I booked three nights at the Crowne Plaza for a long weekend holiday. Couldn't have made a better choice, I was very happy with my stay! I was originally scheduled to arrive just after midnight from Sydney, however a mid-air flight diversion due to fog meant I ended up landing in Wellington at 2am. I called the hotel at 2:45am and spoke with a very cheerful receptionist who said they had suspected I might have been on the diverted flight and didn't need to worry, they were holding my room and would see me when they saw me. I ended up arriving at the hotel just before 9am. The hotel has an excellent location in the northern part of Central Christchurch, right next to the convention centre for those on business trips but also super close to all the tourist attractions like New Regent Street and Cathedral Square. The city centre is flat as a pancake so walking around is a breeze. Check-in was easy and I was on my way up to my room before long. As a Diamond Ambassador IHG member the hotel had kindly upgraded me from a 1 King Standard room to a 1 King Standard City View High Floor room. My room was located on the 17th floor, the top floor of the hotel and it was amazing. Looking at the hotel floor plan it looked to be one of the largest rooms they had on offer. The long entrance corridor offered ample luggage storage space, a large closet, in-room safe, coat hooks (a necessity in wintry Christchurch!), tea/coffee facilities and a fully stocked minibar, not something you see consistently in the post-pandemic world. The bedroom featured a cozy window alcove with sweeping views to the north, large flat screen TV with local and cable / international channels as well as Chromecast and the most dreamy king bed. The bedding was seriously, seriously good, to the point where I have been googling it to see if I can buy it for home, unfortunately to no avail! Bathroom was well appointed with plenty of towels, bathrobes and the brand-standard Antipodes toiletries. The shower featured both a rainfall and regular shower head, my only complaint here would be that the water pressure could have been a little stronger. Wi-Fi was fast and reliable throughout the hotel and air conditioning worked very well, however I had to re-input my custom settings every time I left and came back to the room. Housekeeping service throughout my stay was excellent, I liked the modern "please make up my room" and "do not disturb" illuminated lights used, replacing the flimsy old door hangers. Key hotel amenities include the library on the 1st floor and the gym on the 3rd floor, both open round the clock. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to use the gym equipment however I stopped by to refill my water bottle and could see it was well equipped. The library is next to the restaurant and had a variety of literature available as well as seating, computers and printing facilities. Dining options at the hotel include Market Place Restaurant and Bar on the 1st floor for breakfast/dinner and 1851 Social on the ground floor for snacks and drinks from 12pm til late. I had buffet breakfast included and found it to be really good. The hot selection included all the classics plus a chef's station where you could order pancakes, porridge or eggs cooked to order. They also had a good variety of bakery, cold cuts, fruits, yoghurts and juices. Filter coffee was available at the buffet and although there were barista machines I didn't really see anyone ordering barista coffees and I didn't enquire either, so not sure if these are included in the cost of the buffet or attract a supplement. Service at the buffet breakfast was great with the cooked to order items brought to your table very quickly. It seemed popular not just with guests but with locals too, I visited quite early on Sunday morning and it seemed to be the place to be for the firefighters of the Christchurch City Station, visiting for breakfast before or after their shift! As mentioned earlier the location is fantastic and it's really easy to get around Christchurch. Some of the key attractions worth visiting are Cathedral Square, the Riverside Market, Quake City museum, the Christchurch Art Gallery, the Cardboard Cathedral and the Botanical Gardens. You'd be hard pressed finding anything more than a twenty minute walk away and even in June although cold it wasn't particularly windy, so as long as you have a decent jacket the walks should be pretty comfortable. If you're looking for a highlight meal I would highly recommend Twenty Seven Steps on nearby New Regent Street. Unfortunately no supermarkets I could find in the central city, although there was a decent convenience store at nearby Cathedral Junction. There is a Countdown (Kiwi Woolworths for the Australian crowd) at the southern end of the city which you could walk to or take a short Uber ride. Special mention has to go to the staff, who were great all round. Friendly, engaging and helpful, good old fashioned Kiwi hospitality. After all the dramas with my flight it was such a relief to arrive at the hotel and have everything go so smoothly. They were also able to arrange a 1pm late check-out for me which was great considering I had a later afternoon flight. All in all the Crowne Plaza Christchurch offers excellent value for money and a close-to-flawless experience, reminiscent of the good old days before the pandemic made things more difficult. I will definitely return the next time I'm in Ōtautahi Christchurch!…