25 Feb 2015
Heritage Hotel Management Ltd celebrates The Devon Hotel in the North Island's city of New Plymouth as the 20th hotel to join the hotel group which now covers 16 locations across New Zealand.
The Devon Hotel's recently opened state-of-the-art conference centre is suitable for events up to 750 people theatre style and 450 for a formal banquet. The versatile Grand Auditorium can be divided into three separate conference rooms. In addition, the hotel has eight smaller conference rooms suitable for break out space.
“We are delighted to have such a large-scale conference venue in such an important region join the Heritage Hotel group. It opens up potential to attract larger association business and conferences related to the many strong local industries,” says Tony Howlett, general manager sales and marketing for Heritage Hotel Management Ltd.
The hotel offers a range of well-equipped and upgraded modern hotel rooms; many with sea views. There is also a renowned restaurant and bar, heated outdoor swimming, spa pools and off-street parking for over 60 vehicles on the three acre landscaped site. This large modern facility is also located just minutes from New Plymouth's award-wining Coastal Walkway and many famous surf beaches.
A centre for New Zealand's engineering, oil and gas, dairying and food production industries, New Plymouth is the major west coast city in the Taranaki region. It is a convenient North Island mid-point for those travelling by car and is well serviced by its airport which has frequent direct flights to and from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch; all with convenient onward international destination connections.
Past resident, Tom Cruise, who was domiciled in New Plymouth whilst filming The Last Samurai around Taranaki had this to say of the region, “It's absolutely stunning, breath-taking.”
Nestled between sparkling surf beaches and a picture-perfect Mt Taranaki, New Plymouth offers a lively destination with great meeting and conference facilities and plenty of opportunities to explore beyond the business aspect of the event.
Delegates and partners can enjoy the compact city by foot or on bicycles supplied to guests by The Devon Hotel. The city has a strong arts community with spectacular galleries and museums, diverse cafes and restaurants, and an amazing array of beaches, parks, gardens and walks on offer.
New Plymouth is renowned for being home to the collection of pioneering kinetic artist Len Lye. His kinetic sculpture Wind Wand has pride of place on New Plymouth's bustling 11km Coastal Walkway, just a stroll from The Devon Hotel.
Lye's kinetic artwork will also be honoured soon with a purpose built gallery planned to open in New Plymouth mid-year, tipped to attract many overseas visitors.
For those who love nature and spectacular scenery, there is the Surf Highway 45 – a 105km route that traces the coast between New Plymouth and Hawera – or the Forgotten World Highway – New Zealand's oldest touring route between Stratford and the mountainous centre of the North Island.
Taranaki also boasts many interesting and quirky museums, such as New Plymouth's Puke Ariki and Hawera's Tawhiti Museum – widely regarded as the best private museum in New Zealand. There are also many more eclectic museums covering everything from Elvis memorabilia to vintage machinery.
Year round, events and festivals fill New Plymouth's calendar including next month's iconic WOMAD cultural festival – to cars, surf, sports, arts and culture events.
“We are thrilled to have The Devon Hotel New Plymouth join the group. With a large, flexible array of conference space, acclaimed onsite accommodation and dining, plus, great transport connections, we know this destination will appeal to meeting planners looking for something new, fresh and exciting,” says Tony Howlett, general manager sales and marketing Heritage Hotel Management Ltd.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Heritage Hotel Management
Heritage Hotel Management manages a pre-eminent range of four star plus properties in New Zealand with convenient CBD CityLife Hotels and luxury Heritage Hotels along with the new charming Heritage Boutique Collection. Combined, the Heritage Hotel Group now has 20 hotels across 16 New Zealand locations.
Website www.heritagehotels.co.nz
TARANAKI – Like No Other
The Taranaki region is rich in legend and history, bordered by dense native bush to the east and a dynamic surf coast to the west, with the picture-perfect peak of Mount Taranaki at its heart.
Maori legend has it that Mount Taranaki was initially located in the centre of the North Island, but lost a mighty battle with another mountain for the heart of pretty Mount Pihanga. Banished west to his current position, it is still said that when the 2518m peak is hidden by clouds, the Mountain is hiding the tears he sheds for lost love.
These days the Mountain is home to more than 200 km of walking and hiking trails, from gentle bush walks to extreme alpine adventures. Beneath the mountain there's much more to discover.
Taranaki is home to a thriving arts scene, which makes the most of the region's perfect peak, lush surrounds and sparkling surf coast, culminating in the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, one of New Zealand's leading contemporary arts museums.
Discover cool cafes, great galleries, spectacular scenery and locals renowned for their friendliness in Taranaki. Visit www.Taranaki.info
For more information contact:
Tony Howlett General Manager Sales and Marketing
Heritage Hotel Management Ltd
Phone 09 979 7516 Mobile 021 649 473
Email tonyh@heritagehotels.co.nz Website www.heritagehotels.co.nz
Susan Gibson
Group Communications Manager
Heritage Hotel Management
++64 9 9797566 Mobile 021 855645
