Wyndham Hotel Group has officially opened Ramada Suites Christchurch City.
The 44-apartment boutique-style hotel was developed by Robert Neil of New Zealand’s The Safari Group. Neil purchased the site in December 2012 and since that time the property has undergone a NZD$12.5 million development. The hotel business is now owned by Marsden Asset Management, which has appointed BT Group to manage the operation. The four-star hotel offers a mix of studios, one and two-bedroom apartments and will also feature an onsite Columbus Café.
Ramada Suites Christchurch City will be the third Ramada to open in New Zealand, with other hotels located in Paihia, Bay of Islands and Orewa, Auckland. It will join a global Ramada network of nearly 830 hotels in approximately 50 countries.
Regional Director of Resort Operations Wyndham Hotel Group South East Asia and Pacific Rim Scott Wallace said, “We are pleased to bring the contemporary, value-conscious Ramada Suites hotel product to Christchurch. Ramada Suites hotels cater to business and corporate travellers, making the brand an excellent fit for Christchurch, the South Island’s largest city and business hub.”
Director of Marsden Asset Management Michael Osborne said, “We are delighted to be part of the rebuild and future of this great city. The rebuild of Christchurch is in full gear and we are expecting to accommodate people who are working on the rebuild in addition to meeting the rising demand from the corporate travellers sector.”
Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism CEO Tim Hunter said, “The opening of the Ramada Suites is a very welcome accommodation addition to our CBD hotel stock and complements the strong confidence we are seeing in new developments in the hospitality industry. Thirty seven new restaurants, bars and cafés have opened in Christchurch in the past six months. The Ramada Suites opening is perfectly timed to support Christchurch’s big year for major events starting with the Cricket World Cup, that kicks off on 14 February.”
Dilan De Silva has been appointed General Manager of the hotel. De Silva was previously General Manager of Terrace Downs Resort and has managed properties in Vietnam, Qatar and Burma prior to his appointment at Ramada Suites Christchurch City.