Choice Hotels strengthens the Clarion brand in NZ

MEDIA RELEASE July, 2006

Choice Hotels strengthens the Clarion brand in New Zealand

Choice Hotels Australasia today announced the launch of 2 new Clarion Collection Hotels in New Zealand: Nugget Point - A Clarion Collection Hotel, near Queenstown, and Edgewater Palms - A Clarion Collection in Paihia.

Choice Hotels Australasia franchises the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands in the Asia Pacific region. Choice Hotels Australasia currently has 190 Comfort, 80 Quality and 20 Clarion properties throughout the Asia Pacific region. Clarion Collection hotels offer the guests stylish and unique accommodation.

“Our priority was finding the right properties in the right locations. We are thrilled to have brought two such high quality properties into the Choice Hotels family”, said Choice Hotels Australasia Managing Director, David Bayes.

Nugget Point - A Clarion Collection Hotel, five minutes drive from Queenstown, is sited in one of New Zealand’s top locations, enjoying spectacular views over the Shotover River and across to the Sugar Loaf Hills. In 2004 Condé Nast placed Nugget Point on its much-coveted Traveler Gold List.

Edgewater Palms - A Clarion Collection is a brand new 5-star Qualmark-rated waterfront property located a stone’s throw from the sands of Paihia, gateway to the Bay of Islands. Located on the waterfront, and offering one and two-bedroom apartments, each apartment offers view of the bay. All apartments are spacious and well-equipped and the Admiral’s View apartments have fantastic panoramic sea views.

“All properties are renowned for outstanding levels of service and comfort,” says Bayes, “which are defining characteristics of the Clarion brand”.

“They are also the perfect ‘launchpads’ for wider adventures. Nugget Point is within easy reach of world class ski fields, top wineries, adventure tourism like the Shotover Jet, and some of the most spectacular, untouched scenery on the planet. Edgewater offers a contrasting experience, where the focus is on big game fishing, swimming with the dolphins, sailing, swimming and exploring New Zealand’s early colonial history.”

Nugget Point and Edgewater - Clarion Collection hotels will benefit from Choice Hotels International’s global reservations system, GDS and other distribution channels, including the soon to be launched new website as well as the highly popular international HotelPass, which allows international travellers to stop over in Asia en route to Australia and New Zealand.

In addition to the two new Clarion Collections in Paihia and Queenstown, Choice Hotels Australasia also saw the Chateau On The Park and Chateau Blanc Suites, both situated in Christchurch, re-brand to Clarion Collection in November 2005. Both properties have been with the group since 1997.

Choice Hotels Australasia is a subsidiary of Choice Hotels International, with over 5000 inns, suites and resorts open or under development in 42 countries worldwide.

Choice Hotels - We’ll see you there.

For bookings and reservations contact Choice Hotels Reservations on: 0800 803 524 or visit choicehotels.co.nz. GDS code: EC

ENDS

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