Hotel check in: The Old Government Building stands the test of time and an earthquake
The Old Government Building, The Heritage Hotel Christchurch, New Zealand
LOCATION
Christchurch, New Zealand
RATING
4 Stars
TREND
Saving Heritage
MAPPING
Food & Beverage, Housekeeping, Sustainability
A city comes alive after earthquake
It’s been over 10 years since a major earthquake rocked Christchurch. While the city is well on its way to recovery, it was clear that the devastation that occurred in 2011 took a serious toll on this beautiful garden city. Many buildings had been rebuilt, as well as the main street shopping precinct, however, there were still many cleared city blocks that doubled as car parks. In Cathedral Square there was a pop-up coffee shop with a make shift sitting area using fold out chairs, other pop-ups sat on the corner of city blocks that created a sense of normality in the city.
adina heritage hotel christchurch
28 Cathedral Square
Christchurch, 8011
New Zealand
Ph: (61) 7 3226 8888
Web: www.adinahotels.com
Old world heritage charm beckons
Located right in the city heart, adjacent to the historic Christchurch Cathedral, the Adina Heritage Hotel dominated its surroundings. Built in 1913 this was one building that managed to withstand the forces of the earthquake.
Known as the “Old Government Building”, the Heritage Hotel maintained a distinct bygone feel along with some modern touches for comfort.
Let’s step back in time and check into the Adina Christchurch Heritage Hotel.
The hotel's amenities and services
The Heritage Hotel was an all-apartment hotel that offered twenty-six self contained, one, two and three bedroom apartments, many of which that were two-storey. Walking to the apartments; the hallways were wide; long and somewhat domineering; reminiscent of the buildings previous life as a government department building. The stairways leading to the floors were very grand and imposing and while walking up and down the stairs it was quite quiet. It was possible to imagine the flurry of activity that once occured when the OGB was in full operation.
A special addition in this hotel was the old world Woodward's barber shop, something you do not see often. One of two food venues were operational (the OGB bar). The formal restaurant remained closed due to a lack of viability due to the pressure of earthquake recovery and 3 years of covid turmoil. There was a 25m indoor heated lap pool, ideal for getting muscles moving again, however; towels were not provided at the pool with guests having to bring them down from their room. There was a well-equipped gym with treadmills, weights, and resistance training machines.
The OGB Bar, Christchurch's speakeasy bar
The OGB bar was the city's go to bar that offered seating inside and outside, perfect options for Christchurch's unpredictable weather. The bar inside could be described as small but cosy and was decked out with period artefacts that suited the building's bygone era. The outside seating area had more of an English Pub vibe that served pub meals throughout the day and offered live music into the evenings. The bar served up beers on tap, an extensive range of spirits, local New Zealand wines, as well as just about any cocktail desired. Just next door was the Parlour Cocktail Lounge, a favoured location with locals to hold private events. It was promoted as an intimate event location that came with its own bar and bar tender.
Traditional heritage styled apartments
We stayed in suite number 34; a two-story suite on level two. The main entrance to the suite was on the lower level that also contained the kitchen, lounge, and dining area. There were two very tall windows that reached into a void up to the second level that provided plenty of natural light. On this level there was also a bathroom that included a bath with overhead shower. On the upper level were the two bedrooms, and a second bathroom with a shower and toilet.
The suite honoured the building's heritage along with added modern fixtures. The furnishings were comfortable and there was adequate seating including a large lounge, arm chairs and a dining table fit for six. Overall the suite provided loads of space to stretch out and would be ideal for a family stay. The apartment was carpeted that helped create warmth and reduce sound echo from the high ceilings.
The kitchen was fully equipped with all the necessities expected of a kitchen; a stove, microwave, dishwasher and fridge, as well as key essentials to self-cater like, crockery, cutlery, saucepans and a knife block. However; there was still a mini bar available with snacks such as nuts and cookies, along with and soft drinks, red and white wine.
A stand out feature of the bedrooms was the internal window with shutters that opened out into the living room below. This gave the sense of space and made the suite feel large and open. It was possible to get a view out of the suite’s main windows and it also made communication easier with the folks below!
Spacious bedrooms
The two bedrooms each contained a queen size bed, however, the hotel also offered room alternatives such as 1 queen bed and 2 single beds. One thing missing was ducted air conditioning. This meant the apartment was quite warm and stuffy. Floor fans were provided in each of the rooms that gave a little air circulation.
On the corner of the bed sat fresh towels along with a feedback card, welcome chocolates and a recyclable paper goodie bag that was full of good intention! On the outside of the bag the definition of "goodie" was printed, the intent was to encourage guest to take their single use toiletries away with them, so they were not wasted.
Simple, but sustainable bathrooms
The housekeeping team used a double housekeeping team to clean the apartment. One attendant cleaned the living area and kitchen downstairs, while the second cleaned the upstairs area and made the beds in the two bedrooms. This would increase the turn-around time for rooms to become clean and vacant in the property management system. The toiletries provided were environmentally friendly and the hair nets were biodegradable.
Stephen's Take
This was a grand hotel to visit, the architecture was beautiful and it was pleasing to see it withstood the earthquake. I found it fascinating to consider how the hotel remained profitable considering there were only 26 suites in such an enormous building that must have high maintenance costs. While the hotel showed signs of wear internally, the hotel was clean, well presented and the decor honoured the era of the building. The operators kept on trend by reducing waste through their sustainability initiatives.
Stephen
Unit of Competency Mapping
Please note; the purpose of this article is to introduce current hospitality trends. The content broadly applies to the units of competency listed. It is not intended that all content in this article maps directly to all performance evidence and knowledge evidence in the unit of competency.
Teacher Resources
For further information please take advantage of the following documents and website links!
Teacher Tip
A unique way to get some professional development is to look for experiences hotels have on offer. For example; The Heritage Christchurch offers a Cocktail Masterclass. What a perfect way to update your skills while on holiday. Sometimes there are some catches such as minimun numbers, take a look at what the Heritage offers below.
Article and photos original by Stephen Duncan