Swiss-Belboutique Napier opened in December 2021 with 52 rooms in a four-level building that PwC had occupied until 2018. Swiss-Belhotel International runs it under a management agreement, and it presents itself as the first international hotel brand in Napier.
The hotel stands at 36 Munroe Street, on the corner of Munroe and Raffles streets in Napier South. The hotel puts Marine Parade and the main shopping area about five minutes away on foot, which places it a short walk from the Art Deco streets the city is known for.
The concept
The building dates from 2015, when it went up as an office tower with ground-floor commercial space and 29 basement car parks. PwC was its main occupant until it moved out in 2018, and the shell was then converted to hotel use.
Swiss-Belhotel International manages the property under a hotel management agreement with a first term of ten years from 26 June 2020 and an option for ten more. The street level keeps three commercial units of its own, two let to office tenants and one of about 200 square metres that was vacant when the building was marketed in late 2023.
Rooms follow a modern Art Deco line and come in several categories: Deluxe Rooms and Studios, Deluxe Premium Studios, Swiss-Super Studios, and one- or two-bedroom Swiss Supersuites. Some rooms accept pets, for an extra cleaning fee of 150 New Zealand dollars at check-in. Guests also get a fitness centre, free Wi-Fi throughout, a laundry area, and secure self-parking in the basement.
Dining & wellness
Saffron Social Kitchen is the hotel restaurant, serving a modern take on New Zealand cooking with an emphasis on seasonal local produce. It opens from 6.30am to 9.30pm for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a buffet breakfast and à la carte choices. A lobby bar and a separate bar and lounge area complete the offer.
News
October 21, 2023: The hotel was put up for sale by tender through Bayleys Auckland Central. The listing describes a four-level, 52-room property built in 2015 as an office tower and converted after PwC left in 2018, with a Swiss-Belhotel management agreement that a buyer can keep or end under a termination-on-sale clause. Three street-level commercial tenancies are included, two let for about 83,000 dollars a year in passing income and one vacant. Tenders closed on a Thursday in November.
