$11.5m Novotel Queenstown expansion underway
The first stage of an $11.5 million expansion of Queenstown’s Novotel Gardens hotel got underway this week with the signing of a preliminary works contract.
Project management company Carson Group has awarded the works tender to Queenstown company Rilean Construction and work on the iconic property started immediately with the removal of distinctive green trellises on the exterior of the Church Wing. [Pictured below is the hotel construction team]
The staged development will see 69 rooms added to the property by Jan 2008 and will include major renovations to the hotel’s restaurant, bar and public areas.
Carson Group South Island director Caleb Ballin said the company was the largest independent project management company in New Zealand and the Novotel Gardens project represented a major investment into Queenstown and the Central Otago region, saying, “Strategically this is a very important project for us, our first major project in the Central Otago region, and as a result we have set up a full-time office in Queenstown.”
He said he was “delighted” to have appointed Rilean Construction to carry out the work, adding, “They have assembled an absolutely brilliant team including sub-contractors who have previously worked on the property, and that has been a real focus for us,” he said.
Trevor Meikle of Rilean Construction said the project would employ up to 50 members of staff and sub-contractors at any one time, “We are really looking forward to putting our professional mark on a project that is very much in the public eye and one that has significant time restraints to minimize down-time on rooms”.
“In order to add a whole floor of rooms onto the existing Church Wing, we will be putting a full temporary roof over the existing building which certainly has its technical challenges.”
Novotel Gardens Queenstown General Manager Carl Braddock said the project reflected a significant investment into the Queenstown region by hotel owners ACCOR. “The Gardens occupies a unique position in the resort, absolute lakefront, sited alongside the stunning Queenstown Gardens and yet right in the middle of town.” “It is our aim to deliver an updated Novotel property with the modern technology and comforts our clients enjoy.
The hotel will operate throughout the development phases with impacts on guests kept to a minimum. Existing rooms in the Church Wing will be closed and completely sealed from the lobby.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports