Hotel shuts to public
A central Christchurch hotel is shutting its doors to the public for six months to become a Covid-19 border facility as the city braces for an expected surge in returning Kiwis.
Guests booked into the Distinction Christchurch Hotel were told last week they would have to stay elsewhere after the Government secured its use.
More facilities are expected to be needed in coming weeks as the number of New Zealanders returning from coronavirus-ravaged countries swells.
As of midnight on Sunday 5697 people were being held in quarantine and managed isolation across New Zealand, predominantly in Auckland where 4557 are being held at 17 facilities. Twenty-six hotels have been pressed into use, including four in Christchurch, where 640 people are being isolated to prevent the spread of coronavirus through the community.
Today, the Distinction will become the city’s fifth facility, joining the Commodore Airport Hotel in Memorial
Ave, the Sudima Airport, Chateau On The Park and the Novotel Airport.
A spokesman for the Government’s
Covid-19 response group said the hotels had been ‘‘gradually stood up’’ over the past three weeks as demand has required. The four have room for 868 people, according to the Government’s
Covid-19 data, meaning, with the 179 rooms at the Distinction – where a standard room with a king-size bed is about $230 a night – Christchurch could host more than 1000 people being quarantined and isolated.
Yesterday, military personnel could
be seen outside the Cathedral Square hotel, with a large section of the footpath fenced off to create what is thought to be an exercise area for those being isolated, in full view of passing tourists and central city workers.
‘‘We are doing our part to welcome New Zealanders and permanent residents back safely to New Zealand,’’ Distinction Christchurch Hotel executive assistant manager Rene Bennett said.
The hotel will be shut completely to the public while hosting returning travellers.
Guests were still able to book rooms just over a week ago, but were told on Thursday the Distinction would be closed for six months. In one case, a more expensive room at the nearby Crowne Plaza was booked instead – the difference paid for by Distinction.
Nearly 3500 New Zealanders are expected to arrive at the border in the next few days – 751 on Thursday alone – with government forecasts of 7265 people in managed isolation and quarantine facilities by next Monday.
About 2200 will leave facilities after finishing their 14-day quarantine, meaning the number being held in isolation will increase by 1268.
The responses group spokesman said: ‘‘The hotels are stand-alone facilities and there are no shared public spaces or facilities with other members of the community.’’