Sudima hotel go-ahead sends locals a ‘positive signal’

Kaiko¯ura will soon have a new

$30 million hotel operating under the Sudima brand.

Sudima Hotels has the go-ahead to build a new 4.5-star hotel in Kaiko¯ura, designed for domestic and international leisure travellers and offering 118 rooms, a restaurant and bar, conference facilities, gym and pool.

The hotel is scheduled to open at the end of 2019 on the shoreline at

114 The Esplanade on the corner with Yarmouth St. It will have an outlook to the mountains and sea and be within walking distance of restaurants and bars.

Kaiko¯ ura mayor Winston Gray said the hotel would be a gamechanger, bringing job opportunities and adding a quality venue.

‘‘Since the earthquake we’ve had a lot of disruption, including a few times where accommodation in town was completely sold out,’’ Gray said.

‘‘This project sends a positive signal to locals, visitors and investors that Kaiko¯ura is on a path to becoming better than ever.’’

About 60 per cent of all travellers to the South Island go through Kaiko¯ ura.

Tourism spending and visitor numbers are rising again following a 13-month, post-earthquake repair project to restore the damaged part of State Highway 1.

Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala, the chief executive of Sudima Hotels, said the new development would attract other tourism investment.

‘‘And, importantly for us, the addition of a Kaiko¯ ura hotel will strengthen Sudima Hotels’ national portfolio, especially in the South Island, where we have an existing Christchurch Airport hotel and a second in construction in Christchurch’s city centre.’’

The hotel will open as a ‘‘singleuse plastic-free’’ hotel, consistent with the company’s goal to be single-use plastic-free for all its hotels by 2020.

Sudima was also working with Be Accessible to design the hotel to Gold or Platinum accessibility status.