Crowne Plaza Christchurch is a 204-room hotel at 764 Colombo Street, in the middle of the rebuilt city centre. Guests give it 9.2 out of 10 from about a thousand reviews, with cleanliness scoring 9.4, and the page describes it as a four-and-a-half-star property. Its strongest point is position: Cathedral Square and New Regent Street are about a two-minute walk away, the Te Pae convention centre is a minute away and Hagley Park is about ten minutes on foot. That puts the tram, the river, the restaurants and most of the central sights on your doorstep, so you can leave the car or the taxi out of the day. The hotel has a modern European restaurant called Market Place, a bar, a gym, a library and a fireplace in reception, which gives the lobby a warmer feel than many business hotels. It is a good choice for first-time visitors who want to walk to everything and for couples who like a polished hotel with a proper bar and room service.
Location and getting around
Colombo Street runs through the heart of the city, so the hotel is well placed for the Christchurch Tram, Tūranga, Quake City and the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, all within a short walk or tram ride. Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens are about ten minutes away on foot, and the Isaac Theatre Royal is two minutes away if you want an evening show. The railway station is about eleven minutes by car and the airport about eighteen, which helps on arrival and departure days, which suits guests heading out on day trips to Akaroa, Kaikōura or Hanmer Springs.
The rooms and facilities
The hotel lists ten room types. Most are standard rooms of about 27 square metres with a king bed or two double or single beds and a city view, and there are higher-floor rooms for a better outlook. A junior suite of about 46 square metres has a living area and sleeps four, and accessible rooms are on low floors. Rooms have free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, a fridge, a kettle, bathrobes and a shower.
The hotel has a 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, a gym, meeting rooms and a ballroom, and it is smoke-free. Market Place serves breakfast and dinner with a children's menu, and a buffet breakfast is available at an extra charge, so compare rates with and without it. Self-parking is available for a nightly fee, which matters if you have a hire car.
Who it suits and what to know: it suits first-time visitors, couples and business travellers who want to be central, and families can use the two-bed rooms and the junior suite. Check-in is from 3 pm and check-out is at 11 am, pets are not allowed apart from service animals, and many rates include free cancellation, so look at the terms when you book.
There is no swimming pool, so families who want one should look at Chateau on the Park instead. The trade-off for the central position is the usual city noise on busier nights, and a higher floor is worth requesting.
Why stay here
- ✓Market Place restaurant
- ✓Bar
- ✓Gym
- ✓Free in-room Wi-Fi
- ✓24-hour room service
- ✓Library and reception fireplace
- ✓Meeting rooms and ballroom
- ✓Accessible rooms
Good questions
Where is Crowne Plaza Christchurch?+
It is at 764 Colombo Street in the city centre, about two minutes' walk from Cathedral Square and New Regent Street.
Does it have a pool?+
No pool is listed. It does have a gym, a restaurant, a bar and 24-hour room service.
Is breakfast included?+
A buffet breakfast is available at an extra charge, so compare rates with and without it when you book.
