Hospitality Business Magazine

Boutique modular hotel opens in central Christchurch

Christchurch has a brand new hotel with the opening of Cosa, featuring a new building technique.

The boutique central city hotel spans five storeys with 88 spacious rooms, most with city views. The ground floor includes a large light-filled lobby, café and conference room.
 
It is believed to be the first high-rise building in the country to make use of prefabricated modular units built, to New Zealand specifications, overseas.
 
Cosa Hotel manager, Chloe Doolan says it has been designed for corporate guests looking for modern facilities at cost-effective rates, as well as couples and families wanting to make the most of Christchurch’s range of attractions, all within easy walking distance of the hotel.
 
“We are already receiving a lot of interest from the domestic market, particularly those visiting Christchurch for events, such as concerts and festivals this spring and summer, and for those planning business and corporate events,” she says.
 
The hotel is a few minutes’ walk from the new Te Pae Convention Centre due to open in 2021, a block from Christchurch Town Hall, and a short walk along the riverside promenade to The Terrace and restaurants, bars and shopping precincts, Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens.
 
ChristchurchNZ General Manager of Destination and Attraction, Loren Heaphy says Ōtautahi Christchurch is New Zealand’s newest city and a top destination for business and leisure visitors.
 
“We are delighted to welcome this high-quality, newly built hotel to the city centre. Despite borders being closed, Kiwis are flocking to our city and region, particularly following the launch of our domestic tourism campaign #ExploreCHC. Our revitalised city centre is brand new, compact and easy to navigate with world-class attractions on the doorstep,” Ms Heaphy says.
 
Rates include unlimited high-speed broadband, spacious 22sqm rooms with desks, bold contemporary design, bathrooms with double showerheads including large rain showers, Smart TVs with Sky, safes in each room, an all-day café, and off-street parking. A fully-equipped gymnasium is planned to open next year. The environmentally-friendly building includes low-energy lighting and no single-use plastic bottles for toiletries.
 
Cosa’s 48 steel-framed modules were built in Vietnam. Each consists of two rooms and a hallway. The fitted out modules include floor coverings, curtain tracks, all in-built furniture, wall tiles and bathroom fittings. Electrical wiring, plumbing and painting were all carried out in Christchurch, and a distinctive mural on the entrance foyer was created by a local artist.
 
The hotel owners, experienced local accommodation operators Gary and Ann LePine of Lepdon Holdings had the Cosa site before the Canterbury earthquakes. Originally the site was a Shell motor garage, and historic images of the garage dating back to the 1930s span floor to ceiling hallways on each floor.
 
Cosa’s conference venue can host small events such as board meetings for 10, up to groups of 50 people, with natural light, audio visual equipment and free Wi-Fi throughout.