Portage Resort Hotel

COMMERCIAL / HOSPITALITY

• PROJECT

  Portage Resort Hotel

• CLIENT

  THC Group

• LOCATION

  Queen Charlotte

• STATUS

  Completed

We were engaged by the new owners of this well-known but well-worn hotel to rejuvenate it with a distinctly New Zealand flavour. Given the remote location and the fragility of the visitor numbers in the off-season, the hotel was to be redeveloped over a number of stages with clearly defined budgets for each stage.

The dark and sombre timber lined interiors were stripped and replaced with light-filled spaces, with the heritage aspects preserved where appropriate. Details were designed to allow implementation by existing hotel staff where possible, and with the difficulties of restricted access in mind.

Working in conjunction with Penny Vernon, We refurbished the main public spaces, the foyer, lounges, dining room and bar, and many of the bedrooms in stage one. Innovative use of materials and processes enabled completion within the winter months for extremely tight budgets, with the result that the hotel has been well received by the international tourist markets, and visitor numbers have risen remarkably.

Stage 2 incorporated infrastructure and landscape upgrades, and future modifications include additional bedrooms and a conference centre.