New Zealand's biggest hotel owner expanding

The Sofitel So site, the old Reserve Bank building at 67 Customs St East, is owned by interests associated with CP Group. Photo: Richard Robinson.

New Zealand's biggest hotel owner, the Auckland-headquartered CP Group, is expanding.

Terry Ngan, CP's new director of hotel operations, said five New Zealand hotels previously run by Staywell Hospitality Group were now under CP Group's management.

The hotels were previously branded Park Regis Auckland, Leisure Inn Rotorua, Leisure Inn Wellington, Park Regis Picton and Park Regis Dunedin.

CP Group owns hotels around the world.

Ngan said it decided to take over management of all its smaller hotels and run them in-house effective immediately, Ngan said.

"Plans for the future, some of which have commenced implementation, include acquiring more hotels, refurbishment at the hotels, new hotel names, branding and a new website.

"All existing management and staff employed by CP Group will continue under their same employment terms and conditions," Ngan said.

"CP Group has recently expanded its hotel operational management resources and expertise to operate the smaller hotels it owns and other smaller hotels it acquires.

"Its larger hotels including several new buildings currently under construction will continue to be managed by third party hotel chains," he said.

CP struck issues with the new Sofitel So in Auckland's CBD, opposite the Britomart, where scaffolding was removed when changes were being to the ex-Reserve Bank building on Customs St East.

The conversion of that block is only partly completed, well past the previously announced opening date.