Cordis Auckland, New Zealand's biggest hotel couldn’t be more excited to announce that their new Pinnacle Tower is set to open and receive fully vaccinated guests from 1 December 2021*.
This opening of the Pinnacle Tower will coincide with the hotel reopening after a long lockdown in Auckland.
Located right in the heart of the city, the new 17-storey tower houses 244 premium rooms and signature Cordis Pinnacle Tower suites. This addition brings the total number of rooms to 640, making Cordis Auckland the largest hotel in terms of room count in New Zealand.
“We are looking forward to welcoming guests to the Pinnacle Tower where they can revel in spectacular city skyline and Waitematā Harbour views and enjoy the warm hospitality Cordis, Auckland is so renowned for,” said Franz Mascarenhas, Managing Director of Cordis Auckland.
Mascarenhas added, “Guests are invited to experience heartfelt service with a renewed sense of Kiwi spirit in a fully immersive local experience.”
AT THE HEART OF THE LOCAL SCENE
The Pinnacle Tower offers breath-taking 360° views of iconic Auckland landmarks from the upper floors of the hotel including the Harbour Bridge, One Tree Hill, Rangitoto, Mount Eden and the Sky Tower.
Designed by acclaimed New Zealand architects Jasmax, the interiors are sleek and streamlined and luxurious yet minimalist, with contemporary finishes. Home to the largest curated locally commissioned art collection, art curators Coupland Cormack have curated a collection of 46 innovative commissions, spanning across multiple mediums that have been created by nine of Aotearoa’s most prominent contemporary artists.
The unique blend of contemporary design combined with the inspiration behind the Māori concepts of Te Whai Ao (light before the dawn), The Manawa Line (a heartfelt connection) and Kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the natural world) is breathtaking, running through the entire art collection.
From the interior fit out to the food and beverage offering and art collection - the best of New Zealand is showcased at every level, starting with a specially designed Art Promenade, where the hotel building is connected to the Pinnacle Tower through an immersive directional walkway of art.
In this space, focusing on concepts of Te Whai Ao and Kaitiakitanga, Lonnie Hutchinson has created an abstract nature walk through the landscape of Auckland, including native flora of earth, sea and volcanoes.
The Pinnacle Tower embraces Cordis Auckland’s standards, with warm and stylish residential furnishings. The new rooms and suites, by renowned interior designers Space Studio are versatile in design with multi-purpose inter-connecting room options, ideal for families and groups offering flexibility, functionality and style.
The top floor hosts the Chairman Suite, one of the city’s largest luxury offerings to ensure the hotel remains the choice for visiting dignitaries. The option for direct-entry guest lift access, from an exclusive VIP entrance is available to guests staying in the Chairman Suite upon request.
The 252.6 sqm Chairman Suite has every modern convenience – an abundance of space, signature Cordis Dream bed, a dining area and spacious marble bathroom with an oversized circular soaking tub bathed in natural day light, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to stunning city views. Finished with a selection of locally curated bespoke art pieces, custom made furnishings, a fire place and a large private balcony with a fire pit.
A plush new Cordis Club Lounge on the 16th floor with a stunning city view provides an exclusive retreat with complimentary drinks, canapés, and a live breakfast station for made-to-order eggs. Cordis’ Club Lounge is set to be the largest and most exclusive hotel club lounge in New Zealand.
Host your next event at Cordis, with the addition of two new event spaces in the Pinnacle Tower. The Jade Room, a 400 sqm events space has both natural light and a private outdoor area and a new state-of-the art Boardroom further adds to the versatile events and gatherings offering.
The development also sees the expansion of the hotel’s existing Eight Restaurant, taking the restaurant’s capacity from 180 to 250. The addition of a new destination bar Our Land Is Alive exclusively showcases New Zealand sourced food and beverages with a local twist, and an enhanced Reception and Lobby area offers a seamless transition to the new Pinnacle Tower and caters for the expanded capacity of the hotel.
“We have used the quieter period to upgrade our facilities and gear up for the opening of the Pinnacle Tower, as the biggest hotel in New Zealand,” said Mascarenhas. “Our aim is to continue to be at the forefront of the hospitality industry.”
Cordis Auckland’s Pinnacle Tower is a celebration of everything unique to Aotearoa – the culture, the community and the freedom to experience and connect.
NEW VACCINE MANDATE IN PLACE
Cordis Auckland have also announced today that all guests wishing to use the hotels facilities, i.e. staying, dining or getting a spa treatment at the hotel will need to be fully vaccinated. This change will take effect when Auckland moves in to The COVID-19 Protection Framework, also commonly known as the traffic light system. This vaccine mandate also includes all colleagues working at the hotel.
Managing Director of Cordis Auckland, Franz Mascarenhas said this is the best option available to keep everyone safe and stress-free, from the moment they walk in the doors until they say farewell. It also ensures Cordis Auckland meet their obligations under the 2015 Health and Safety at Work Act.
“We are living in unprecedented times, and with this comes difficult decisions we have to make as a business. We’ve decided to take a stance on mandating vaccines across our entire team and all visitors, to ensure our guests and colleagues alike feel reassured they are in a safe environment.”
All visitors to the hotel, including for Accommodation, Banquet and Events, Chuan Spa visitors or restaurant/bar patrons at Eight Restaurant, Chandelier Lounge or Our Land is Alive must provide proof upon arrival of their Covid vaccination certificate. Only fully vaccinated guests or guests who have an official medical exemption will be permitted entry into the hotel. Children over 12 years must be fully vaccinated, while children under 12 years do not need to be vaccinated if accompanied by fully vaccinated adults. Evidence can be shown through your My Covid Record, which can be accessed through your My Health Account.
“This decision was not an easy one and took considerable discussion, feedback and debate to ensure we came to the right decision for our business, colleagues and our guests,” added Franz.
“Prior to arriving at Cordis Auckland, there are number of communications that are sent out, whether they be on our website or booking engines. We will ask people to confirm that they have been double dosed at these stages, as well as when they arrive at the hotel. Guests who are unable to provide the details we need will be denied entry upon arrival.”
More information on COVID-19 cancellation policies and hygiene standards at Cordis Auckland can be found on their website here. You can also visit the Ministry of Health website for more information on COVID-19.
About Cordis Auckland
Cordis Auckland is part of a collection of 5 star timeless hotels by Langham Hospitality Group. The hotel is surrounded by a vibrant neighbourhood in the heart of Auckland at Symonds Street. The hotel has 640 rooms and suites, an exclusive Club Lounge, state-of-the-art meeting spaces, a fitness studio, swimming pool and the award-winning Chuan Spa. Perfect for gatherings, Cordis Auckland features the city’s favourite, Eight restaurant, a unique interactive dining experience with eight specialist kitchens, each dedicated to a different cuisine hosted by an expert chef, the Chandelier Lounge which serves High Tea by Cordis with TWG, and Cordis Auckland’s newest destination bar, Our Land is Alive, offering the best of New Zealand made food and beverage. Cordis Auckland has been an EarthCheck accredited hotel since 2016, receiving Platinum status in 2019.
MEDIA INFORMATION
Tayla Nalder, Public Relations Manager
Call +64 21 280 1550, or via mail to: [email protected]
* Date is dependant on The COVID-19 Protection Framework coming into effect.