Client News

“My overall vision for these three venues is to capture a diverse audience at different times of the day and become known as a popular dining hub, for locals and visitors,” he said.

Chef Mirco’s culinary journey started at the age of 15 when he started his chef apprenticeship in a four-star hotel in Switzerland.

Mirco came to New Zealand at the age of 26 where he honed his skills in cafes in Blenheim and Picton, before making the move to top Auckland hotels and then Queenstown.

And while he loves the simple pleasures of fresh bread, pastries and roasted coffee beans in the morning, a small goods platter in the afternoon or sizzling steak on the barbeque, he names his favourite dish as his Aunty’s lasagne.

“We’re aiming to appeal to everyone, keeping good old-fashioned favourites that are generous in portion but reasonable in price, while offering health conscious guests some lighter options,” said Chef Mirco.

Crowne Plaza Christchurch’s features three premium offers in one inspiring new space. Market Place restaurant and bar takes inspiration from the local markets which once thrived just metres away in Victoria Square. Featuring an interactive marketplace dining concept, diners will be encouraged to pick and choose from a wide range of dishes on offer.

The menu for Market Place restaurant and bar is still under wraps, but Chef Mirco said his vision was to give locals and visitors the opportunity to discover the best fresh produce the city has to offer.

“I’ve been visiting our local farmers markets each week to get inspiration for ingredients and dishes and we’re excited to be opening up our very own interactive market inspired dining concept,” he said.

“There will be a live cooking station where guests can choose from a selection of meat, fish or seafood each evening, cooked to order just how they like it.”

Located in the lobby, Café 1851 is set to delight tastebuds and give friends, locals and families a place to connect in a contemporary environment. It will serve expertly brewed Mojo coffee, T2 tea, fresh juices and smoothies, pastries, cakes, sandwiches and salads.

The light-filled café features clean lines and Scandanavian-inspired décor. With free wifi available it will be the perfect spot for meetings, a work break or tasty ‘grab and go’ food.

Social Wine Bar will be the place for get-togethers and drinks over shared plates, an extensive wine list and a selection of NZ craft beers. Chef Mirco said the bar would be an “elegant and comfortable” space with a fireplace adding a cosy vibe.

“The selection of dishes on offer will include small, medium and large plates all designed to be shared by friends, colleagues, couples or groups,” he said.

“It’s sure to be the perfect space for socialising, meetings, a place to grab a quick bite before a show or game, or perhaps a nightcap after a busy day.”

Crowne Plaza Christchurch General Manager Reinier Eulink said he was honoured to be working alongside Mirco once more, after the pair previously worked at IHG’s Crowne Plaza Queenstown.

“Mirco’s strong knowledge of classical and contemporary techniques was perfect for Crowne Plaza Queenstown’s local and international guests and the feedback we received was outstanding,” he said.

“We can’t wait to see our restaurant, café and bar come to life thanks to his expertise at the helm of our food and beverage operation.

“We look forward to inviting Christchurch locals to visit at any time of the day, for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.”

Click here to visit Crowne Plaza Christchurch’s website.

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1/ Crowne Plaza Christchurch’s new Café 1851 will offer something for everyone

“This hotel offers a range of inspiring workshop or brainstorming places to meet and connect, all delivered with our signature Crowne Plaza service,” she said.

“We’re offering four spaces specifically designed to ensure the success of any client’s business function, with the flexibility to accommodate a range of events from smaller meetings through to large-scale presentations.”

Located on the first floor of the landmark hotel there are three separate boardrooms featuring views of the Victoria Square parkland, and a larger premium meeting space.

The Golden Fleece room seats up to 150 theatre or cocktail style, or 90 banquet style, and includes dual projection screens and built-in audio.

The Ellis, Gartner and Oram rooms cater for 10 to 14 guests boardroom style. Groups can combine two or all three of the rooms for a medium-sized space filled with natural light.

The names of the meeting spaces pay homage to the early history of Victoria Square. One of the city’s first hotels, The Golden Fleece, once occupied the site of the new Crowne Plaza.

The brand new rooms and meeting spaces offering the latest technology are online now for bookings from August 1 2017, and Ms Zwarts said they would be “a great step forward” for the regenerating city.

“From the moment you book your event, you can be confident you’re in the best hands with our friendly and knowledgeable team to ensure it runs seamlessly and efficiently,” she said.

Other spaces within the hotel available for event bookings include Café 1851 on the ground-floor, the stunning 80-seat Market Place Restaurant or even the cosy first-floor hotel library.

Groups staying at the hotel are guaranteed a great night’s sleep – with new beds in comfortable ‘zen-like’ rooms and a range of flexible Executive, Deluxe and Superior configurations.

Conference guests can stay connected throughout the hotel with free WiFi. Guest room technology includes Samsung smart TV’s with Bluetooth connectivity, mobile device mirroring and USB docks.

The new hotel’s central location means guests can step out of the front door with city attractions, shops and entertainment, and Hagley Park’s green open spaces on the doorstep.

General Manager Reinier Eulink has returned to Christchurch to open the new property. He most recently spent five successful years leading Crowne Plaza Queenstown, during which time it won multiple travel and tourism awards.

Conference or meetings bookers are recognised and rewarded for choosing Crowne Plaza Christchurch with the IHG Business Rewards programme. Points can be redeemed for free room nights, gift vouchers and an extensive range of other offers.

With the opening of the new Crowne Plaza Christchurch, IHG will operate six properties in New Zealand including Crowne Plaza hotels in Auckland, Queenstown and Christchurch, two Holiday Inn properties in Rotorua and at Auckland Airport, and the InterContinental Wellington.

Click here to visit Crowne Plaza Christchurch’s website.

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1/ The new Crowne Plaza Christchurch will add four flexible event and conferencing spaces to the city

The concept is still under wraps but the inventive duo say plans are to complement downtown Queenstown’s vibrant hub by offering barista coffee, breakfast, lunch and dinner and diverse live entertainment.

Director Gary Livesey said he was hugely excited to be working on a new project.

“This project’s been in the pipeline for a while,” he said.

“We’re passionate about the hospitality industry and love creating fun, interesting venues that our customers enjoy hanging out in.

“The venue will be an interesting addition to the distinctive businesses in the Church Street area, just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of the lakefront.

“We’re in the process of sketching and designing the venue ourselves, and can’t wait to unveil some surprises over the coming months.
“It’s a brand new concept, totally separate to The World Bar. We’ve put a lot of thought into the design of the space so that the vibe can evolve throughout the day to deliver bespoke experiences for our breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night guests.”

The new-look McNeill’s is set to embrace art, food, music, drinks, performance and drama and become a popular locals’ hangout and a home-away-from-home for the experience-driven traveller.

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1/ New World Bar venture – taking over the historic McNeill’s Cottage in Queenstown