June 15, 2017 4:00pm by David Farrar

Wellington Airport Hotel

Construction of Wellington Airport’s new $36 million Rydges hotel is officially under way after a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday.

The four-star, 134-bedroom hotel, expected to open late next year, will be adjoined to the main terminal building and accessible directly from the passenger lounge.

It will include a restaurant, bar and conference facilities.

Airport chief executive Steve Sanderson said the hotel would provide convenient accommodation for domestic travellers and those travelling overseas through Wellington.

“The hotel is part of the airport’s wider efforts to improve the experience of everyone who has to catch an early flight or arrive on a late one,” Sanderson said.

I’m really looking forward to this hotel, and probably will use it. As I understand it, you will be able to check in your luggage the night before if you stay at the airport hotel. If correct, this will be really useful.

At present if you have a 6.00 am flight to Aussie you need to be at the airport by 4.30 am. That means leaving home around 4 am which means waking up a bit after 3 am.

Or you can go to the airport the night before, and get up around 5.00 am, shower and breakfast and walk onto your flight around 5.30 am.

Getting up at 5 am instead of 3 am will be worth paying a bit more for me.