Opening of Hilton's first Wellington hotel delayed until early 2018

Tuesday, 29 August 2017

The Hilton Wellington will come under Hilton's DoubleTree by Hilton brand, which has 475 other hotels around the world.

Construction delays have forced the owners of Wellington's first Hilton hotel to push back its opening date.

The seven-storey hotel was supposed to be opening in late 2017 in the renovated T&G building, also known as the old Harcourts building, on Lambton Quay.

The old Harcourts building on Lambton Quay will be transformed.

However, the project has been delayed and is still months from completion.

A Hilton spokeswoman said construction delays forced the global hotel chain to delay the opening until the beginning of 2018.

Wellington property developer Mark Dunajtschik.

The Hilton, which has been eyeing the capital for some years, announced in February it would be establishing its first hotel in Wellington.

It will operate under Hilton's DoubleTree by Hilton brand, which has 475 other hotels around the world. It would be the third DoubleTree hotel in New Zealand.

The four-and-a-half star hotel will have 108 rooms, including 21 suites. There will also be a gym, meeting rooms and a restaurant.

It will be operated by Auckland-based Sarin Investments, which runs 19 hotels, motels and conference centres across New Zealand, Australia and the US.

Sarin is also building a Sebel hotel in Lower Hutt and has the contract to manage the Hutt City Council's new $23 million events centre.

The T&G building is owned by Wellington developer Mark Dunajtschik, who spent millions restoring it after the Environment Court rejected his bid to demolish the building due to its strengthening costs.

Millions more are being spent on its 'extensive' fit-out, although the budget is still under wraps.

Hilton has not ruled out opening more hotels in the capital.

Previously the chain was tipped to build on the waterfront in 2008, and then in 2014 a five-star, 165-bed Hilton was to be part of a convention centre proposed by Dunajtschik.

But that plan fell through, and a different convention centre and movie museum proposal is set to go ahead in Cable St instead.

Notable for its marble lobby, copper lifts, and the wooden stairwell, the T&G building is considered one of Wellington's best examples of the Chicago-style of architecture.

Glen Hooker, who oversaw the renovation, said the category one heritage building was one of the city's first office towers, built in 1928.