Hotel Magazine // April/May 2016 by Review Publishing Ltd

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THE BUSINESS OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT

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April/May 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ Vol. 2 No. 3

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WHANGAREI 26 Te Waiiti Place Whangarei Phone: 09 430 4925

ROTORUA 150 Te Huaki Crescent Eastgate Phone: 07 345 9104

HAWKES BAY – HASTINGS 33 Johnston Way, Whakatu Phone: 06 843 0555

NELSON 93 Bolt Road Tahunanui Phone: 03 547 5349

QUEENSTOWN 197 Glenda Drive Frankton Phone: 03 450 9039

AUCKLAND 12 Verissimo Drive Mangere Phone: 09 573 7101

TAURANGA 71 Hotuhotu Street, Tauriko Phone: 07 543 4016

PALMERSTON NORTH 32 Makomako Road Phone: 06 354 6164

CHRISTCHURCH 236 Port Hills Road Ferrymead Phone: 03 384 4300

DUNEDIN 220 Fryatt Street Phone: 03 470 1095

HAMILTON 7 Mainstreet Place Te Rapa Straight Phone: 07 850 1150

NEW PLYMOUTH 31 Centennial Drive Phone: 06 751 2260

WELLINGTON 9-11 Matiu Close Elsdon, Porirua Phone: 04 237 2700

TIMARU 49-73 Elginshire Street Washdyke Phone: 03 688 2123

INVERCARGILL 179 Clyde Street Phone: 03 214 9994

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OUR GROWTH ONLY INVITES AIRBnB It’s a peculiar situation in New Zealand in that the tourism business is growing like Topsy, and forecast to get much bigger over the next few years, the number of hotel rooms currently and being built, are way behind the industry requirements. We just can’t build them fast enough – or in fact find the people with the money to build them. The numbers of those being built sound like a lot but the truth is that those being built or having announced plans to build are still some years away and we’re facing a major gap to service those international and domestic travellers at the top end. The nastiness for the industry is in the opportunity being handed on a plate to the likes of AirBnB.which is growing through this mix-withthe-people concept that hotels don’t offer. While we do have an abundance of motels and smaller lodges, they do tend to attract domestic travellers and certainly are not destinations for the four and five star demands of the new influx, particularly wealthy Chinese. It will be particularly interesting to see how this

aspect of the industry is tackled at the upcoming Hotel Conference. Existing investment grade stock is currently being bought and sold in this country but that’s not adding any strength to the numbers. It’s also encouraging to see that RevPar is moving up slowly in the latest industry statistics but this is a strange industry for forecasting. Establishing expectations for average room revenues is a bit like throwing a dart at a revenue dartboard and for investors, this is not quite good enough. Who would want to be a general manager or CFO in these circumstances? Well, it’s another year and we live in hope that the industry will keep growing.

@fourseasons

@luxorlv Peter Mitchell, Publisher, peter@reviewmags.com

thenumbers

Ireland, a country with a population of 4.5 million people, has 8.6 million visitors a year. @luxurytravelandhotels

New Zealand is ranked number 67 in the world by visitation per capita and 107th by visitation per square kilometre.

Auckland Airport spends around $1015 million annually supporting tourism marketing for the country while also lifting capital expenditure to deal with anticipated growth at the airport.

@rydgeshotels

100% OWNED www.hotelmagazine.co.nz PUBLISHER: Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com MANAGING DIRECTOR Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com ADVERTISING Caroline Boe, caroline@reviewmags.com

ISSN 2423-1193 EDITORIAL TEAM: Thomas Fowler, tommie@reviewmags.com Monique McKenzie, monique@reviewmags.com Rossella Quaranta, rossella@reviewmags.com SENIOR DESIGNER Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com

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April/May 2016

industrynews

GRAND NEW COMMUNITY SPACE

WORLD’S LUXURY HOTELS DISPLAYED IN AUCKLAND

Some of the world’s best luxury hotels were on show for the first time in March with the inaugural Virtuoso New Zealand Travel Week road show. “With over 30 Virtuoso Partner hotels and resorts on show, the Road show event will give local Virtuoso advisors the most up to date information on some of the most sought after luxury hotels across the world without having to leave Auckland,” Virtuoso Asia-Pacific managing director Michael Londregan said. “This is the first time Virtuoso has offered access to their hotel partners through a local event that will showcase these beautiful products, reflecting the growing demand for luxury travel from New Zealand travellers. “Last year saw extraordinary growth in the number of Virtuoso advisors in New Zealand, and we are pleased to offer them this valuable opportunity to connect directly with high quality, international hotel brands.” Londregan said more than 40 New Zealand based luxury advisors attended the session, held at the Aotea Centre in Auckland. “Last year saw a sizable increase, of more than six per cent, in the number of New Zealanders travelling internationally, with a large number of these travelers seeking out luxury experiences. “Luxury travelers in particular are looking for high level service from their travel advisor and value the experiences they can curate and Virtuoso advisors are masters in turning travel into a VIP experience. l

HOTEL UNCOVERS MYSTERY TELEGRAM

A 50-year-old telegram found inside a brick wall at the Distinction Dunedin hotel is mystifying staff. The message was found in the wall of the old sorting room of the former chief post office building in Princes St when it was dismantled to make way for a new door. The telegram reads, “To the wrecker of this wall in the year… Greetings from the staff of the delivery section of the telegraph branch chief post office Dunedin.” Hotel general manager Andrew Duncan said he was looking forward to solving the mystery of the telegram’s origin. “It’s to the wrecker of this wall, so that’s great,” Duncan said. “It’s like a time capsule. It’s a moment in time. I guess the question is who wrote the note?” The telegram was dated July 28, 1966, presumably when the wall was added to the sorting room and was discovered by builders. “I guess if no-one comes to claim it, we’ll have it in the restaurant, framed on the wall.” l

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A new free-for-use community space in Invercargill could be the final push people need to get out and be an active participant in the community. Invercargill City councilor Rebecca Amundsen has teamed up with the owner of the Grand Hotel in Dee St, Linda McGaw, to provide the kind of venue for a myriad of activities and events to be run by anyone in the Invercargill community. “We want it to be accessible for everybody. We don’t want cost to be a barrier,” Amundsen said. The space is in the hotel’s old Wool Bar and has not been used for years but is still in good condition, from the copper bar right down to the red carpet that adorns the floor. While Amundsen’s committee is still putting together a few plans, she hopes the space will be available for community use in April and is excited about its potential growth. “We want it to be an organically grown organisation. Maybe down the track we can look at generating income but that’s what we’d be looking at for the start off.” l

CAPSTONE APPOINT SALES DIRECTOR

New Zealand-owned hospitality management company Capstone Hotels & Resorts has appointed Nona Jackson as its new director of sales and marketing. Jackson’s previous roles within the industry include working for the Nelson RTO as international marketing manager and holding senior positions for New Zealand specialist wholesaler Kirra Holidays in both the UK office and its head office in Australia.

Capstone managing director Clare Davies said the company is delighted to welcome Jackson to the team. “Capstone is entering a strong growth phase and the timing of this appointment is crucial as the business continues to grow in the New Zealand market. Having someone out on the road and engaging with the trade as well as overseeing the Capstone brand and positioning allow us additional scope for developing the management and market representation side of the business and growing yield and revenue for our properties,” said Davies. Jackson will be the travel trade’s main point of contact for all sales and marketing engagement for Capstone Hotel and Resort properties. The Capstone portfolio currently includes Mahana Villa, Raetihi Lodge, Chateau Marlborough, Saxton Lodge, The Grosvenor Hotel, The Garden Hotel & Restaurant and Tasman Helicopters. l

HIGH NUMBER OF AWARD ENTRIES Entries have opened for the New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards, with new categories recognising the key roles that go into running a great hotel, from the concierge to the general manager. The new-look awards programme has been scaled up from just three awards to eight individual awards plus an award for a hotel showing real innovation to help neutralise its impact on the environment. “These are the New Zealand hotel sector’s premier awards. They send a clear signal to smart young New Zealanders that the hotel sector offers many diverse jobs and an exciting career path,” said Sally Attfield, hotel sector manager of the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA), which co-hosts the awards with Horwath HTL. “This is vital given the additional staff who are going to be needed to support the hotel sector’s growth as international visitor arrivals to New Zealand accelerate.” TIA’s 140 hotel members collectively

employ 10,500 staff nationally, and generate annual revenues in excess of $1 billion. Stephen Hamilton, director, Horwath HTL, said New Zealand’s hotel sector is enjoying record results and much of that is down to individuals who go the extra mile to deliver an outstanding guest experience which in turn grows profitability. “These awards celebrate excellence and showcase a sector that is a vital contributor to the wider tourism industry, now the country’s number one export earner with ambitious growth goals to grow annual turnover from the current $30 billion to $41 billion by 2025. “We are expecting a high number of entries in the awards, given the upbeat mood of many hotels around the country following a fantastic year of business.” The New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards winners will be announced at a gala dinner at The Langham, Auckland on 2 June, and is the culmination of the 2016 New Zealand Hotel Industry Conference. l

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industrynews

POD HOTEL EASES SHORTAGE

PROGRAMME LEADS TO SWISS DEGREES

Top hospitality school NZMA is raising the bar in hotel management training thanks to a newly launched diploma. Students will soon be able to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from a world-class hotel school, without having to leave Auckland. The Level 7 Diploma in Tourism and Hotel Management prepares students for senior leadership roles specifically relevant to tourism and hotels. Those who successfully complete Levels 5 through to 7 at NZMA will also be awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Events and Hotel Management from the revered Hotel Tourism and Management Institute (HTMi) in Switzerland. The qualification is huge for NZMA, which is part of the ACG Tertiary & Careers Group, New Zealand’s leading private tertiary provider. Divisional general manager for the Group, Mark Worsop said the new offering would ensure NZMA stays in the vanguard of hospitality training in New Zealand. “Gaining a hotel management degree from Switzerland is considered by many to be the pinnacle of training in this field, so this is a significant point of difference for NZMA and a great international endorsement of our quality,” he said. The programme has just been granted approval by NZQA and will start in July at NZMA’s state-of-the-art hospitality and cookery facility. Plans are in the pipeline to roll it out at other ACG Tertiary & Careers campuses in the future. “We expect this programme to be extremely popular as it opens up so many options both for those already working in the industry, and those just starting out. As well as the potential to gain a degree at NZMA or AUT, the programme can also be taken as a standalone Level 7 diploma. Students with a relevant Level 6 qualification, or one to two years of work experience as a supervisor in a hotel or tourism environment, can complete it in just 40 weeks.” The diploma equips students with a wide range of analytical and practical management skills and covers services marketing management, tourism for hotels, tourism management, strategic management and leadership in the service industry. In addition, students will complete a research paper relevant to New Zealand’s tourism and hospitality sector. There are also opportunities to complete the programme overseas. “Thanks to our partnership with HTMi, graduates have the option of heading to Switzerland for the last year of their degree, which is also pretty exciting,” said Worsop. l

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A new hotel designed to address a chronic shortage of accommodation in one of New Zealand’s fastest growing tourist centres will open next year. The new five-storey 256-bed pod hotel will be in Queenstown’s CBD and is thought to be one of the tallest planned for the area. Accommodation will be a mixture of pod-style and some private rooms with ensuites. JUCY CEO Tim Alpe said the hotel will be aimed at a budget traveller but will also cater for families. “The pricing is designed to meet the needs of the budget traveller, whether it’s a backpacker or a family. Most of the pod units will be priced at around $45 with family rooms starting at $85,” he said. Alpe said the hotel will include a new rooftop restaurant and bar with expansive views overlooking Lake Wakatipu. It will be the third opened in the JUCY Snooze chain within two years following Auckland and Christchurch. In addition to the compact style of the accommodation, the pods will also feature unique technology that allows travellers to control their own stay. Tourists will be able to check in, open and

secure their rooms using a Smartphone app currently in development. Each pod will have a tablet where guests will be able to wirelessly manage their room, travel itinerary and purchase entertainment on demand. It will be located in Queenstown’s Camp Street, an area popular with tourists, and is expected to open in October 2017 in time for the busy summer season. l

ONGOING SALES REFLECT RECORD TIMES Major hotels in Auckland and Wellington have recently changed hands in what continues to be a record period of hotel investment activity in New Zealand. Dean Humphries, national director of Colliers International’s Hotels division, said the 132room Travelodge Wellington and 142-room Heartland Hotel Auckland Airport have both recently sold to offshore interests. “These recent transactions, both sold to new entrants to the New Zealand market, continue to demonstrate the appeal New Zealand’s tourism sector has to domestic and offshore investors. We’re witnessing an increasing number of investors flocking to our shores, attracted by the strong investment returns offered by our local hotel market,” said Humphries. He said around 11 major hotels, including the Heartland Hotel and Travelodge Wellington, changed hands in New Zealand in the last 12 months, with a total value of nearly $350 million. “With only limited new hotel development expected in the near future, hotel investment

Dean Humphries

returns are likely to increase significantly over the next three years, lifting hotel values to new heights.” l

BRITISH TOURISTS COULD DECREASE An economist has said Kiwis could see less British tourists coming to New Zealand if Britain decides to leave the European Union. The UK will vote in June on whether it remains in the EU after allegations from some lobby groups it’s better off without the partnership. BNZ Currency specialist Jason Wong said the British Pound has already begun to react against a possible exit from the EU. He said if New Zealand becomes a much more expensive place for British tourism, then we will see visitor numbers drop off. l

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industrynews

NEW SKAL PRESIDENT

NEW-LOOK CONFERENCE ROOMS WELCOMED Meetings and conferences at Holiday Inn Rotorua will have a fresh look following upgrades and refurbishments to key spaces. The refurbishment means conferences, events and meetings in Rotorua will enjoy market-leading conference spaces in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Cascades, Kauri, Totara and Te Puna Aroha conferences have been fitted with Panasonic high definition projectors with integrated Wi-Fi and audio systems, brand new blackout blinds and a fresh lick of paint. A popular venue for hundreds of business events each year, from small meetings and extensive conferences to trade shows and exhibitions, Holiday Inn already has a well-deserved reputation as

the hotel of choice in the central North Island. Business development director Julie Carcaterra said the recent upgrade ensures Holiday Inn will stay top of mind for bookings in the town. “As market leaders we’re always looking at ways to accommodate businesses for meetings, conferences, conventions and exhibitions while creating an experience to remember,” she said. “We’re embracing change and look forward to our guests enjoying the new look and feel to the conference spaces with the upgraded technology. Carcaterra said 2016 was shaping up to be an exciting time for Holiday Inn and the destination as a whole. l

Skal International’s Queenstown branch has elected a new president. Ewen McCammon was appointed at the annual general meeting. He takes over from outgoing president Neil Kilby. Ewen is principal of Professional Touring Services. The Queenstown committee was refreshed with three new members. Peter Davies, general manager of ANZCRO New Zealand was appointed treasurer. Karen Hattaway of Hattaways Consulting, restaurant owners, was elected onto the committee along with Morgan McCammon from Professional Touring Services. Skal International Queenstown will host the National Conference and AGM on 8 and 9 April. This annual event attracts Skal members from all over New Zealand and senior Skalleagues from Australia. This year’s gathering is attracting global Skal members from Kenya, Finland and Northern Ireland. l

SERVICE LEVELS AN ISSUE

The twelve regional tourism summits staged by the Tourism Industry Association all concluded that service levels were an issue for the industry and ranked people and skills as the most important issue for businesses. As a result, the TIA has launched a People & Skills 2025 framework to support the industry’s growth goals. The development has got support from business, education, training, government and other sector organizations. The framework will guide how the industry makes decisions on workforce development over the next 10 years. It includes a set of actions that will guide the supply of people for the industry and the skills they need to deliver to reach industry targets. Amongst the key issues being targeted is reduction in staff churn that has long been a factor in the industry due to seasonality, weekend and evening work, lack of fulltime hours, pay rates and low visibility of a career path. l

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April/May 2016

industrynews

MARKET AHEAD OF GLOBAL TREND The latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) from Hotels.com has revealed the average price paid by both international and domestic travellers for a hotel room in New Zealand increased by 6 per cent to $173 per night in 2015, compared with $163 in 2014. The growth in domestic hotel prices comes off the back of a record-breaking year for international visitors to New Zealand, with a 9.6 per cent increase in total arrivals. Data is drawn from bookings made on Hotels.com. The HPI is a regular report on hotel prices in destinations across the world, tracking the movement in prices people paid and providing insight into these changes. Eighty per cent of Kiwi destinations saw an increase in the average price by all travellers, with three cities seeing doubledigit growth. Auckland recorded the greatest surge of 12 per cent to $175, followed by Queenstown and Palmerston North. Both cities recorded growth of 11 per cent, with average room rates rising to $235 and $133 respectively. Only four New Zealand destinations recorded negative growth, including Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier and Nelson, all down 1 per cent to $163, $154, $154 and $148. “As the New Zealand tourism industry broke records in 2015, we saw demand soar across the hotel industry from domestic and international guest bookings. This is a promising sign for the local tourism industry and, with many major hotel development projects in the pipeline, we’ll see increased supply in the long term, which will be welcome news to holidaymakers planning a trip in New Zealand,” said Katherine Cole, regional director Australia, New Zealand and Singapore for Hotels.com. l

BEST SKI HOTEL

Eichardt’s Private Hotel in Queenstown has been named as New Zealand’s best ski boutique hotel at the annual World Ski Awards in Austria, the third year in a row that the hotel has been named as such. l

CONFERENCE VENUE ADDED BONUS

Demand for a dedicated conference venue at Papamoa has prompted Papamoa Beach Resort to meet the need as well as create a more diverse income stream for the business. Since The Deck at Papamoa Beach opened nearly a year ago the venue has proved popular. The room can be used as one large space or sectioned off as required into break out areas. Wifi is included and audiovisual presentation equipment is available. Full conference catering can be supplied as well as organisation of local trips and tours for team-building activities. With the adjoining accommodation facilities including beachfront and garden villas, three bedroom baches, holiday units, cabins and the camping ground, it means Papamoa Beach Resort can offer a complete package to guests. l

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technologynews

April/May 2016

worldcitizennews

HILTON AMONG BEST COMPANIES Hilton Worldwide announced that it was selected as one of the 2016 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, by global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine. This list recognises companies that have exceptional workplace cultures.

In 2015, the company introduced a new GED Assistance program to help employees in the US earn their high school equivalency diploma. In addition, the company provides 10-day advanced scheduling for hourly team members and continues to expand remote workforce opportunities. l

HOTELS ENTER IRAN

Iran is getting its first foreignbranded seaside hotel, complete with swimming pools, bars, and a spa. Melia Hotels International plan to open the five-star property in a 130m tower on the Caspian Sea as early as next year. The announcement comes after a slew of trade sanctions on the Islamic Republic were lifted in January. “We firmly believe in Iran’s tourism potential,” CEO

Gabriel Escarrer said, not stating whether alcohol would be served at the bars. Iran’s first foreign-branded hotels in decades arrived in October, when French operator Accor opened a Novotel and an Ibis near Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. Hoteliers, including Dubaibased Jumeirah and Abu Dhabi-based Rotana, want to cash in on growing tourism in one of the Middle East’s oldest civilisations, with its ancient ruins of Persepolis, pristine beaches, and skiing slopes. Iran will have almost 900 hotels within five years, compared with 768 now, according to a forecast by Euromonitor International. l

DECOMPOSING BODY FOUND

A holiday went horribly wrong after tourists found a decomposing body in the garden at an Airbnb property in France. The group of friends rented a French house listed on Airbnb in the town of Palaiseau, less than 20km from Paris. When they arrived at the house they made the grisly discovery. In the garden behind the property was a body police say belonged to a woman they are yet to identify. It’s the last thing the group expected to find, but with the massively popular home sharing venture listing premises in 34,000 cities and 190 countries, holiday-makers never know what they’re going to get. l

NUDE HOTEL VIDEO A jury awarded Fox sportscaster Erin Andrews US$55 million in her lawsuit against a Nashville hotel and a stalker after she was secretly videotaped naked several times in 2008. Andrews had sued for $75 million, accusing the companies that manage the Nashville Marriott, West End Hotel Partners and Windsor Capital Group, of negligence leading to emotional distress and invasion of privacy. Andrews had also sued the Illinois man who filmed her, Michael David Barrett. The jurors found that Barrett, who pleaded guilty and served more than two years in prison for traveling across state lines to videotape Andrews multiple times, responsible for 51 per cent of the blame. The hotel companies were found to be responsible for about $27 million. l

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HILFIGER GETS HOTEL Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger is adding a new career to his resume, as a hotelier. The American clothing mogul purchased the Raleigh Hotel in Miami’s South Beach for $70 million in 2014, with plans to convert it into a membership-based luxury boutique hotel, offering exclusive benefits to those who pay a yearly fee. “It’s a dream come true for me,” said Hilfiger. “I thought for many years it would be exciting and challenging to find the perfect

location, the perfect hotel, and to bring it back to its original glory and charm. And I found that with Raleigh.” Hilfiger plans to expand the size of the current rooms, taking the hotel from 109 rooms down to 88. Members will have access to a spa, health club, and restaurant. The landmarked hotel will close for renovations later this year. Hilfiger estimates the renovations will take 18 months. Until then the hotel is open and taking reservations. l

technologynews

BOOKING APP ENTERS NEW COUNTRIES DailyHotel, a Seoul-based app that lets harried travelers quickly find hotel rooms, has launched in 10 new Asian countries. Brothers Ryan and Jimmy Shin founded the startup in 2013 after Ryan struggled to find a last-minute hotel room in Seoul. It has raised more than $10 million from Sequoia India, but declined to say exactly how much funding it has received so far. While DailyHotel wants to increase its market share throughout Asia, with the app now available in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and Japan, its expansion currently focuses on Singapore and Indonesia, where DailyHotel already works with 300 and 2000 hotels respectively. “In Korea, we’ve reached the top of the market, so we need to expand our services to other Asian countries,” Ryan Shin, DailyHotel’s CEO said. Ryan said its ability to strike deals with luxury hotels, help manage their surplus inventory, and provide customers with steep savings on last-minute bookings is how it differentiates from other hotel booking platforms. In Southeast Asia, it competes with other startups that offer last-minute bookings, such

as HotelQuickly and In2Nite, as well as established players like Agoda, Hotels.com, and Booking.com. DailyHotel now claims to be one of South Korea’s largest hotel apps, and said that it has grown at a rate of eight times in revenue over the past two years. DailyHotel woos luxury hotels by promising to fill surplus rooms. It says its biggest partners in Seoul, which include Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, and Intercontinental Seoul Coex, each get over 120 rooms booked through the app every weekend. The DailyHotel app usually has more than 3000 rooms available at a time, many at a 70 to 80 per cent discount. In addition to launching in new markets, DailyHotel also plans to grow its platform by adding other verticals. It has already started a restaurant booking service in South Korea. l

DATA ON MOBILE

Google has rolled out a new feature in Search called Destinations, designed to boil down all travel-related questions and answers to a single screen on mobile devices. The new feature can be surfaced by typing in a location such as ‘Europe’ followed by ‘destinations’ or ‘vacations’. The feature integrates Search with Google’s travel products, Google Flights and Hotel search. The idea is to make Google’s Search, be it in the browser on Android or via the Search app on iOS, the one-stop shop for researching and planning trips. It’s only available on mobile and for now has only been launched in the US and a few select markets. Users in Europe can see a partial view of what Google is launching minus the summary of hotel and flight pricing, which are both otherwise available in unintegrated forms. Destinations can also be triggered by combining a location and activity in a search, such as ‘Spain surfing’, ‘New Zealand hiking’, or ‘Colorado skiing’. Google Search will suggest places that match users’ specifications and interests. Having it all in one place also means no switching between links in different tabs in a browser, or different apps, to find answers to questions about different aspects of travel, such as destinations, the best time to visit a place, and the all-important question of prices for hotels and airfares. The Destinations feature also offers a flexible dates filter that can refine results by month to reveal seasonal price variations across multiple destinations. Integration with Google Flights and Hotel search ensures instant delivery of prices to the Search app. However, as with Google Flights and Hotel search, actual bookings are passed off to partners such as airlines, hotels, as well as aggregators across both industries. Destinations currently have suggested itineraries for 201 cities worldwide.It saw a 50 percent increase in travel-related questions on mobile phones. l

April/May 2016

technologynews

TOOLS HELP OPERATORS

Preno CEO, Amelia Gain

With a hotel background and good team behind her, Preno CEO Amelia Gain is out to help operators of small properties. A management tool for boutique hotels, Preno was started up in March 2015 by Gain along with co-founder Max Podolian after she was frustrated at the lack of useful software for smaller properties. Born in Christchurch, Gain studied IT before going into hotels. Her sister studied hotel management, and together they owned five star boutique hotel The Spire in Queenstown. “Basically as a hotel operator myself I was frustrated. I’ve been in the shoes of those operators before and I know the admin is so time consuming. I want to help out those hotels because it’s tough running a small business,” she said. Preno looks after reservations, guest profiles, and billing, and has customised, simple reports that are relevant

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to the property. It is a web-based product and optimised for iPads. “We have also developed detailed guest databases to look after returning guests. “Preno gives people more time to focus on things more important to them, like guest experiences.” The name Preno is short for the Italian word prenotazioni, which translates to book or reserve, Gain said. She said Preno is a very design-focused product with a lot of effort going into streamlined billing and accounting. “Being such a simple product it’s really easy to train new staff. Because it’s been developed by a hotelier we’ve focused on the right areas. “The feedback has been excellent. We’ve got some really passionate users.” Preno currently works with Xero. Preno’s directors include chairman Bennett Medary, chair of NZ-Tech and director of Simpl Group. Director Norm Thompson was previously deputy CEO of Air New Zealand and is still on a number of tourism boards including Tourism New Zealand. Looking ahead, Gain wants Preno going into new overseas markets this year, and said there’s a lot of interest out of southeast Asia. She said Preno is on iPads but is currently working on a mobile product. “We’re always looking at where is best to focus our energy. We really want to work with smaller properties much closer, trying to help them more. “At the moment we’ve developed front desk functionality but I’d like to see some guest-facing tools in the future, which will help guests and the front desk communicate better.” l

WIFI OFFERING Technology provider

Hotel Internet Services has secured a US$7.5 million investment round and access to an additional war-chest for acquisitions. The Florida, US-based company captured the round from private equity firm GPB Capital in a bid to grow its portfolio of services. HIS provides wifi systems and other mobility services to travel companies, such as hotels and cruise ships. CEO Gary Patrick and chief operating officer Steve Dobe launched the company in 2003. It has evolved from being an internet services platform to offering wifi technology to customers, fuelling the connections in 150,000 rooms in the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. $125 million is said to be available through additional funding to help with a planned acquisition spree, with th ree of four deals in HIS’s sights. GPB’s injection is the first outside capital that HIS has taken in its 13-year history. l

technologynews

MORE KIWIS USING CONTACTLESS

According to MasterCard research, the number of people using contactless payments has jumped over 20 percent compared to just a year ago. The survey of over 1000 New Zealanders found 85 percent of Kiwis have increased their use of contactless payments over the past year. Two thirds of New Zealanders are regularly using the technology citing it is convenient and saves time. Uptake of contactless has accelerated as people are using it to make small everyday purchases. The number of frequent users is up a third. “New Zealand has been one of the fastest countries to adopt contactless technology – for the simple reason that it is easy, safe and fast. Customers can simply tap their card on a contactless terminal and go. The card remains in the customer’s hands at all times which improves speed and security of the transaction,” said Peter Chisnall,

MasterCard New Zealand country manager. Over a third of respondents said they get frustrated when retailers do not have contactless technology available. Whilst more Kiwis are embracing the technology, there is still a perceived risk, with 85 per cent believing the main disadvantage was the potential for unauthorised purchases to be made if a card is lost or stolen, and half referring to perceived security risks at the payment terminal. “Nevertheless Kiwis are increasingly confident with how contactless technology works, and enjoying the benefits of the faster and more convenient way to pay for purchases. “Additionally since the introduction of chip-enabled cards and contactless technology, our data reveals we have not seen any increase in fraud, which remains at exceptionally low levels.” l

GREEN PLANE TECHNOLOGY CRITICISM Media and aviation industry hype about the sustainability of new flying technologies for air travel is overstated, a tourism expert said. A new report by an international coalition of academics said ideas such as composite airframes and biofuels had been heralded as making air travel greener. Otago University Tourism Department head James Higham, who was involved in the study, said these initiatives would not work. He said that while they are worthy ideas, they paled into insignificance compared to the sheer volume and growth of the aviation industry. The report said by 2050 energy-use in aviation would account for 19 per cent of all transport energy, compared to 11 percent in 2006. This was in sharp contrast to industry pledges to reduce absolute emissions from aviation through technology, the researchers said. We will be able to announce more on this and one other similar transaction in the coming months as due diligence is completed.” l

Software to strengthen any hospitality business

April/May 2016

Want your product featured? Contact monique@reviewmags.com

SIDEKICK STOOLS Designed by Paper Plane Store owner, Timothy John, the Sidekick stool is produced locally in Mount Maunganui and assembled in his studio. John and his team recently completed and shipped an order for Google. The online search engine giant ordered 10 tall yellow Sidekick stools and three black side tables for its Hong Kong head office. Made of a powder coated steel base and solid American ash hardwood top, it is suitable for commercial indoor use. Choose from two steel base colours and two solid ash hardwood top finishes. Dimensions are 330mm seat diameter (13”) x 450mm high (18”). For bulk orders, inquire at info@paperplanestore.com.

KOZIEL WALLPAPER The Trompe L’Oeil wallpaper collection is a passion of Parisian designer Christophe Koziel. Launching his wallpaper company nine years ago, Koziel has brought photo realism to wallpaper with his innovative range of digitally printed wallpapers featuring tactile surfaces including industrial bricks and concrete, to romantic and historic Parisian paneled walls and luxurious woolen and fabric textured wallpapers. All Koziel wallpapers are printed on high quality vinyl, so are perfect for commercial use and are all quite unique. Available at Paper Room in Jervois Road, Ponsonby. For more information on the range phone 09 376 5675, 021 481 060 or email Annabel Taylor at annabel@paperroom.co.nz.

TEMPUR MATTRESSES The Sleep Gallery showroom is a brand new concept to New Zealand and has an extensive range of Tempur, Sealy Crown Jewel and Beautyrest Royale luxury beds as well as some Italian made bedroom furniture. Owners Narae and Adam Young said this new space is all about the client experience, which features the first ever Sleep Zone where customers can try the three different Tempur mattresses in a relaxed and quiet environment. Tempur is a memory foam mattress that was designed for NASA Astronauts in the 1970s to alleviate pressure points on the body. Their Adjustable Bases have a position called Zero-G which elevates legs above the heart, providing good circulation and a weightless feel. Along with the high tech adjustable bases and mattresses, Tempur has a range of pillows and travel cushions available. For more information contact Adam on 09-369 1273 or email sales@sleepgallery.co.nz.

CHARGETIME ChargeTime is an alarm clock with USB charging and a minimalist design. Taking up little space on the night-stand, ChargeTime leaves ample room for guests. The two USB ports are highlighted on the front of the device, so guests will immediately recognise the amenity before doing the familiar crawl under the nightstand in search of an outlet. Two USB ports are conveniently located in the front of the clock, so guests can charge two devices simultaneously, dual 1Amp USB ports for charging, single-set alarm, and small footprint. For more information contact Jan Strijker on 09 966 7662 or email jstrijker@brantasinternational.com.

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EARTH VASE Having started Dinosaur Designs 28 years ago, initially selling at Sydney’s Paddington Markets, designers, creative directors and cofounders Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy have since forged an important place in design history through the creation of their beautiful resin jewellery and homewares. The Resin Earth Vase is 8.5cm wide x 7cm high and is available to order in Cream Swirl, Orange, Red, Dark Horn, White Swirl, Jade Pool, Emerald Swirl and Denim Pearl Swirl from Mildred & Co. For more information contact info@mildredandco.com.

industrynews KESTER BLACK HAND AND BODY FONDANT

Kester Black have launched an entirely new line, the perfect duo of Hand and Body Fondant. With the saying “you can’t have one without the other” in mind, Kester Black has created two premium fondants to go with their already existing duo of hand and body wash. Pardon and Lucky are everydayuse, deluxe hydrating crèmes that will hydrate and soften skin from top to bottom. Scented with cedar and amber, thyme oil and bergamot, Pardon is for those who prefer the freshness and lightness of an uplifting scent. Lucky is slightly sweeter with a softer scent, with a hint of vanilla and caramel. The new duo is the perfect bathroom addition, with 99.1 percent natural content and certified organic ingredients. For more information email admin@kesterblack.com.

DANISH MODERN ROSEWOOD CONSOLE Clean lines, sculpted aluminium handles and the linear functionality of this piece are trademarks of high end Danish designs. This side cabinet is perfectly proportioned to suit a range of uses. Two drawers have plenty of room for all treasures. Resting on tall, sleek legs, the piece gives the impression of lightness and takes up little space. Dimensions W 75cm, D 32cm, H 45cm. For more information please contact Emma Eagle 021 1095 208 or email emma@ mrbigglesworthy.co.nz.

SLUMBERZONE These days, hotels know that quality slumber is important to travelers, so we have created affordable luxury bedding options for your rooms. The Posture Mate range – unrivaled quality at amazing prices. For more information contact us now commercial@slumberzone.co.nz.

HIMALAYAN SALT TEQUILA GLASSES Tequila shots can be spiced up with reusable shot glasses carved from pink Himalayan sea salt. These festive glasses are highlighted by the thinly veiled, translucent appearance of rose quartz. Perfect for tequila, the innovative vessels offer a salty twinge to taste buds, but with a more nuanced flavor than ordinary table salt. Salt is naturally antibacterial so there’s no need to worry about cleaning mid-fiesta, and the strong salt minerals keep the shot glasses strong through many festive toasts. For more information phone 04 831 8632 or email sales@prubuy.com.

STORM & INDIA TEA Tea Sisters Storm and India’s story began with fond memories growing up on their organic farm in Tasmania. It was there they developed a passion for holistic living, experiencing the delights of home grown cooked meals and organic farming. Along with their black, green, white, red, herbal and fruit teas, the Tea Sisters have also developed a range of three detox teas. The Coconut Chai and Berry Cassis are particularly popular. For more information phone Tessuti Store on 09 376 4802.

ELEVATION DISCOVER CARDIO The Elevation Series cardio range is a high end commercial quality product line. The Discover SE console offers exercisers full in-workout entertainment, including internet browsing, TV viewing, and the LifeScape interactive courses, and works with the LFconnect app. LFconnect is an integrated workout tracking and asset management system. As a manager, you can export equipment usage statistics for reporting and promote other hotel amenities from the customisable cardio screens. As an exerciser, guests can save their workout results and track their training progress. As a service provider, a Life Fitness service technician can view equipment usage statistics and receive maintenance and inspection notifications from a website. For more information phone 07 849 3364 or email samantha@lifefitness.co.nz.

BOTANICALS BY ECOYA Launched in 2011 with a collection of six soy wax fragranced candles, the Botanicals by ECOYA range has been reintroduced in new packaging that better reflects the bold bouquets inside. Reworking the classic Botanicals by ECOYA fragrances into new vessels and packaging, the collection features bright contemporary cartons and crisp white vessels. The Botanicals offering is available in a new Botanic jar, Mini Botanic jar, Reed Diffuser, Hand Cream and Soap, in five core fragrances. The fragrance combinations

use both floral and plant blends that are quintessentially Australasian, with combinations including Jacaranda & Plum, Coral & Narcissus, Banksia & Bergamot, Midnight Orchid and a new addition, Oriental Lily & Patchouli. Botanicals by Ecoya uses only botanical bases and 100 per cent natural soy wax with cotton wicks. The bodycare collection is hypoallergenic and free from Parabens, Sulfates, Propylene Glycol and artificial colours. For more information phone 09 367 9486.

April/May 2016

HOUSEKEEPING

WYPALL COLOUR CODED REGULAR DUTY WIPERS

WYPALL Colour Coded Wipers are versatile, offering effective and hygienic cleaning. The wipers are ideal for use in food preparation and food service applications. They can be used for soaking up spills and absorb up to seven times their own weight. They are reusable, are easily rinsed clean and are available in different colours for easy task segregation. The wipers are available in Regular and Heavy Duty for all cleaning needs. The wipers are produced in a HACCP certified facility. Key applications include wiping surfaces, absorbing liquid spills and cleaning sinks, grills, ovens and machinery. Available in 34cm x 45cm. For more information phone 09 250 2500. l

CT470 EXTRACTION VACUUM With an unparalleled range of household and office cleaning products, Arrow Hygiene are sure they have the answer to any cleaning problems hotels may face. Their tight-knit, friendly team of cleaning professionals are always on hand to offer expert advice or help customers make any cleaning product orders. The CT-470 is the bigger brother to the George with double its capacity. 27-litre Wet/Dry Vacuum, 11/11 litre extraction, fold away handle. Available from Arrow Hygiene. For more information contact 0800 429 864 or email sales@arrowhygiene.co.nz. l

EMPORIO TEAS

Eric and Miriam Heycoop founded Emporio in 2000. Today they work in their Wellington roaster on Abel Smith Street, Wellington. “Whether it’s wholesale, private labeling or online retailing, Emporio is truly about relationships and what sets us apart is our personal touch and passion for what we do.” The range of tea includes Ceylon Black, Ceylon Green, Peppermint, Chamomile, Hibiscus Blush, Rooibus, Earl Grey and Bush Billy. For more information contact 04 382 8116 or email info@emporio.co.nz. l

PINE DISINFECTANT CLEANER

Disinfectant Cleaner is formulated with a powerful germicide and pine oil base to kill germs and bacteria on contact. A refreshing lemon fragrance helps provide excellent cleaning and deodorising qualities. Disinfectant Cleaner is biodegradable and environmentally friendly. For cleaning floors, walls and general building maintenance, dilute 1 part Disinfectant Cleaner to 50 parts of water. Dilute 1 part Disinfectant Cleaner to 10 parts of water for use in toilets, sinks, drains and bins. Available in five litres or 20 litres. For more information contact Eco Cleaning Products on 09 215 8686, 021 818 621 or email sales@ecocleaningproducts.co.nz. l

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INNOWAY RUBBISH BAGS

INNOWAY is a commercial cleaning supply company based in Auckland and supplies all over New Zealand with quality commercial cleaning products and consumables. INNOWAY has a wide range of bin liners, rubbish bags and clear rubbish bags to suit hotels’ needs including some of the following popular bags: 240 litre Wheelie Bin Liners, 60 litre Rubbish Bin Liners, Biodegradable Rubbish Bags and Biodegradable Bin Liners, S/M/L/XL Kitchen Tidy Liners and Clear Rubbish Bags. Rubbish Bags, product code 9407, is available in 500 x 1380 x 350, 100 per packet, 3 packets per carton. For more information contact INNOWAY Information and Sales on 09 480 6588 or email order@innoway.co.nz. l

April/May 2016

realestate

TOP PROPERTY FOR SALE

DOORSTEP RETREAT LODGE

Its original owners have placed one of Waiheke Island’s most acclaimed guest lodges on the market. Boutique Te Whau Lodge was established 17 years ago by business couple Gene O’Neill and Liz Eglinton who saw the need for an easy escape from the bustle of Auckland, a

LANGHAM UP FOR SALE

Auckland’s luxury Langham hotel property in Symonds Street has been put up for sale with the project being handled by CBRE. The five star full service hotel has 411 luxurious guest rooms and suites and extensive conference facilities that are in high demand. The hotel has a new management agreement with the Langham Hospitality Group and was the winner of the Luxury Classic Hotel of The Year in 2015. l

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boutique retreat. Purpose-built and architecturally designed, Te Whau Lodge was one of the first commercial standard lodges on the island and its simple, clean lines stand the test of time and allow all rooms to capture the panoramic sea views. Easy to operate, Liz and Gene came to the business with no prior experience in hospitality and have built and enviable business with a high number of return guests, both local and overseas. Accommodation facilities at the Lodge consist of four double guest rooms each with ensuite and private balcony. The 779sqm building sits on some 5.9 hectares of land with uninterrupted views over the Waitemata Harbour looking back to Auckland City. Te Whau lodge has provided the perfect semi-retired lifestyle that has suited Gene and Liz well. For more information contact Clive Lonergran at Bayleys 09 3756868. l

MAJOR SALES IN WELLINGTON BOTH the 132 room Wellington Travelodge and the 200 room Ibis have been conditionally sold by Colliers for an estimated $55m. The Travelodge is going to Singaporean interests who currently have no other properties in New Zealand and the Ibis has been purchased by the Auckland based Pandy owned CP Group. Overseas interests had owned both hotels with the Toga Group selling the Travelodge and the US Host Group selling the Ibis. Host has recently sold its 247-room Novotel in Auckland’s Ellerslie to the CP Group. l

One of Queenstown’s most significant tourism and redevelopment opportunities in many years is now on the market. The 73-room Tanoa Aspen Hotel, together with an adjoining 6,537 sqm parcel of development land, four adjoining residential properties and two strata titled apartments, is being offered for sale as one parcel by Dean Humphries and Barry Robertson of Colliers International. Humphries, Colliers’ national director of hotels, said the 15,000 sqm parcel of land and property includes one of the few remaining development sites available in Queenstown, as well as stunning views. “Demand for land like this is exceptionally strong and will remain that way due to a critical shortage of appropriately zoned land,” he said. Humphries said the same can be said about investment demand for hotels like the Tanoa Aspen. “With all hotels and tourist accommodation in Queenstown operating at full capacity, investors and developers are frantically searching for hotel opportunities. However there are simply no other hotels available on the market.” The 3.5 star Qualmark rated Tanoa Aspen Hotel in the hillside suburb Fernhill has a solid revenue stream and profit margin accompanied by an attractive development site that can accommodate further expansion or other forms of development including residential, aged care or a mixed-use development. Robertson, Colliers’ tourism broker based in Queenstown, said development land in the region is being snapped up at record prices, and so expects the medium density development land adjoining the Tanoa Aspen to be a major attraction for investors. “This property will be ideally suited to an existing hotel investor, who would like to brand the hotel under their own name with options of either expanding the hotel potentially up to 200 keys – or utilising the property for a range of other uses. “The Fernhill location is one of the most elevated tourism sites in Queenstown, and enjoys unobstructed views towards The Remarkables and over Lake Wakatipu, which is truly exceptional considering a large number of accommodation properties in town do not have these type of views.” l

ON THE MARKET • Hotel Apartment Resort, Queenstown • Kingswood Manor, Whangarei • Cedarwood Lakeside Motel, Rotorua • Kawhaka Lodge, Hokitika • Riverstone Lodge, Turangi • Three Oaks Motel, Hawke’s Bay • Quality Inn on Marine Parade, Napier • Bella Vista Lodge, Tauranga • Sands Apartments, Nelson • Tuscany Villas, Rotorua • Sails Suits, Nelson • Chevron Motel, Taupo

realestate

NAPIER 30-YEAR LEASE ON OFFER

A 30-year lease on the 60-room Quality Inn Napier on Marine Parade is up for grabs on an improving local tourism industry, with the asking price of $1.2 million and annual rental of between $440,000 to $460,000. It was built in the 1970s as the Napier Travel Inn and its last refurbishment in 2013 lifted it to a 4.5 star Qualmark rating. Bayleys agent Bill Brown said revenue out-performed market averages, rising 8.6 per cent and profit 11.5 per cent in the 2014/15 financial year compared with the previous year. The increase was mainly due to increased patronage. International visitors for the 2015 calendar year were up 16.1 per cent on 2014. Domestic guest nights rose 4.6 per cent for the same period. He said it was the preferred accommodation provider in Napier for government departments such as the police, the ACC and the Department of Conservation. Corporate clients included Air New Zealand, ANZ bank and DB Breweries. Annual rent depended on accommodation revenue. A 56-seat restaurant and bar underneath some of the Quality Inn Napier’s waterfront-facing rooms was separately tenanted. “The hotel already has strong advance booking numbers right through until Christmas – thereby delivering an instant cash-flow to any new ownership,” Brown said. “A number of competing accommodation properties in Napier have chosen to take profits out of their businesses over the past decade in periods when times were good. In contrast, Quality Inn has re-invested a considerable portion of its profits back into its operations through maintenance and marketing. “That strategy has paid off – with the property consistently recording above-average occupancy rates compared to several other hotels which have, in effect, become run-down and are now missing out on corporate bookings which demand higher levels of accommodation.” l

FU WAH NZ EXPANSION Beijing-based investor Fu Wah International Group is buying a second Auckland site for a $250 million-$300 million hotel and apartment project, and scouting for more sites in the city and Queenstown. The company’s first site is the $200 million Park Hyatt. Fu Wah founder and group chairman Chan Laiwa was in New Zealand in March for the ground-breaking at the five-star Park Hyatt investment on Auckland’s waterfront. Laiwa outlined a major expansion plan, and noted New Zealand was the first developed country in the world to sign a free-trade agreement with China. She said Fu Wah will also invest in three, four and five-star hotels

in New Zealand, and wants to buy and develop existing properties. Richard Aitken, Fu Wah’s South Pacific region area general manager, said the second investment after the Park Hyatt would be in Auckland’s central business district. Fu Wah executives were in Wellington meeting mayor Celia Wade-Brown and management from Wellington International Airport to discuss expansion there. However, Laiwa said no start date had been set for that project. Fu Wah and Beijing Construction Engineering Group have already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Wellington City Council on the expansion of the airport, with further discussions due to take place. l

MOLLIES SOLD Herne Bay luxury hotel Mollies is to close this month after being sold for $10.9 million as a private home. The 150-year-old property that has been a boutique hotel for the past 50 years has played host to dozens of overseas stars and wealthy visitors. Auckland investor Murray Bolton was the purchaser. l

RIVAL DEAL TWIST After what appeared to be an acceptance of the Marriott acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts and international acclaim of the event, Starwood has announced it is to accept a rival deal from a Chinese led consortium.

Marriott valued the company at $US12.2 billion in shares but the Chinese Anbang Insurance Group has offered $US13 billion in cash which appeared to have more appeal to Starwood investors. Negotiations continue. l April/May 2016

CASTAWAYS RESORT

Hotel Magazine sat down with Castaways Resort, situated on the spectacular coastal cliff tops of Karioitahi Beach, Auckland, to see how the destination is combining camping, cuisine and conferences on the coast, with plans to further expand and development opportunities on offer. Since late 2002, Castaways Resort has developed from a small café on the cliffs overlooking Karioitahi Beach, 6km west of Waiuku and in the most south western corner of Auckland City into one of Auckland’s most popular destinations. The brainchild of owners and husband-andwife team Gavin and Raewyn Shine, Castaways Resort started out as a paddock. Raewyn came up with the name, and Gavin, previously an engineer, designed and built it. Castaways Resort is now an 88-bed resort with onsite Agave Restaurant, wedding venue, multiple conference venues, a unique Indonesian-inspired day spa, adventure activities, and glam camping luxury tents. Under construction is a 48-bed glam camping village targeting the domestic and international conference and incentive market. Castaways Resort has developed a range of adventures, including clay bird shooting, archery, 4WD, blow carting and pistol shooting. Under development now is frisbee golf, axe tossing and knife throwing. The resort is within an hour’s drive of downtown Auckland and Auckland International Airport, positioning it well to take advantage of New Zealand’s main population base as well as international visitors. Castaways Resort has eight distinct income streams; weddings, conferences and incentives, restaurant, accommodation, day spa, glam camping, adventures, and development. Guests can also book a range of packages.

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“Our accommodation guests are roughly one third wedding, one third conferences and one third leisure,” Gavin said. There are currently 60-70 full time and part time staff. The resource consent process is underway for the expansion of Castaways Resort into a 530bed resort complex. Investors are currently being sought to be involved in the expansion. The initial development of the resort started with construction of the first chalets in late 2002. “An important strategy to ensure success was to develop the business at the same time as the infrastructure.” The studio units and chalets are managed through a system that gives owners flexibility to holiday throughout the year, as well as gaining income from the steady stream of weddings, conferences and weekend getaway guests. Owners purchase the studio unit and underlying lease, and can holiday for up to 12 weeks per year. “With the new development we intend to use a similar concept as it has been very successful in releasing capital to fund development.” Gavin wanted the chalets to have a unique design as the site is so unique. This is obvious in the distinctive roofs that complement the landscape. “A simple design is always the best, so the hang gliders that frequent the skies above the chalets were used as inspiration for the roof design.” In October 2014, Glam Camping at Castaways Resort began. Gavin developed the concept then

designed and built the tents over eight months. Glam Camping has proved hugely popular. What started out as one tent has now become four, with plans to expand into a glam camping village. In its first year the original tent saw 100 stays on its own. “The second year we targeted 100 stays for each of the four, and we’ve just surpassed that.” The tents are solar and gas powered and made from insulated trucking canvas. Each come with an outdoor hot bath, gourmet self-cook dinner and breakfast packages, wine and other beverages and treats. Upon arrival, guests are given keys to their own golf cart and directions on how to reach their coastal tent. All tents come with a flat white espresso machine, microwave oven and hotel grade bedding. Meals are cooked on the barbecue and guests can select from chicken, salmon or steak, with crème brulee for dessert. The glam camping village sleeping 48 people is now well underway and will offer an outside kitchen, lounge, meeting marquee, dining area, outdoor bar, pizza ovens and fireplaces. This will be built to a high standard to ensure the most discerning of conference and incentive groups will be more than comfortable. “The glam camping village is a totally new idea, and has not been done anywhere that I know of. We are receiving a lot of interest in the village and we are anticipating a very busy time ahead.” Castaways Resort is positioned on two parcels of land. The existing main function centre, restaurant and accommodation are on four hectares of leased land with the lease running through to 2057. The day spa, Tasman venue, adventure activities, glam camping and glam

camping village are on a free hold parcel of land in two titles totalling 56 hectares. Castaways Resort has all of the key attributes to take advantage of the booming tourism and hospitality sector and has become a wellrespected and leading conference, wedding and accommodation destination. The purpose of capital raising is to allow for the future development and expansion of the resort and to achieve Castaway Resort’s vision of growing the business into New Zealand’s largest quality retreat, accommodation, functions and conference destination. “I’m extremely passionate about Castaways Resort. There’s always a project on the go and we have always managed to grow the business year on year. We’re now seeking an equity partner and we are open to different ways that investors can be involved.” The infrastructure and associated businesses have always been developed in unison ensuring that the resort has been self-funded using self-generated surplus funds from its inception through to the latest additions. The next expansion is the 530-bed resort complex. “Our next project takes us to the next level. The aim is to be able to host 530 people – shortly we’ll have capacity for 136 including the glam camp village. We want the development to add 400 beds and we have a consent underway to make this happen. As we are so near Auckland central, Castaways Resort is set to become a jewel in Auckland’s crown.” This proposal is a natural next step for Castaways Resort given there is the proven track record to both develop the infrastructure of a resort as well as the associated successful business. l

April/May 2016

industry

MINUTES WITH...

Steven Colthart

MOLLIES

Steven Colthart

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Luxury boutique hotel Mollies’ managing director Steven Colthart wants guests to experience the best of Auckland and come back. With the fivestar St Mary’s Bay retreat now being turned into a private home, Colthart said the success of Mollies is owed to service and discretion. His passion for hospitality started at an early age. Colthart began by washing dishes and making coffee. He went to high school in Auckland and spent some time at Auckland University before moving to Sydney and working in almost every aspect of front-ofhouse. He was very close to his uncle, who owned the successful Burdekin Hotel in Sydney. “When I first worked for my uncle, the deal was I could apply to work in the hotel as long as I didn’t let anyone know we were related.” In his early 20s, Colthart was given some managerial roles focusing on the beverage side. He wanted to be a restaurant manager. “That was all I wanted to do because I was extremely passionate about cuisine and looking after people.” His true passion early on was cocktail making, and said he was lucky to be mentored in both New Zealand and Australia. He worked in fivestar, Michelin restaurants, but never in hotels. “I believe I’ve ended up in the hotel business because soon after I was approached by prominent families to look after their hospitality requirements. A lot of these people loved entertaining friends and family. For many years I was working in a hotel way, but in a private environment. “The absolutely beauty of working in hospitality is you can travel, the skills are very transferable. When I lived in Queenstown it was a perfect situation. You could be skiing, playing golf, and that was the huge attraction for me and lots of my friends.” When Colthart took over Mollies with his wife Bernadette,

what they really bought to the business were human resources. The couple has taken pride in providing genuine, dedicated service, meaning they’ve been lucky to see a lot of regular guests. “What we bought was world-class service in a very intimate setting, out of a beautiful established property. “I believe that when people travel to New Zealand they want to interact with New Zealanders. It’s been a really nice situation to have passionate Aucklanders look after international guests.” His biggest achievement to date has been lifting Mollies’ TripAdvisor ranking from eight to number one within the first 12 months of tenure. Through hosting high-profile guests and celebrities at Mollies, Colthart has also been able to expose his children to successful people, which he considers one of his personal achievements. “I really love providing an environment where our employees can learn and thrive and grow. I particularly enjoy working with passionate people one-on-one too.” Internationally, Colthart said he would love to work in Thailand. “We have an affection for Thailand including its people, its cuisine and certainly its environment. There’s a part of us that sees us there in the distant future.” Moving forward, Colthart said he’d like to continue using the Mollies brand, but only if the next property has a strong resemblance to the St Mary’s Bay one. What has given him an enormous amount of confidence is the consistent comment from his staff, “Well what are we doing next?” “That was very humbling. Bernadette and I aren’t Mollies, it’s the guests, it’s the people who work here. A lot of our guests have an emotional attachment to Mollies. “It’s mixed emotions, but the overriding one is optimism of our future and of small boutiques in Auckland.” l

columns

HOW TO BE THE BEST CONCIERGE YOU CAN BE Nick Steele, President of Les Clefs d’Or New Zealand

Knowledge, a Concierge must have an indepth understanding of what each restaurant, tour and activity has to offer. Only by experiencing what our respective cities and countries have to offer can we truly recommend great guest experiences. It is a hard job but someone has to do it. Integrity, being honest and having strong moral principles is extremely important to ensure that you do not cross the line with any guest’s requests. It is very easy to attempt to please all your guests, however knowing when to say no to a request that compromises yourself or the hotel is important. We can do anything, legal, moral or ethical. Being able to keep a secret, often we are privileged to information that is not, and should not be, common knowledge. Anything we overhear, read or are told should

always be kept in the greatest of confidence. We should never discuss our guests with family, friends and colleagues. As such our guests will return to us for more assistance as trust is built. An ability to read people, a Concierge must be able to read their guests wants and needs. There is no point overwhelming a weary traveller with dozens of options straight off a red eye, long haul flight. Providing solutions to their immediate needs, then expanding information provided throughout the guests stay is key. Tailoring options to budget, fitness and time constraints ensures our guests get “the most bang for their buck.” Enthusiasm, when a Concierge is excited and passionate about their city, country, activity; then the guest is infected by that enthusiasm. Almost guaranteeing

to have a memorable experience. Network, no Concierge purports to “know it all”. Having a network of well-informed peers and an ability to seek out information, ensures no question is too hard. These new / difficult questions, of course, add to our knowledge base; so that when the question arises again, the solution is that much easier to find. A little black book. Whether digital or on paper, no mind can retain the wealth of information a Concierge must have on hand. Key numbers, special recipes and contact information all get scribbled down or typed. A Concierge collects business cards and brochures for all those “just in case” moments. Far from hoarding these tidbits in a secret stash, we will happily share this trove with anyone who needs it. l

sign of abating. The general vibe from the accommodation sector is that it’s been a great start to 2016 and there is little reason to suggest this won’t continue. Occupancy and yield continues to increase and there are a number of events on the horizon that will drive demand further. Touted as Auckland’s biggest sporting event since the Rugby World Cup 2011, the World Master Games (WMG) in April 2017, is set to attract 25,000 athletes, with approximately half coming from overseas. Predictably, for any major event, demand for all types of accommodation will be high and, even more predictably, stories around no availability and price gouging have started. The last thing the New Zealand accommodation sector wants is a repeat of the sensationalised media headlines about the cost of accommodation that we endured in the lead up to the RWC 2011. This won’t do our welcoming reputation any favours and it could discourage WMG athletes and their supporters from coming. AccommodationNZ are advocates for our members benefitting from these sorts of major events, after all that’s why local and central government work so hard to attract these events to New Zealand. But we suggest that a rush of blood to head when

setting your room rates and length of stay might not be in your best interests. During RWC 2011, most accommodation room rates were reasonable and hotels benefitted from well-considered pricing strategies. Those who were seen to price gouge were the exception and many found themselves with low occupancy as ultimately the public decided what they were prepared to pay. As the new voice of the commercial accommodation sector, AccommodationNZ has a diverse membership ranging from Luxury Lodges, Hotels, Motels, Apartments, Backpackers and B&B’s. Many of our members’ issues and concerns are the same but given our diversity, no doubt, there will be topics that we will have to ‘agree to disagree on’. We doubt the topic of under supply and over demand during peak season and around major events is going to be one of those issues as it’s a great problem to have. Just be smart about your pricing during these peak times and reap the rewards of a full house on a good rate, with happy guests. AccommodationNZ is part of Hospitality New Zealand and is the voice of the commercial accommodation sector in New Zealand. To find out more go to www.accommodationnz.org.nz l

FULL HOUSE Rachael Shadbolt, GM Accommodation, Partnerships and Communication, AccommodationNZ, part of Hospitality New Zealand

As the days get shorter and we reluctantly farewell an excellent New Zealand summer for many in the accommodation sector, let’s take a moment to pause (between guests) to think about why it has been so good. Clearly an abundant supply of sunshine has played a significant part, but that’s just the cherry on top of a high season that was always shaping up to be strong. At a regional level, recognition must go to the local community groups and Councils for the plethora of events that have filled the summer calendar. These markets, fairs, festivals, sporting events and quirky pop up experiences have been everywhere this summer, enticing people to get out and about - staying longer, doing more and importantly, spending more. At a national level, the work Tourism New Zealand does promoting New Zealand to the world as a visitor destination has seen international arrivals top the 3 million mark and this shows no

Occupancy and yield continues to increase and there are a number of events on the horizon that will drive demand further.

April/May 2016

food&beverage

Bachelor Brings Paleo To Pullman Pullman Auckland has teamed up with New Zealand’s The Bachelor, Art Green, and CleanPaleo to reinvent the weekday morning for guests with a new 2-Step Active Wellbeing Program. Created with Pullman’s busy corporate travellers in mind, the program combines 15 minutes of exercises by Art Green, alongside a healthy CleanPaleo inspired breakfast. The in-room workouts are derived from Green’s book Eat Clean, Live Lean and are only 15 minutes in duration, ideal for the time

poor business traveller. “There is a synergy between our brands in that we are both seeking to help answer our clients’ needs of maintaining healthy eating options and a healthier lifestyle while living busy lives,” Pullman Auckland general manager Zac Lumsden said. “The program enables our corporate guests to start the day with a focused mind, an asset to any workplace.” As a hotel, Pullman Auckland already has strong links to health and wellbeing with

running maps provided for guests, Pullman water on hand, and an award winning Day Spa and Health club. The 2-Step Active Wellbeing Program is exclusively available to guests staying at the hotel and is done in the comfort of their own room. l

Beer Cocktails

The newest trend in American bars is the beer based cocktail. Bar professionals are developing unique cocktails with beer that incorporate a refreshing taste bursting with a variety of flavours and often adding some type of fun twist. Typical is the Mai-Corona made with 12 year old rum, almond syrup, lime, mint and Corona Extra. Almost any mix now goes in many of the bars and hotels. l

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L-R: Mitchell McClenaghan, Executive Chef Arun Pillai and Art Green

food&beverage

Labour Misfires On Immigration Policy

Queenstown Hilton Wins F&B Cup The Queenstown Hilton has been crowned with both the Cocktail and Wine Cup in the 2016 Food and Beverage Masters. Hosted in Sydney for the first time, the Hilton event is a lively competition to test the skills of the worldwide culinary and drink crew in the spirit of cultivating talent. The talent was truly apparent this year, with two of the top tier beverage heroes hailing from Queenstown, Lloyd Grey and Richard King. Food and Beverage supervisor Grey packed up from his hometown in Swindon, England at 18 to jet set about the globe. He concocted cocktails and served spirits in restaurants, bars, hotels and aboard cruise ships, before settling down south two years ago and taking up his position at the Hilton. The F&B Masters saw Grey showcasing his talent in challenges such as the Black Box, where contestants were presented a stash of ingredients from which they had to choose three and create a cocktail in five minutes flat, and with his winning creation, the Melon Crush Colada, a reinvention of the infamous Pina Colada, with watermelon, citrus and cream. King’s interest in wine first came about as a result of his partiality to the drink. In his late teens King started questioning just what went into alcohol, prompting him to move into the wine sector at the Hilton. At the

F&B Masters the 23-year-old’s refined palate was evident as he won out in the written theory exam and three round blind tasting of champagnes, whites and reds. The F&B Masters is an event where the global Hilton Hotel team increases customer satisfaction through experimentation and experience, give staff training in both practical and theoretical aspects of the job, giving their emerging personnel the chance to showcase their talent to a panel of industry experts. l

Any ban on overseas chefs working in New Zealand would have disastrous consequences for the tourism industry and the economy. The policy position taken by Labour Party Leader Andrew Little is a serious misfire, believes Chris Roberts, TIA chief executive. “There is a massive chef shortage in New Zealand. It’s the single biggest skills shortage facing the tourism and hospitality industry. If you are a New Zealander and you have a chef qualification you can walk into a job tomorrow. Unfortunately, there is no pool of local chefs sitting around waiting for a call.” TIA commissioned research last year into the future labour market needs of the tourism industry. This research identified that New Zealand needs to expand the total tourism workforce by 38 percent in the next decade if the industry is to meet its ambitious Tourism 2025 goal of growing total revenue to $41 billion a year. “New Zealand needs many more people working in tourism – including an additional 6200 chefs. “We need to train thousands more New Zealanders as chefs and for the foreseeable future we need to bring in qualified overseas workers to work in the kitchens of our restaurants and cafes. Those isolated cases where a restaurant is exploiting its imported labour should be cracked down on, but we must not ban overseas chefs – that would be a disaster for the tourism sector and the economy.” l

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3/12/2015 10:44 AM

MEET THE CHEF

CHRIS PEARCE Q U E N C H , C H AT E A U M A R L B O R O U G H

For Chris Pearce, becoming a chef enabled him to give an expression of himself to others through food. Now at Quench Restaurant and Wine Bar, Chateau Marlborough, he was previously co-owner of The Reef Steak & Seafood Restaurant in Dunedin and more recently at Wanaka Speights Ale House.

To date, his biggest accomplishment has been helping set up the Wanaka Speights Ale gastro pub kitchen and front of house team, going from humble beginnings with agency staff to an entity that is now a must-visit gastro pub in central Otago. Rick Stein has had the biggest influence on Pearce. “I love his organised style of cooking and not over-complicating what’s going on within the dish.” Pearce has about 100 cookbooks at home, including food influenced from around the world, from traditional French gastronomy to punchy, fresh Asian styles. Pearce has recently researched Blenheimarea wineries for Quench’s wine list and other restaurants that provide excellent dining with regional food. As a young chef, Surf n Turf dishes were an inspiration for Pearce. Even now, his favourite dish is Angus eye fillet with a paua and crayfish component served as a Surf n Turf style dish

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based on local flavours. “Proteins from land and sea can pair exceptionally well together given the right environment,” he said. His favourite cooking technique is slow braise, curing, or confit. The dish on Pearce’s menu that will follow him wherever he goes is Affogato. “You get a coffee, ice cream, chocolate and liquor all on the one plate.” A trending cooking technique that Pearce has implemented is foams. “Currently we use orange liquor flavoured foam with our panna cotta. I seem to be going through a citrus phase with sweets at the moment, baked cheesecakes in particular.” Lately, an ingredient that Pearce has used is flavoured salts. They’re a great way of getting concentrated flavours into dishes with minimal additives, he said. His favourite ingredient is garlic. “Fresh flavours rule the roost regardless of the ingredient.” Pearce would love to work anywhere in New Zealand as long as it is either by the sea or in the high country. He stays educated about new trends through hospitality magazines, the Internet and “the good old grapevine.” To ensure the quality of the food going out to customers, Pearce keeps the team well informed of the standards required, making sure products are stored correctly to maintain the best quality possible while keeping it as fresh as possible, helping with issues that arise, be it training or getting slammed on an already busy night, being open to new ideas and sourcing good quality local products. “I look for efficiency within the team but also a relaxed atmosphere whenever we can find the time, always with attention to detail and focus on the customer.

“I think restaurants have to keep pace with the style of food being offered within the region they reside. For me, it has been evolving from the gastro pub steak chips and salad to a more authentic dining style with good quality products, great fresh flavours, and simple yet elegant presentation. The end result needs to look colourful, and be excellent, product quality.” Pearce trained a young Korean woman transitioning from pot wash/salad hand to the larder section in a large, fast paced kitchen. She is now an integral part of the kitchen team, running the section in that same kitchen, averaging 300 covers a night in peak season. Currently, Pearce is working on the design build for a new kitchen and refurbishment for Quench. There are another 34 new accommodation rooms being built at Chateau Marlborough and the new kitchen and restaurant facilities are to accommodate the expected hotel growth. “There’s a fair bit to get through with the renovations and the new kitchen build at the Chateau, and moving forward I’d like to see Quench become internationally a Marlborough must-see destination.” l

“Proteins from land and sea can pair exceptionally well together given the right environment.”

April/May 2016

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winery

t h n e vines e e w t e b TW WINES

Hotel Magazine spoke to Paul Tietjen, one half of the successful duo behind TW Wines in Gisborne’s very own ‘Côte d’Or’ region, to talk about his love of wine and the secret behind growing quality vines for quality wines. The concept of TW Wines was born on a fishing trip to Waikarimoana in 1997. Two good friends from the group, Geordie Witters and Paul Tietjen, travelled to Lake Waikarimoana together. They talked along the way about grapes, wine, and a few other things, and realised they both had ideas of producing top quality wines. Both their respective vineyards had accumulated several awards for wines produced, so they decided to start research into prospective winemakers and wineries that could blend the flavours from the two vineyards into a quality wine. With encouragement and advice from local winemakers Geoff Sinnott and James Millton, and a few ideas from friends, they set about forming a company and finding winery space. The area along the Hexton-Waiharere foothills in Gisborne had been likened to the Côte d’Or region in France by an avid Burgundy fan, and hence the name The Golden Slope was born. Similarities are due to the medium to heavy clay base material overlaid with 20-30cm of light black soil, the limestone foothills and the slight elevation and slope. The Côte d’Ors’ main white grape is also the Chardonnay variety. TW Wines are grown and hand-crafted along the narrow, five-kilometre strip from Ormond to Hexton, which has given rise to most of Gisborne’s Gold Medal winning Chardonnays. Both Witters and Tietjen were keen to make a start in the coming vintage, 1998, with it being a strong El-Nino. They secured a wine consultant, winery space and some new French oak barrels and were under way. Since that first year, the winemaking has moved to Kirkpatrick Estate Winery in Gisborne. TW Wines, which are grown on these slopes, combine the besthandpicked grapes from the vineyards of the two

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respected grape growers. They have a unique character with forward fruit flavours, arising from the terrior. The small team at TW is made up of winemaker Anita Ewart-Croy, Geordie Witters, and Tietjen, plus their “lovely wives.” Paul and his wife Jenny’s vineyard is nestled against the Hexton hills on the northwestern outskirts of Gisborne on the east coast of New Zealand. The 30-hectare vineyard, progressively planted since 1983, has produced top quality wines for half a dozen wine companies. Since the 1989 vintage, it has won numerous national and international medals. Planted mainly in Chardonnay, the vineyard also has Viognier, Verdelho, Merlot, Malbec, and Carmenere. Geordie and his wife Caroline’s Woodlands vineyard lies among the foothills of The Golden Slope near Waihirere, where Gisborne first made its mark in the viticulture industry. With the aim of growing quality vines for quality wines, they phased out the original plantings established in the mid 70s, in favour of 15 hectares of

chardonnay. The Woodlands Chardonnay made from these grapes has received numerous accolades. More recently, there have been plantings of Viognier and Merlot. Wines made by several wineries, both large and small, have been sourcing their fruit from the Woodlands vineyard since 1974. “Our customers are on premise, off premise, and cellar door,” Tietjen said. Gisborne is well known as New Zealand’s Chardonnay Capital and TW wines epitomise what Tietjen said the world has come to expect of New Zealand wine, “power, complexity, elegance and excellent cellaring potential”. What brought Tietjen to become a winemaker was the love of wine. His approach to wine is “it’s got to be worth drinking to produce it”. “To make a good wine, it all starts in the vineyard, so generally vintages with a dryish autumn are what turn into vintage years.” TW has won numerous gold, silver and bronze awards at New Zealand wine competitions. The toughest season for TW was 2003, and what Tietjen describes as “a cooler than average” year. “The eruption of Mount Pinatubo created a difficult year to produce wines,” he said. TW is focused both on the retail market and the foodservice sector. “Wine is best served with food, if the wine is matched and enjoyed, generally the people will go out and buy more of that wine.” The current offering includes TW Reserve Chardonnay, TW Gold Chardonnay, TW Estate Chardonnay, TW Pinot Gris, TW Verdelho, TW Viognier, TW CV (Chardonnay/Viognier), TW Merlot, TW Malbec, TW Malbec/Merlot (Makauri), TW Lilly (Rose), and TW Carmenere. The vineyard practices sustainable winegrowing projects, and they are also members of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. “In Gisborne, generally we are a dry land grape industry, or in other words no irrigation. Also, composting and recycling are practiced, encouraging vineyard biodiversity so as to encourage predatory insects so we don’t use insecticides.” While TW wines is currently only touring New Zealand wine and beverages exhibitions, Witters and Tietjen have both visited international exhibitions in the past. This has lent itself to previous export activity that the pair hope to grow in the future. It’s not all about wine however, with Tietjen confessing he enjoys other hobbies including fishing, exploring and good company. l

Silver Wing

Silver Wing Wines are a range of hand-crafted wines from Waipara. The Nada range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay contain no sulphite or chemical additions, and come with rave reviews. Silver Wing’s Nada Preservative Free Pinot Noir 2014 was described as “Best New Zealand Pinot Noir” tasted in John Saker’s Best Wine of 2015. “We are dedicated to using natural and traditional wine production methods. Every aspect of production is carefully tended to by one winemaker. Hand-picked grapes, wild ferments, battonage, and plenty of skin contact come together to make our vibrant, complex, and textural wines.” For more information contact winemaker/owner Andrew on 021 838 575 or email silverwing@inorbit.com.

Saint Clair

The 23rd annual Chardonnay du Monde awarded Saint Clair Pioneer Block 11 Cell Block Chardonnay 2014 a Gold Medal and admitted the family-owned Marlborough winery into the list of the Top 10 Chardonnays of the world. This is only the second time in the competition’s history a New Zealand winery has achieved the Top 10 list. Saint Clair Family Estate winemakers work hard to ensure the French oak characters in Pioneer Block 11 are perfectly balanced with the fruit. Peach, coffee and vanilla aromas are followed through with a complex and full bodied palate with classic Chardonnay stone fruit characters and underlying vanilla crème and spice. This distinctive mark of quality differentiates Saint Clair, recognising outstanding standards and further cementing their reputation as a leading New Zealand wine producer. For more information contact Julie Ibbotson on 03 578 8695 or email julie@saintclair.co.nz.

Tupari Tussock Hill

Family-run vineyard Tussock Hill produces handtended high quality wines. Located on the hillside above Christchurch City, at 240 meters above sea level, Tussock Hill is beyond the frost line on a sundrenched, west facing hillside. The site is sheltered from the cool easterly sea breezes and experiences, a microclimate that is quite unique. Clay soils of organic origin, with a variety of minerals and trace elements are present, giving the wine unique characteristics not found elsewhere in Canterbury. Tussock Hill is an Organically Certified vineyard and uses sustainable and bio-dynamic methods over the whole vineyard as well as in the growing of the vines. For more information contact the winemaker on 03 337 2121 or email contact@tussockhillvineyard.co.nz.

Crown Range

A “Signature Selection” by winemaker Grant Taylor, Crown Range’s 2014 Gibbston Pinot Noir is a classic Pinot fragrance of violets and rose petals accentuated by bright red fruits and garrigue spices. It features savoury undertones of earthy loam and cedar, which add to the intensity of the finish. The Pinot Noir is balanced and concentrated with a fresh acidity that is framed by ripe and silky tannins. For more information contact 021 309 346 or email sales@crownrangecellar.com.

Ti Point

The newly released 2015 Ti Point Chardonnay has lifted aromas of peach, vanilla and sweet citrus blossom with a nutty complexity. The palate is ripe, rich and layered with a soft texture, and a lingering, zesty citrus peel finish. From its roots on the Matakana Coast, Ti Point has extended its footprint beyond its original home vineyard north of Auckland. For this wine the skilled winemaking team have carefully selected parcels of grapes from individual Hawke’s Bay growers, who have an appreciation of the rich textures and intricate flavours required to make Ti Point wines. For more information email sales@sacredhill.com or to order phone 0800 946 326.

Small artisan wine company, Tupari, is located in the Awatere Valley of Marlborough in the South Island of New Zealand. Tupari, (pronounced Too-pa-ree), takes its name from the dramatic cliffs in the vineyard where the Turnbull family and pioneering winemaker Glenn Thomas have collaborated to create wines of distinction. All Tupari wines, including the IWC Trophy winning 2014 Late Harvest Riesling, can be purchased online through Hancocks Wine, Beer and Spirit Merchants. For more information contact Clark White on 021 378057 or email clark@hancocks.co.nz.

Háhá

The latest vintage Haha 2015 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has been described as intensely aromatic on the nose, with a powerfully expressed palate that is juicy and flavoursome, offering layers of flavours. New Zealand senior wine judge Sam Kim, from Wine Orbit, said it is a great example of vibrant sauvignon, and awarded it 93 points out of 100, or 5 stars. The wine is produced from vineyards in the Waihophai and Wairau Valleys in New Zealand’s Marlborough region. For more information contact 06 834 3888 or email sales@hahawine.co.nz.

April/May 2016

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