Christchurch City Hotel

Christchurch City Hotel opened in July 2021 at 699 Colombo Street, about a minute's walk from Cathedral Square. It is a purpose-built property of 46 rooms, run by THC Group, with a restaurant and bar on its rooftop. It belongs to the generation of buildings that filled the central city after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, and it markets itself on that: new, air-conditioned, built to current safety standards.

The place

The hotel stands at 699 Colombo Street, in the rebuilt central city. Cathedral Square is about a minute away on foot, and Te Pae Christchurch, the convention centre, is a four-minute walk. The Riverside Market is also close by.

The address suits visitors who want to cover the centre on foot. The hotel's team also arranges e-scooters and electric bikes for those who prefer to move faster, and offers valet parking for guests who are driving on to the wider region.

The concept

The building rises five floors, topped by the rooftop restaurant and bar. Of its 46 rooms, the entry level is the Studio and the top is the Executive Suite. Every room has air conditioning, a work desk, Wi-Fi, tea and coffee facilities and a smart TV with streaming services. The decor is contemporary, with modern colour schemes rather than a theme.

The hotel states that it was architecturally designed and built to the highest safety standards, a pointed claim in a city that spent a decade rebuilding. A property sale listing counts 48 keys against the 46 on the hotel's own site.

Other services are practical: luggage storage, high-speed Wi-Fi and a desk that books activities. Meetings and functions are handled by venues within walking distance rather than on site, and the hotel's pitch to business travellers rests on that proximity.

Dining & wellness

The One Restaurant and Bar sits on the rooftop, on level five according to one guide, and serves French-inspired cooking built around local artisan produce and Canterbury wines. The same guide puts its capacity at about 40 seats. The bar side offers wine, beer and cocktails.

The views run over the city skyline, and a sale listing for the hotel mentions the Port Hills and the Southern Alps. The hotel's own site also refers to a Lounge 505 Rooftop Bar, described as due to open in summer 2023, so the rooftop offer has been presented under more than one name. Hours and menus are not published on the hotel's pages.