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58 <strong>Style</strong> | Travel<br />
STYLE STAYS<br />
The Mayfair, Christchurch<br />
The slick new kid on the block, laid-back yet luxurious boutique hotel The Mayfair<br />
is quietly making its presence known in the central city.<br />
Words Josie Steenhart Photo Sarah Rowlands<br />
THE LOCATION<br />
Sitting elegantly on the corner of Victoria and Dorset Streets<br />
in the central city, many rooms offer views of Hagley Park and<br />
the Southern Alps.<br />
THE LOWDOWN<br />
Four years and $23 million in the making, The Mayfair features<br />
67 rooms and suites across five stories, including premium<br />
‘top of house’ rooms and suites with panoramic views through<br />
3.3m floor-to-ceiling windows.<br />
Its catchphrase is “a fresh take on modern luxury, where<br />
elegance meets innovation,” which general manager Rick<br />
Crannitch explains as “meaning that luxury no longer has to be<br />
about formality.”<br />
Amongst the innovations is integrated guest technology<br />
and energy-efficient power conservation systems that help to<br />
minimise the hotel’s carbon footprint.<br />
THE LOOK<br />
Architect Tim Field describes his vision for the overall<br />
aesthetic of The Mayfair as “modern, minimalist and elegantly<br />
detailed,” and this is evident in both the exteriors (think<br />
graphic black juxtaposed with raw concrete and swathes of<br />
glass) and indoors, where rooms have been given a strong<br />
palette of rich, warm tones and feature internationally<br />
sourced premium features such as American oak and Italian<br />
ceramics, all carefully accented by mood lighting.<br />
THE EXPERIENCE<br />
When I visited in July the doors had only recently opened and<br />
the main elevators weren’t yet operating, but once installed<br />
in my room (a Top of House Suite) via a side door through<br />
the cafe, having rifled immediately through the Byredo<br />
toiletries with glee and swapped my shoes for a pair of<br />
slippers, I quickly began to wish I never had to leave.<br />
Comprising two rooms that can be divided with sliding<br />
doors into a living area (with kitchenette) and a bedroom,<br />
it also had a spacious balcony and a bathroom that a<br />
marble-lover’s dreams are made of.<br />
When I’d finally worked my way through most of a decadent<br />
deli platter (see below), several glasses of chardonnay and a<br />
perfectly mindless blockbuster on one of the big screen TVs,<br />
the heavenly king-size bed provided an undisturbed slumber.<br />
EAT/DRINK<br />
On the ground floor next to the reception area, by day<br />
Majestic at Mayfair offers a ‘gram-worthy brunch menu,<br />
with everything from classic Eggs Bene to 12-hour smoked<br />
Ōtautahi lamb and Wagyu beef burgers, by local executive<br />
chef Nick Tatom.<br />
Guests can also book to enjoy a unique high tea created by<br />
French patisserie chef Aurelien Fermen.<br />
From 2:30pm, the space becomes a premium cocktail bar<br />
with a decent drinks list including The Mayfair’s exclusive<br />
bespoke tea-based cocktails and a dozen or so tasty bar<br />
snacks to accompany.<br />
If, like me, you love a bit of room service, simply plug<br />
your order into your in-room tablet and put your feet up.<br />
Whether upstairs or down I can highly recommend ‘The<br />
Platter’, a generous tray of cheeses, breads, charcuterie and<br />
more that you can graze on all evening.<br />
THE NITTY-GRITTY<br />
Rooms start at $285 per night. mayfairluxuryhotels.com<br />
<strong>Style</strong> and The Mayfair are giving away a Stay & High Tea Experience worth $1640 – see page 74 for details.
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