About the Hotel
The Off The Square Experience
Hotel Off The Square styles itself on difference, somewhat reflective of the boutique and unique hotel form that has evolved from the work of Ian Shrager and Phillipe Starke in the New York development scene.
Is it Soho/West Village? Well certainly closer to that urbane canvas than to the stereotyped and formulaic forms that are so often the New Zealand offering. Is Off The square the only urban chic New Zealand hotel/Lodge in the main urban centres? Many similar establishments are rural in location, such as represented in the New Zealand Chic book available at reception.
If there is to be a great hotel experience then the place needs to inspire thought, altered perpspective and create the right nuances, such that the guest will leave feeling different about themselves. That is the art of hoteliere development as I see it.
It is an acquired taste, truly that which you need, to appreciate the hotel form to the utmost at hotel Off The Square. Like good wine, the connoisseur is better placed to appreciate it. It is rare when expectations of standard form hotels are not met and the guest needs a more standard experience.
For the Off The Square experience, the design thrust is simplicity, pared down excellence, elegant form, and inner city urban chic. This is promoted with good location (trams pass through the building - quietly), the rooms are all different in dimension, due to structural arrangements for tramway easement.
There is a distinct colour toning, with a Spring green the latest colour in upgrading. The furniture was designed with simplicity and modular, to enable so many different room types to be managed. The bed for example, is firmly padded with the hotel name stenciled into the bed leg and with underspace to accentuate higher studs and carpet lines.
The art perspective of the hotel equates to an art gallery feel, from the icon piece ‘Lovers of the Diaspora’ of award winning artist Paul Jackson, to South Korean Min Kim to numerous local student artists. This is a plus for guests at Off The Square. New art arrives around every five months. We like providing ambience for guests to enjoy. Like the famous Chelsea New York, there is a certain Zen of place and form that calls on the difference.
The person/staff relationship is pretty good at the hotel. Guests often mention this aspect, so knowing about that is trying just that!
Historically the hotel develops, a lot. After five years of full operation where is a new livery being put in place, the first of super new cyclone like glass installation behind the heritage frontage has taken place and due to a new ‘lining up of the planets’ we feel that despite recessional talk, this hotel offering is truly flying! The Summer past sees our place in the top handful of city hotels. New Off The Square forms have been planned for development in Thailand and other parts of New Zealand. It’s one of those hotels that should be placed in your experience collection. Boutique. Unique and Off The Square!
Timothy Nicholls
Designer
The Staff
We have a lively group of staff to look after you at the Hotel.
Sue’s great with lots of great comments about her looking after people. Glen’s really good for travel/hiking info or to help you select an excellent restaurant. Umedha and Neil are part of our sizeable Sri Lankan contingent; very professional and good guys. Nihal, adds to the Sri Lankan group and is our Business Manager. During the weekends, Lieza and Siobhan are there to keep you well informed with local advice. Tim N (the owner) and Tim D (the General Manager) are local ‘boys’, Cantabrians for sure, and pretty well travelled internationally.
Hotel History
The Hotel is part of the Cathedral Junction project originated by John Britten, New Zealand’s famous motorcycle innovator.
Comprising 38 rooms in a new boutique hotel style referred to as HIP (Highly Individually Placed), the hotel has been designed and developed to introduce a new hotel form for travellers in New Zealand. It provides elegance, simplicity, design and ambiance to a heritage part of the city.
Aimed at premium tourist and business travellers, it attracts North American, European, Asian and Australian travellers who want to stay in a luxury boutique hotel. New Zealander’s find that it also caters for those wanting a new style hotel experience. The variety of room styles suit the needs of business people, independent women travellers, those keen on art and design or sensual chic. The impression is a Pacific theme of soft new-age modernism.
In the high-design age, Off The Square provides a stylish alternative to hotels reflecting sameness. The nature of the building set-up on the first two levels of the three buildings facing on to Worcester street, provides for some lavish historical revivalism. Off The Square reflects a big name in design and fashion in the city and follows the distinctive style of HIP hotels.
It has been said that HIP hotels are a must for business people, busy people at leisure, style conscious armchair travellers, trendsetting designers and architects.
The Christchurch trams pass through the atrium at the lower level of the hotel.
The design and finishing was carried out by Kiwi designer Timothy Nicholls, who also owns the hotel. It is a truly Kiwi inspired development to be experienced. Enjoy your stay.
GLBT Friendly
At Off The Square we welcome gay and lesbian guests. In addition to offering bedding configuration without attitude, our staff at reception are happy to provide information on local GLBT venues, organisations and support groups.
Accor is a Platinum Level Partner with the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association.
Airport Transfers
You can pre-arrange your airport transport with us prior to arrival. When making a booking through our website, please indicate “Airport Transfer In or Out” and your Flight Number in the comments box.
Pick up from Christchurch Airport $45.
Drop off to Christchurch Airport $35.
$5.00 of the fare will be donated to our ‘Open Hand’ charitable fund - to those who are needy.