The newly refurbished Movenpick hotel on Customs St, downtown Auckland. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
The newly refurbished Movenpick hotel on Customs St, downtown Auckland. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Accor is rebranding two Grand Mercure hotels once used for MIQ as Mövenpick hotels.
They are the first of the fast-growing international brand in New Zealand and the Auckland downtown hotel will officially open on Monday followed by a launch in Wellington in July.
The hotels were among 32 usedas managed isolation and quarantine facilities for two year and Sarah Derry, Accor Pacific chief executive, said the company was "very proud" of the work staff did.
"It was a terrific service to the community and we're very proud of our team for doing that.
"It allowed New Zealanders to come back and all people being able to travel and visit friends and family."
The $1.2 billion MIQ scheme allowed Accor - which had a total of six hotels used for MIQ - to retain staff and run a commercial operation as guest nights plummeted.
"Certainly in terms of keeping our hotel operating and open in some form, and also providing ongoing employment to our team," said Derry.
The hotels had undergone extensive refits, deep cleaning and some painting for the transformation to the brand, founded in Switzerland. She would not disclose how much had been spent.
Inside the new Movenpick Hotel Auckland. Photo / Supplied
The move from MIQ to a new brand came at a good time as border restrictions are being removed completely over the next three months.
Mövenpick hotels around the world were associated with luxury and good food, said Derry.
The hotel will offer amenities such as a "Chocolate Hour", 24-hour Sundae Service in a nod to its well-known icecream brand, and a signature restaurant and bar. Children are entitled to free icecream for the duration of their stay.
On its website today, Accor says its loyalty scheme members can stay for an introductory price of $364 for two nights - a 30 per cent discount on standard prices.
Founded in 1948 by Ueli Prager, Mövenpick was a pioneer on the Swiss restaurant scene and evolved into a premium international hotel brand. The chain is now 111 properties strong with 56 more in the pipeline.
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts are in 30 countries and the company was bought by Accor before the pandemic for more than $1 billion.
While the hotel brand was not so well known in New Zealand, it was with international travellers, who can now return this country.
The daily Chocolate Hour — a "decadent chocolate experience" with live demonstrations, from rolling truffles to icing cupcakes, will be staged every afternoon in the hotel lobby. For guests resting in bed, the 24-hour Sundae Service will be available in-room.
Healthy Shots — energy shots blended with juice or yogurt and fresh fruit and vegetables — will also be offered to guests at the breakfast counter, "balancing the decadent with the practical".
The newly refurbished Movenpick Hotel Auckland on the waterfront. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
The design is described as "warm and contemporary but never pretentious".
Derry said the 207-room Mövenpick Hotel Auckland offered the New Zealand market something different.
The pandemic had changed attitudes to travel, and many people now wanted more meaningful experiences.
"People want to make sure that when they are having these experiences that they've missed out on, they're really special. So they're doing things like staying in a different hotel and doing things that they have not experienced before."
She said there was good pent-up demand for New Zealand but the return of visitors would be gradual.
The hotel will make the most of its icecream brand. Photo / Supplied
Jet Park MIQ hotels stick with their brand
Jet Park Auckland in Māngere, near Auckland Airport, was a quarantine facility for Covid-positive community cases and arrivals and will stick with its name.
Group general manager Nicole Lawson said like all the other MIQ hotels, Jet Park will do some renovations and refresh of both its properties – all guest touch points like beds and pillows - in the next few months.
Jet Park Hamilton is due to re-open to the public on August 8 and the company was still working through dates for Jet Park Auckland.
"We are not planning to rebrand either property. Jet Park Hotels have always had a strong purpose of care and comfort entrenched in the business and in our staff. We will be acknowledging our present, paying homage to our past and looking to the future as a premier destination for travellers."
