Hotel Indigo Auckland to open doors today - has it got its timing right?

A room inside Hotel Indigo Auckland on Albert Street. Photo / Supplied

The boss of Auckland’s latest hotel to open is confident it has the timing right.

After two tough years for hotels in the city, Hotel Indigo Auckland will “soft open” 54 rooms of the 225-room hotel in Albert Street on Monday.

Mathew Simister, the hotel’s general manager, said the hotel was opening just in time for Christmas and ahead of big events in the city including SailGP.

He said the three-year build had been “a long journey” for the hotel’s Australian owner, family firm Ninety Four Feet.

The boutique hotel occupies 27 floors of a 41-storey tower that also houses apartments and penthouses. As one of Auckland’s taller buildings, Hotel Indigo has views of the city skyline and harbour from the majority of its rooms.

Simister is an experienced hotelier with IHG Hotels and Resorts (which owns the Indigo brand) across Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

He led to the opening of Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park and supported the opening of Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort and Spa.

“I think there’s no doubt that the last couple of years have been challenging. There’s obviously been a considerable amount of additional supply but the positive thing for us is like a lot of that supply came off some really good years,“ he said.

While there’s more competition, the standard of accommodation had lifted which was good news for all operators as Auckland would be a better proposition for visitors.

“What we’re seeing now is that we’re back up on that positive trajectory. All these new hotels mean it is a better product offering for Auckland.“

Simister said the planned opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre next year and the prospect of more big events at Eden Park were critical for the hotel sector.

“We need to see more big events in Auckland.“

He was supportive of work being done for a nationwide bed tax, which is being investigated now, for more money to be targeted at tourism and event promotion.

Hotel Indigo properties are located around the world and have a focus on celebrating the unique character and culture of their neighbourhoods.

The Auckland hotel has retained its original 1912 heritage-listed façade, once home to Dexter and Crozier car importers known as “The Motor House”.

Rooms range in size from 22sqm to 29sqm and rates start at around $300. The rooms opened first are on the upper floors of the tower.

The hotel has three hospitality venues including; a French-inspired bistro, cafe-come-wine bar on the ground floor, and first-floor cocktail bar and lounge.

Grant Bradley has been working at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.