Floating hotel and golf course planned for Lyttelton Harbour

Plans for a floating Hotel and 18 hole championship golf course in Lyttelton Harbour have been announced this morning by Black Cat Cruises.

“We are really excited by the unique elements of the planned development,” Black Cat Cruises Managing Director Paul Bingham said.

“This is a first for New Zealand. We first got the idea from Cruise Ships being used in Lyttelton Harbour for the 2005 Lions tour and it’s built from there. Floating hotels have become a trend in recent years overseas.”

Access to the 100 room hotel and golf course will be provided by Black Cat Cruises who run the Diamond Harbour Ferry, Lyttelton and Akaroa Harbour Cruises and dolphin swim operations.

The golf course is planned for Quail Island which is a 15 minute ride by ferry from Lyttelton Harbour and development on the island will include an underground club house.

“We are very aware of our environmental responsibilities with the planned development. We are working through resource consents and have been in consultation with various key industry and local government groups for some time.”

Bingham said the $40 million development was planned to be complete in time for next year’s Rugby World Cup.

“We are definitely on a tight time frame now. The hotel is being built in Bluff and will be towed up the Southern coastline once it’s completed.”

The company plans to base its Lyttelton and Ferrymead staff operations in the new hotel and run its Lyttelton cruises from there as well.

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