Auckland Airport is set to get a new five-star hotel adjacent to its international terminal and the current four-star Novotel airport hotel by late 2019. The 250-room property, which will begin being constructed by the end of 2017, will operate under Accorhotels’ Pullman brand and carry the name “Te Arikinui”.

According to the airport’s general manager, Mark Thomson, plans for a new airport hotel have been in the works for some time, but a recent increase in demand for accommodation in the city has expedited the development.

“Auckland Airport plays a key role in New Zealand’s growing tourism industry and in connecting Auckland to New Zealand, and New Zealand to the world,” he said. “Being able to walk to the terminals, rather than drive, has considerable appeal to hotel patrons and will also help reduce vehicle movements on our roads.”

The completion of the new property is expected to coincide with the expansion of the airport’s international terminal and the start of development on the domestic section of a future combined domestic and international terminal. These are reportedly part of an infrastructure improvement plan that is currently seeing the airport invest more than NZ$1 million (US$128,843) per working day.

“This is an exciting project that will result in two complementary assets located in an exceptional position at New Zealand’s main gateway,” said Chris Joblin, chief executive of Tainui Group Holdings, which is co-developing the hotel. “This creates tremendous scope to create a unique, authentic New Zealand experience for airport visitors and hotel guests including through unique cultural elements incorporated in the design.”

Auckland Airport has welcomed a slew of new services in recent months, including Hainan Airlines’ Shenzhen service, new daily direct flights by Hong Kong Airlines, and Tianjin Airlines’ three-times-weekly service from Tianjin. Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific became the first international airline to fly an Airbus A350-900 to the New Zealand city in October last year.

aucklandairport.co.nz