The George Christchurch

The George Christchurch

Walk the corridors of The George in Christchurch and you pass more art than most hotels bother with: the largest private collection of Ralph Hotere's work in New Zealand, alongside six pieces by Bill Hammond, gathered since the early 1990s under sculptor Stephen Gleeson's eye. That collection is what separates this member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World from the rest of the city's boutique hotels. The hotel itself is compact, 53 rooms across four floors, built in 1975 and standing within walking distance of the city center, close to Hagley Park and the Avon River. Rooms run from Executive doubles at around 312 square feet to the Standard King Suite at 635, each with a private bathroom, and a few, the Junior King Suite among them, stocked with proper toiletries rather than the minimum. Guests who want a gym, a library, a massage room, and a restaurant and bar on site without leaving the building will find all of it here, along with free Wi-Fi, free bicycle rental, and a concierge who can arrange a private tour of the art itself. A woman traveling for a conference will use the business center and meeting rooms; someone chasing an anonymous weekend away might find 53 rooms and four floors too close-knit for that. Pets are not allowed, and an extra bed runs 85 NZD a night. Check-in is at 2pm, checkout at 11am, and the hotel asks for a credit card on arrival as a deposit. It also holds an EnviroGold rating from Qualmark, part of a sustainability commitment the hotel calls Caring Luxury. Most guests, though, will remember the art before the amenities. The George pairs 53 rooms with New Zealand's largest private Ralph Hotere collection and six Bill Hammond pieces, steps from Hagley Park and the Avon River in Christchurch. Rooms run 312 to 635 square feet with private bathrooms; pets aren't allowed and an extra bed costs 85 NZD a night.