As part of the move to the higher level brand within the IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio, the hotel’s 227 rooms and suites all received an upgrade, as did the ground floor lobby. The rebrand has also yielded a new restaurant, Mozzarella & Co., which blends both Mediterranean and South Island influences. Alongside this, the meeting space on the ground floor benefited from a revamp and a pivot to functioning as a private dining space for the restaurant, able to seat up to 14 people for a meal.
An outdoor terrace space has also be created, with lounge settings centred around individual firepits.
“The opening of voco Queenstown marks the next chapter for an asset and destination we have long believed in,” said Ronald Stephen Barrott, founder and chair of Pro-invest Group, which owns the hotel.
“Having developed, owned and actively managed the hotel since inception, the repositioning to voco represents a clear value enhancement, aligning the asset with premium demand and capitalising on Queenstown’s sustained year-round performance.”
The property is now being managed by the young hotel management arm of EVT, EVT Connect Hospitality, following a deal with Pro-invest last year.
“At voco Queenstown, our focus is on executing consistently at a high standard, creating distinctive guest experiences, and embedding the hotel within the local market to ensure the voco brand resonates in a way that’s both authentic to Queenstown and true to its global positioning,” said EVT’s director of commercial and Connect Hospitality, Mat Duff.
IHG Hotels & Resorts managing director for Australasia and the Pacific, Matt Tripolone, noted the compatibility of the voco brand with Queenstown as a destination.
“The opening of voco Queenstown demonstrates the value that can be created when the right asset, the right market and the right brand come together,” said Tripolone.
“Working alongside our partners at Pro-invest Group and EVT Connect Hospitality, we’ve repositioned an already successful hotel to better meet evolving guest expectations while creating long-term value.
“We’re excited to introduce New Zealand’s second voco hotel, following the brand’s debut in Auckland, and welcome guests to experience everything this exceptional destination has to offer.”
