20 JUN: A bizarre pricing situation has developed at a top hotel in Auckland.
From 1 July, 58 rooms at a 5-star waterfront property carrying the Westin banner will sell for $NZ400-$NZ600 a night, while 116 identical rooms will sell for only $NZ99 a night.
The priciest rooms will be managed by the Westin group, the NZ Herald newspaper reported yesterday.
The cheaper ones will be marketed by Asian investors who pulled their 116 rooms from Westin control after the property went into receivership and the investors weren’t getting any return on their investment.
The 58 rooms are being marketed as the Westin Auckland Lighter Quay Hotel.
The remainder are being called Hotel Viaduct Harbour.
A total 12 staff will work for Hotel Viaduct Harbour and guests will have access to the property’s restaurant and bar, but they’ll have to pay for extras as they buy, like members of the public.
Westin guests will be able to charge expenses back to their rooms in the usual fashion.
A spokesman for the Hotel Viaduct Harbour said that although the 116 rooms have been closed for months, they are in top condition.
He said the $NZ99 deal was designed to fill rooms, but prices could rise during the Rugby World Cup in September/October.
The story doesn’t mention plans to market the rooms internationally.
