Zebra building refit to create homely feel
People visiting Wellington for business or pleasure are looking for places to stay that can cater to them for longer.
And developers are seeing a gap in some of Wellington’s central suburbs for this – with The Wellington Company purchasing Wild Zebra Backpackers on Te Aro’s Tory St for $7.5 million and choosing to convert it into a hotel for medium- to long-term stays.
Since the end of last year, construction workers have been preparing the zebraprinted building for change. They have been ripping up carpet and getting rid of doors, bathrooms and walls – markers of its hostel history.
The four-star hotel, which will be called The Citizen, will have more than 80 self-contained rooms with their own kitchenettes and laundry services.
Property developer Alex Cassels said the hotel would ideally be for people who were stationed in Wellington for long periods of time.
‘‘We see a gap in the market for medium-term stays in Te Aro at a reasonable price point,’’ Cassels said.
The building’s location and natural light had drawn him to convert it into a hotel. Through design and decorating, the rooms would have a ‘‘homely’’ feel for long-term guests, he said.
Cassels did not see Airbnb, an online broker that helps people rent out part or all of their property as accommodation for a commission, as a competitor.
The hotel was being designed to meet quite specific needs for people wanting to stay in Te Aro, he said.
And as for its zebra-print exterior? That could also be up for a change.
Associate Professor Ian Yeoman from Victoria University of Wellington’s school of management said hotels that focused on medium- to long-term stays were not traditional hotels.
Rather, they were a ‘‘home away from home’’, Yeoman said.
Associate Professor Ian Yeoman
from Victoria University of Wellington’s school of management
Wellington, as a business centre, had higher demand for medium- to long-term accommodation than some cities.
‘‘The long-stay guest requires more space and they require more facilities . . . The traditional hotel is fundamentally a bedroom and bathroom, whereas the long-stay hotel usually has some sort of lounge area and kitchenette.’’
Yeoman had noticed more people were travelling in family and friend groups, which meant they needed more rooms. They were also spending more time in a destination rather than trying to see everything in a certain number of days.
Hotels were changing what they offered to cater to this, he said.
Wellington was no Barcelona or Sydney but its rental market was skewed due to people taking up properties in the city for medium- to long-term stays.
Yeoman said the city would still have all types of accommodation. But projects such as the Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre would bring different people into the city and mix up the sector.
The new hotel is scheduled to be ready by next year.
The building, known for its zebra print exterior, was constructed in the 1940s.
It was first an office building and later became the Wellington branch of the Department of Conservation. It was converted to a backpackers hostel in 2008.
Levels one to five used to operate as a backpackers and the building’s top floors are penthouse apartments.