Plans for the Sudima, corner Wellesley and Nelson St in Auckland's CBD.
Plans for the Sudima, corner Wellesley and Nelson St in Auckland's CBD.
A new Sudima Hotel of up to 200 rooms has been announced for Auckland's CBD today, just two days after plans came to light for a 225-room Indigo Hotel in the city desperate for accommodation - and the latest hotel will have a low tolerance of plastic.
Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala, the Auckland-based founder of the Sudima national chain, said his latest block would be developed on the corner of Nelson St and Wellesley St near the NZ International Convention Centre.
"It will have 180-200 rooms pending final design, a gym, a rooftop bar and a separate restaurant and bar. The hotel is scheduled for opening in the summer of 2019/2020," his statement said.
The new Indigo Hotel with 225 rooms, planned for 51 Albert St.
Plastic water bottles will be replaced by glass. Single use house cleaning and chef gloves will be replaced by biodegradable gloves.
Plastic food containers will be either RE-used or replaced by cans.
Plastic straws were banned in all Sudima hotels in January. The chain was using the equivalent of the height of five SkyTowers in plastic straws annually, he said.
He is holding discussions with suppliers to change their practices.
"The new Auckland CBD hotel will be single-use plastic free on its opening in alignment with the company's goal to be single-use plastic free across its entire portfolio by 2020," he said.
The Auckland CBD development was a significant addition to the portfolio in a sought-after location, he said.
"The area around our site has been extensively developed in recent years and is now a hub for hospitality, entertainment, events and major conferences, so we are looking forward to introducing a new accommodation choice for leisure and corporate travellers who want a high level of service and comfort in a hotel with a focus on sustainability and social responsibility," he said.
Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala who is developing his seventh hotel. Photo / Kenny Rodger
This will be Sudima's seventh in New Zealand: Auckland Airport, Hamilton, Rotorua, and Christchurch Airport, the new $40m Christchurch CBD hotel opening early next year and recently-announced $30m Kaikoura hotel opening in the summer of 2019/2020.
Entrepreneur and property investor Jhunjhnuwala owns and manages the Sudima Hotel chain, his statement said.
Also this week, a new Indigo Hotel was revealed as being planned for 51 Albert St, site of the Macdonald Halligan Motors building, subject to heritage preservation orders. Developers 94 Feet said they planned to retain that building's facade.
Peter Wall said he was involved in plans for a new hotel on the site of the 107-year-old Yates Building which his associates intend to demolish, retaining only its facade, scheduled B under Auckland Council's Unitary Plan.
Government research has found an extra 26 hotels are needed over the next decade to cope with the visitor boom.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has in place a programme,"Project Palace," to speed up private investment in hotels.
Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown are hotspots of demand and research shows that if demand and supply estimates are borne out, the shortfall in new hotel rooms is expected to be up to 4526 across in these places by 2025, over and above new hotels currently planned.
That is the equivalent of 26 hotels the size of the Sofitel Viaduct in Auckland.
