Jet Park Hamilton has secured a coveted Qualmark four-star rating and is seeing an increase in business as its $4 million refurbishment pays off.
The New Zealand tourism official mark of quality rating is a much needed addition to Waikato’s stock of higher-end accommodation, and comes as part of an extensive overhaul of the 62-room hotel and conference centre that sees family-owned Jet Park gaining a presence in the region. Jet Park, which already operates at Auckland airport and in Rotorua’s CBD, says its sales team kept hearing there was demand for four-star hotel accommodation in Waikato.
“After sales trips, our sales staff would always come back and say, we need a hotel in Waikato,” says director Liz Herrmann.
Mark Morgan, Ian Foster and David Latu
The opportunity opened up when Waikato Regional Airport Ltd bought the Hamilton Airport hotel with a view to improving its offering. Jet Park came on board in May in what Herrmann describes as an “obvious” shift that builds on their 21 years’ of experience at Auckland airport.
“There is a real demand for a high quality product at the airport and we’re already seeing that,” says group general manager Nicole Lawson. “We’re already seeing people choosing to stay here who previously may not.”
Herrmann: “The other thing that sets us apart is we are a standalone, family-operated brand. More and more, with sustainability, I think people would like to support a local company.”
Their commitment to sustainability has seen them gain a Qualmark Silver Sustainable Tourism Business award. The upgrade has been extensive, including shifting the reception to the front of the building, completely refurbishing all rooms, including new beds, furniture and TVs, new bathrooms and themed wings.
The conference rooms have also been extensively upgraded, with high-speed wi-fi and full AV. One of the big investments was to soundproof the dividing wall in their largest conference room, meaning two conferences can be held without interruption. The area also now includes an operating cafe.
Their conference business is building, and drawing interest locally and throughout
New Zealand. “When we first came and saw the property, the potential to increase that conference business stood out,” says Lawson.
Location is a huge advantage. Herrmann points to the appeal of their conferencing’s one-stop nature, with companies able to fly staff in. Meanwhile, the facility is within driving distance of Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua.
Liz Herrmann and Nicole Lawson
“The good thing is we’re outside the city. As much as the airport is busy, it’s still quiet,” says hotel manager David Latu. There are three main conference rooms. Hudson 1 and Hudson 2 are each 100sq m, and can be combined into one. Harvard is 200sq m and can take up to 200 people theatre-style. Each room has plenty of natural light, and there are extensive outdoor green spaces for guests during breaks. There is also a boardroom available for hire.
“It’s about trying to create an area where companies can best synergise their meetings,” Latu says.
Meanwhile, the hotel rooms, which are generous in size but were getting tired after more than two decades of use, have been given complete makeovers, and in a nice touch two of them are pet friendly. Their floors are tiled, and pet-loving visitors can bring their dog, cat or even bird.
Herrmann says the pet-friendly rooms at their Auckland hotel have been very popular. “It’s wonderful if people are in the middle of moving and it makes a safe, comfortable space for them.”
The extensive range of rooms includes family suites, executive suites, and single and double configurations. As they refurbish rooms, they are donating furniture and beds to Waikato Women’s Refuge, and are also involved with SPCA and Waikato Hospice.
Lawson says it was important for them to quickly embed in the local community. “It’s very very important to us. All our philosophy is around care and caring for our staff, our people, our community. That’s why we want to look local as much as possible.”
This year will see a joint collaboration with a local Boys’ High School to create an outdoor wall mural at the hotel. “It’s just about saying, here we are, we’re new, we love being here, we want to get to know you, we want you to get to know us,” Lawson says.
Art is important to Jet Park, and the complex showcases a tui sculpture made from corten steel in the front carpark and large silhouette corten steel trees elsewhere, created by New Zealand sculptor James Wright. Leading Māori artist Rex Homan, who recently won the Supreme Award at the 2019 Te Waka Toi Awards, is currently completing artworks for the hotel.
Meanwhile, in a further creative flourish, an old Hawker Hind wooden propeller from the previous owner takes pride of place on a wall of the renamed Propeller Restaurant and Bar. Much of the food they serve at the restaurant is sourced locally and Good George is on tap. The high-tech kitchen has been refurbished, and Propeller, which is open daily from 11am-6pm, is available for airport visitors – with free parking. They can sit with a coffee, a meal or a drink while waiting to pick someone up from a flight.
Lawson says Jet Park have been delighted by their reception. “When we first announced we were coming, everybody was so supportive, even other hotel brands. They were very welcoming, very excited to see another quality brand enter the market, because what it does for the region is lift everybody.”
It’s fair to say Jet Park have had a happy landing in Waikato. “We’re on a long journey and this is part of our journey, which is very exciting,” Herrmann says.
