The agreement will add 335 rooms across Rotorua, Auckland and Wellington, while introducing the Marriott Hotels and Autograph Collection brands to new markets in New Zealand.
Marriott International has expanded its New Zealand development pipeline through a three-hotel agreement with CP Group, covering projects in Rotorua, Auckland and Wellington.
Together, the planned properties will add 335 rooms to Marriott’s portfolio and pipeline in the country. The agreement will also mark the New Zealand debut of the flagship Marriott Hotels brand in Rotorua and the introduction of Autograph Collection in Auckland and Wellington.
The first project, Rotorua Marriott Hotel, is expected to open in late 2027 following the conversion of the existing Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua on Fenton Street. The 135-room property is planned to undergo a 12-month renovation before reopening under the Marriott Hotels flag.
The development gives Marriott an entry into Rotorua, one of New Zealand’s established leisure destinations, while extending the group beyond its current concentration in Auckland.
In Auckland, CP Group plans to transform a historic building on Eden Crescent in the central business district into The Official Auckland, Autograph Collection. Scheduled to open in 2028, the 82-room boutique hotel will retain elements of the building’s heritage while being repositioned as a design-led premium property.
The project is expected to become Marriott’s fourth hotel in Auckland.
The third development, Fable Wellington, Autograph Collection, is planned for 2029. The 118-room hotel will occupy a repurposed 1940s office building at the corner of Lambton Quay and Stout Street.
The Auckland and Wellington projects underline the growing role of adaptive reuse in hotel development, bringing existing city-centre buildings back into commercial use while adding premium accommodation without relying entirely on new-build development.
The latest agreement extends an existing relationship between Marriott International and CP Group, which are also working together on the planned St. Regis Queenstown.
For Marriott, the three signings deepen a New Zealand pipeline that already includes Sheraton Christchurch and Moxy Auckland, both expected to open in 2027.
The company currently operates JW Marriott Auckland and Four Points by Sheraton Auckland in the country.
The expansion also gives Marriott a broader mix of locations and brand propositions in New Zealand. Rotorua provides access to a major leisure and cultural tourism market, while the two Autograph Collection conversions strengthen the company’s presence in the urban centres of Auckland and Wellington.
Rather than simply adding room inventory, the agreement signals a more diversified growth strategy for Marriott in New Zealand, combining flagship branding, independent-style premium hotels and the reuse of established buildings across several distinct demand markets.
