03/08/2006
SKYCITY Grand Hotel Gains Tourism's Highest Official Grading
SKYCITY Grand Hotel has been awarded the highest tourism hotel grading by Qualmark®. The Qualmark® 5-star rating for accommodation providers is New Zealand tourism’s official industry recognised mark for “exceptional” quality standards and is the highest hotel grading in the country.
Ron Russell, Qualmark® National Sales and Account Manager - Hotels, congratulates SKYCITY Grand Hotel for consolidating its 5-star rating status for the hotel’s second year in operation since opening in April 2005.
“There are ten hotels throughout New Zealand that currently carry the Qualmark® 5-star quality grading,” says Mr Russell.
“SKYCITY Grand Hotel was 5-star Qualmark® rated when it opened in April 2005, but this year lifted the bar to again receive the country’s highest overall hotel grading,” he says.
Mr Russell points out some key areas that contributed to SKYCITY Grand Hotel’s “extremely high” rating this year.
These include:
- SKYCITY Grand Hotel’s connection to the award winning SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre and to SKYCITY’s numerous bars/restaurants and tourism/entertainment facilities, which are all located under one roof.
- Innovative in-room guest communication methods (including the red tent on the bed to advise housekeeping to change the bed which reads “I’m ready for a fresh change”).
- Unique features such as dine by Peter Gordon restaurant and the East Day Spa.
- Overwhelming positive feedback from guests.
- Environmental campaign to save power and water.
- Overall best practice in hotel quality and service.
“SKYCITY Grand Hotel truly presents a grand luxury accommodation package,” says Mr Russell.
In addition to receiving the top 5-star rating, SKYCITY Grand Hotel was selected by Qualmark® as the benchmark training property for their recent assessment training (July 2006) that ensures accuracy amongst the assessors.
“We selected SKYCITY Grand to showcase what is a new and modern, recently built 5-star operation and to highlight the range of services and facilities that make it stand out,” he says.
Accommodation providers that bear the Qualmark® logo have been regularly independently and professionally assessed. Assessment by registered Qualmark® assessors is undertaken regularly (annually or biannually) to ensure adjudication accuracy. For further information about Qualmark® and the assessment programme, see www.qualmark.co.nz.
Background - Qualmark®, New Zealand tourism’s official quality assurance agency.
The Qualmark® star grading system for accommodation providers sits alongside the Qualmark® endorsement system for other tourism businesses such as adventure activities, attractions, culture and nature experiences, transport and more.
To gain the Qualmark® mark of quality, approving businesses must undergo a regular on site assessment using criteria made up of over 400 quality checks.
Qualmark® is a joint venture of Tourism New Zealand and the New Zealand Automobile Association and is backed by the New Zealand Tourism Industry Association and other leading industry organisations. It is the way the industry directs travellers to quality assured products and services.
SKYCITY Grand Hotel:
SKYCITY Grand Hotel opened in April 2005. It has been Qualmark® 5-star rated for its first two years in operation. Features include:
- 21 levels and 316 rooms of contemporary elegance and facilities above Albert St.
- Two restaurants - an on-site buffet restaurant - ‘The Terrace’ - and acclaimed ‘dine by Peter Gordon’ signature restaurant.
- Private members club lounge offering 24 hours guest service and complimentary wireless and broadband connectivity.
- A 25m lap swimming pool, gym (latest equipment and personal training sessions by Les Mills personal trainers upon request), sauna and spa pool.
- Full range of guest services including latest technologies and the unique East Day Spa.
- Four point bathrooms (bath, shower, toilet and basin separate).
- 42-inch plasma screens in each of the 17 top-end suites.
- Central city location linked to SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre and to SKYCITY Auckland.
- Leading New Zealand artwork throughout from some of New Zealand’ s most prominent artists including stunning new artwork commissioned especially for the Grand by Shane Cotton, Dick Frizzell, Graham Fletcher, Terry Stringer, Michael Hight, Max Gimblett, Robert Ellis and Karl Maughan.
- Photography featured in every room is from the acclaimed collection by the late Robin Morrison (which SKYCITY now owns and every room has at least three of his photographs which are different in each room).
For enquiries and reservations for the SKYCITY Grand Hotel (90 Federal Street Auckland city) phone +64 9 363 7000 or visit www.skycitygrand.co.nz and for reservations and enquiries for dine by Peter Gordon, phone +64 9 363 6000 or visit website www.skycity.co.nz.
ENDS
