth with several new hotels opening in the next two months,” Shantha said.
The world-famous Kiwi charm will be on full display thanks to the hotel’s voco hosts, whose job it is to welcome and attend to guests’ needs, while each guest will receive a thoughtfully crafted voco welcome treat, designed to give them a taste of the Auckland locale. Guests can step into a voco life at voco Auckland City Centre with community spaces, bars and lounges designed to meet, eat, drink and play at any time throughout the day.
voco Auckland City Centre also makes an ideal destination for conferences, meetings and events with five flexible meeting rooms available in addition to Bar Albert and Mozzarella & Co. which offer additional space for hosting more relaxed, social functions.
Specifically designed to reduce its impact on the environment, voco Auckland City Centre is targeting a Level 3/Level 4 Green Engage certificate by implementing a number of sustainable initiatives such as plush bedding filled with 100% recycled materials, filtered drinking water in guestrooms, aerated shower heads that reduce water and usage and large, refillable Antipodes amenities in the bathrooms that reduces plastic waste by up to 80%.
