Accor will introduce its new 5-star Pullman brand to Auckland, following the announcement today that a Pullman hotel will be developed out of the former New Zealand Reserve Bank in Customs Street, in the heart of the central business district. The hotel is due to open in the second quarter of 2010.
The NZ$100 million project is being developed by the New Zealand-based CP Group, and will involve the conversion of the Reserve Bank building and the construction of an adjoining tower that will connect with the existing building. The hotel will have extensive conference facilities for up to 800 delegates as well as a major restaurant, rooftop swimming pool, gymnasium and day spa.
The hotel enjoys a prime location on Customs Street, just a few streets from the waterfront and within easy walk of the city's major business addresses. The hotel is also close to popular dining and and entertainment areas, including the waterfront Viaduct precinct, downtown shopping, ferry terminals and the Britomart rail and bus transit centre.
Pullman Auckland will add to Accor's current portfolio of Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, all seasons and Formule 1 hotels in the city. Accor currently operates 29 hotels and resorts in New Zealand.
The launch of the Pullman hotel brand is part of Accor's drive to reposition its brands, which will in particular elevate Sofitel into the luxury segment. This strategy has created the opportunity to launch Pullman as a new brand of hotels clearly positioned in the upscale segment and targeting the corporate and conference/meeting markets.
Conviviality, calm and connectivity
Pullman hotels will provide specific services and facilities to create an atmosphere that balances conviviality, calm and connectivity. These will include a 24 hour IT solutions manager on site, there will also be 'Pullman Welcomers' who will not only be responsible for welcoming, but also for immediate actioning of guest requests. There will be wireless and broadband communications, chill out zones, executive floors and lounges, health club facilities and the latest in hi-tech facilities for meetings and function organisers. Fast communications and connectivity is facilitated by the latest equipment with further enhancement likely as a result of a partnership with Microsoft.
Pullman Auckland, a stylish new hotel
Pullman Auckland will have 290 large guest rooms, a first class day spa, pool, gymnasium and a restaurant and bar. It will also feature extensive meeting and conference facilities for up to 800 delegates.
59 Pullman hotels in the world up to 2009 and 300 up to 2015
The announcement of Pullman Auckland follows the global launch of the brand in late 2007, which saw 12 Pullman hotels debut in Europe and Asia. By the end of 2009, the Pullman network will consist of 59 hotels and over 15,600 rooms in 23 countries in Europe, the Middle East, South America and Asia-Pacific, including a Pullman at Sydney Olympic Park, due to open in the final quarter of 2008. In the medium to longer term, Accor's ambition is to develop a worldwide chain of 300 hotels by 2015, including 100 hotels in Asia-Pacific. The aim is to grow the global network by 25 hotels a year.
Pullman - part of Accor's expansion in New Zealand
'We have been looking for a suitable upscale project in Auckland to complement our wide range of mid-scale and economy hotels in the city, and this project offers an outstanding location that will prove popular for business travellers, conference groups and leisure travellers,' said Paul Richardson, Accor's Vice President New Zealand and Fiji.
'Pullman Auckland will be an ideal venue for guests to relax and enjoy their stay. The environment is designed around flowing spaces, comfortable facilities, the latest technology and warm, professional service.
'With the corporate and meetings sectors being particularly fast growing markets, the Pullman hotel brand is being launched to meet a clear market demand'
Pullman, a famous name in hospitality
The Pullman name derives from the opulent Pullman railway carriages that changed the face of overnight railway travel in America - and later in the UK and Europe - from the 1860s. Accor has owned the Pullman brand name since the early 1990s when it took over the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits.
Pullman is the upscale hotel brand of Accor. It was designed with the requirements of business women and men in mind.
Located in the main regional and international cities, Pullman hotels provide an extensive range of tailored services, access to groundbreaking technologies and the "Co-Meeting" offer, a new approach to organising meetings, seminars and high-end incentives. At Pullman hotels, business travellers can choose between being independent or relying on the staff available round the clock.
Starting 2009, the Pullman network will count on 59 hotels in 23 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. By 2015, Accor expects over 300 establishments around the world.
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