Conferences with an Auckland view

Novotel Auckland has a variety of conference options along with "spectacular views."

From catering on the Waitemata Harbour to a board meeting on the 12th floor, it can meet the needs of groups of 10 to 200 for conferences, training sessions, and banquet and cocktail functions, says a hotel spokesperson.

Most of its seven refurbished meeting rooms have natural light and there is a full business centre.

Day delegate packages start at $40 per person plus GST.

Novotel Ellerslie and Ibis Ellerslie are due to open late this year on Greenlane East Rd, adjacent to the Ellerslie Racecourse and Convention Centre. The new hotels will work closely with the Ellerslie Convention Centre to offer an extensive range of conferencing and function facilities and services.

The hotels will have five conference rooms of their own.

Hamilton's newest hotel, Novotel Tainui, has eight meeting rooms for up to 300 delegates, cocktail or theatre-style. It has indoor or outdoor dining and a large pre-function area for breakouts and displays.

The hotel has "great facilities and a fantastic location" beside the Waikato River in the CBD, a spokesperson says. Delegate packages start from $37.50 per person including GST.

Royal Lakeside Novotel Rotorua overlooks Lake Rotorua and is close to Rotorua's "cafe strip" and the Rotorua Convention Centre. The hotel works with the centre to help cater for its conferencing and function requirements, and is an out-catering specialist.

It has six well-equipped meeting rooms and a business centre, all with individually controlled air-conditioning and up-to-date equipment.

Its spa and fitness centre has geothermal spas, Aveda body wraps, sauna, massage and facial services, gym, and a heated indoor swimming pool. The Matariki Maori Culture group, which regularly performs at the hotel, won the 1997 Tourism Award for best cultural performance.

Day packages start at $37.50 per person including GST.

Novotel Wellington, within a 10-minute stroll of the centre of Wellington, overlooks the city and has seven meeting rooms. It caters for from five to 150 people. The conference floor has recently been refurbished and the removal of a large pillar allows more delegates to be seated in the main conference room. The hotel has undercover car parking for its guests and a fully-equipped business centre.

Delegate packages start at $42.50 per person plus GST.

Novotel is part of the Accor Asia Pacific group of hotels and resorts.