Major Upgrade For Well-Known Kiwi Resort

New Zealand summer holiday icon, the Marlborough Sounds’ Portage Hotel, is to be redeveloped as an upmarket contemporary resort, its new owners announced today.

Former Wellingtonian Dain Simpson and partner Alison Evans have bought the resort from previous owners, Thelma and Graham Cains, who have run Portage for over 20 years.

Alison and Dain add the South Island resort to their portfolio of tourism ventures around the South Pacific, and plan to carry out a major upgrade over the next 12 months.

Alison Evans says redevelopment of the historic Portage Hotel will build on the spectacular vistas and region’s natural attractions using New Zealand contemporary designs.

“Portage Hotel is an important part of Marlborough’s heritage and while it will be redeveloped as a more upmarket accommodation – the focus will still remain on the traditional New Zealand market as well as international visitors.”

A leading New Zealand architect has been commissioned to re-design the site – with the completed product promising to feature the very best in contemporary New Zealand art and design.

With a focus on world class customer service, the upgraded hotel aims to lure pleasure-seekers from around the world and New Zealand.

Alison Evans says summer will be business as usual for the popular holiday resort, with upgrades beginning in winter 2001.

Hospitality guru Heather Douglas, formerly of Puka Park Lodge in the Coramandel, has been brought on board as hotel manager while Alison Evans will manage the upgrade and relaunch.

Dain Simpson will remain based in Sydney as principal of the pair’s leading tourism, leisure and hospitality management consultancy Dain Simpson and Associates.

Ends

For more information or an interview with Alison, please contact:

Wendy Pannett
N.B. Communications Ltd
Phone 04 017 0380
Mobile 021 440 898
Email wpannett@notabene.co.nz

© Scoop Media