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10
May 2012
Crowne Concierge




Must See Concerts in Auckland 2012

There are many reasons to visit Auckland this year including some amazing concerts. Get your tickets, book somewhere to stay and enjoy a fantastic night out at one of these fantastic shows:

  • Florence and the Machine

Stopping in Auckland on their huge world tour, Florence and the Machine will no doubt amaze the local crowds.  Critics all over the world have been praising the amazing sound of Florence Welch’s voice during this tour. Back by popular demand and in Auckland for the third time, if this is a band you have not seen, we suggest you get yourself a ticket.

Where: Vector Arena
Date: May 28 2012
Tickets: book now

  • The Smashing Pumpkins

Just announced, The Smashing Pumpkins are on their way to Auckland on August 4th to rock the Auckland crowds. For one night only, Billy Corgan and his crew will bring their epic rock show and a unique stage design, created to reflect themes from their new album ‘Oceania’. If you missed their Town Hall show in 2010, then get in early and secure your tickets for this show.

Where: Vector Arena
Date: August 4 2012
Tickets: book now

  • Lady Gaga

She needs no introduction and we have created a unique page with further details under our Auckland events section for this once in a lifetime show.

Where: Vector Arena
Dates: 3 shows – June 7, 8 and 10
Tickets: book now

  • Battle of the bands – 2012 National Championships

Back by popular demand in 2012, Battle of the bands National Championships features the top emerging artists throughout the country, battling it out over 2 months.  Heats & semi-finals will run throughout June & July, with Regional finals held at the end of July and early August.

Where: Auckland – Juice Bar and The Kings Arms
When: June/July/August 2012
Tickets: Door sales only

  • Kenny Rogers & Glen Campbell

With 12 Grammy’s and over 50 top 10 hits between them, these 2 accomplished country musicians will be sharing the stage at Vector Arena. With decades of hits, Kenny Rogers and Glen Campbell will be a great night of entertainment.

Where: Vector Arena
Date: August 12 2012
Tickets: Book now

Categories: Auckland events, music | Comments Off

27
March 2012
Crowne Concierge




Celebrate Earth Hour with Candle-lit Dinner in Auckland

New Zealand will be one of the first countries in the world to be switching off lights for Earth Hour on March 31st.

The team at Crowne Plaza Auckland are getting in behind the event and from 8.30 – 9.30 on Saturday will be:

  1. Turning off exterior lights
  2. Encouraging all our guests to take part in the event by switching room lights off for the hour
  3. Holding a Candlelight dinner for the evening at Aria Restaurant

The Candle-lit dinner will transform the Crowne Plaza Auckland signature restaurant, Aria into a romantic setting combined with stunning food. Enjoy the freshest seasonal cuisine prepared by Executive Chef, Adrian Walker and his team.

Climate change is already having a significant impact on our planet. Earth Hour started in 2007 when WWF-Australia inspired Sydney-siders sent a message for action on climate change by encouraging people and businesses to switch off their lights for one hour and to make on-going sustainable pledges. It has expanded significantly with more than 5200 towns and cities in 2011 switching their lights off.

All the Crowne Staff are proud to be supporting this great cause and hope other businesses and individuals will get behind it.


How you can get involved:

Web: http://www.earthhour.org – you can download tools, banners, logos, posters etc.

Alternatively, stay up to date with Earth Hour on:

Twitter: @earthhour
Facebook: facebook.com/earthhour

Categories: Auckland events, Charity, Team events | 3 Comments

9
March 2012
Crowne Concierge




Crowne team meets Gordon Ramsay in Auckland

Crowne Plaza Auckland Executive Chef, Adrian Walker and Guest Experience Manager, Jonathon Sullivan popped in to meet none other than the highly acclaimed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay on Wednesday, as guests enjoyed a high tea at Cook The Books in Grey Lynn.

When word spread that Ramsay was in town these guys couldn’t resist but to venture out and meet the man himself.

They came away with Gordon’s latest cook book which he duly signed, while a discussion was had about Crowne Plaza’s presence in New Zealand and of course the joys of the job.

The general consensus was that Gordon is a really nice guy and they were both pleased to meet one of their heroes of the culinary world.

Ramsay has been quoted in the media this week having high praise for Auckland restaurants suggesting they were of a “Michelin-star standard”.

Adrian Walker is the Executive Chef at Aria Restaurant, known for producing high quality beef and lamb dishes using the freshest seasonal produce.

Cook the books is the first store in New Zealand that is dedicated solely to books on the culinary arts. If you’re after some inspiration for your next meal, we suggest you head down to 139 Richmond Road in Grey Lynn and check them out.

Categories: Auckland Restaurants, Auckland events | Comments Off

20
February 2012
Crowne Concierge




5 Auckland must do’s in March

There is a fantastic range of Auckland events coming up in March so we have put together a list of our top 5 recommendations of things to do in Auckland.

1. Auckland Cup Day

Get set for the ultimate half day off! Auckland’s biggest party continues with Stella Artois Auckland Cup Day – celebrating Auckland’s iconic race and providing a half day off mid-week for many.

Where: Ellerslie Racecourse, 80 Ascot Ave, Remuera, Ellerslie

Date: March 7
Web: http://racedays.ellerslie.co.nz/events/auckland_cup_day.html

2. World Cinema Showcase

Now in its 14th season, the World Cinema Showcase 2012 will feature a range of quality international films and documentaries that debuted too late for last year’s NZ International Film Festival, selected by Festival Director, Bill Gosden.
The Showcase is an important part of the New Zealand Film Festival Trust’s annual screening calendar.

Dates:
Auckland: 29 March – 11 April
Wellington: 5 – 22 April
Dunedin: 19 April – 2 May
Christchurch: 26 April – 9 May

Early programme confirmations will be announced from February. You can keep up to date with the latest announcements via:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/wcshowcase
Facebook: www.facebook.com/worldcinemashowcase

3. Volvo Round The World Yacht Race

It’s back! After a ten year gap, Auckland, the world’s premier sailing capital, will once again welcome the Volvo Open 70s fleet home as an official Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Dates: March 8 – 18

Boats arrive in Auckland March 8
Pro-Am Race – 16th March
In-Port Race – 17th March
Start of leg 5 – 18th March

Web: http://www.volvooceanraceauckland.com

4. Blues v. hurricanes

This is going to be an epic showdown with the Auckland Blues taking on the Wellington Hurricanes in round 5 at Eden Park on Friday 23rd March at 7.35pm.

The blues will be looking for a strong start to the Super 14 and will be looking to replicate their last year’s performance when they took down the Hurricanes 17 – 11 in a drama filled finale.

Date: March 23
Time: 7.35pm

Web: Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.nz

5. Summer Opera in the Garden

An ever popular event with opera lovers, Ayrlies brings the best of New Zealand opera talent together to perform a selection of favourites. Bring a blanket and a picnic lunch (or pre-purchase a luxury gourmet food hamper at $45 each), relax on the beautifully manicured lawns below the stage or freely wander over 12 acres of sweeping lawns, ponds, waterways and exquisite plantings to the strains of opera through the trees. Plus! enjoy some extra special treats from The NBR New Zealand Opera’s sponsors during the afternoon.

Date: 11 March
Time: 2pm

For these and other Auckland events, check out the Green Micro Calendar

Categories: Auckland events, Culture and Arts, Sport | Comments Off

29
November 2011
Crowne Concierge




Sprint Car Legend Donny Schatz Wins in Auckland

Auckland was graced with the presence of sprint car legend Donny Schatz (USA) over the weekend at Western Springs Speedway, Auckland. Donny raced to victory in the international sprint car event on his first visit to New Zealand.

A big crowd came out at Western Springs to see four-time WoO Champion driver take on the locals and he didn’t disappoint.

Schatz was impressed with Auckland’s premier speedway at Western Springs; “Unbelievable facility! I’ve never seen anything like it, on the side of the hill there, with the cathedral type grandstand immaculately done, the park right there, its pretty amazing.”

The 800 horsepower, 500 kilogram winged machines have the same power to weight ratio as any Formula 1 car. Check out this beast below!!

Find out about more upcoming Auckland events.

Categories: Auckland events | Comments Off

27
September 2011
Crowne Concierge




Getting Match Fit for the Rugby

We had a Rugby launch lunch at Crowne Plaza Auckland hotel on the 9th September 2011, to celebrate the start of the tournament and to thank all our employees for the hard work that helped us get “Match Fit”. We had NZ and Tongan traditional food and two talented groups of employees did a special cultural presentation for us. Above is the Kiwi group doing a haka, with carvings made by and koauau (Maori flute) played by Tony Ellis.

Categories: Rugby | Comments Off

18
August 2011
Crowne Concierge




Give Yourself a Break – for Charity

If you are looking to snap up some bargain accommodation throughout New Zealand, then get online to www.sella.co.nz/ihg and give yourself a break – for charity! That’s right… InterContinental Hotels Group properties are auctioning rooms from $1 with all proceeds going to the Salvation Army in aid of disadvantaged families.

Called ‘Give a Family A Break’, the Salvation Army project will use money raised during the auction month to assist up to 30 disadvantaged New Zealand families have a one-week holiday away from the family home during the coming summer.

At Crowne Plaza Auckland, we currently have several rooms up for auction and there are plenty of other great options at our other hotels throughout NZ – Crowne Plaza Queenstown, InterContinental Wellington, Holiday Inn Rotorua and Holiday Inn Auckland Airport.

This is a great cause and we are happy to be supporting it so log on to www.Sella.co.nz August 8th – September 4th and give a little to share a lot.

Categories: Charity, Team events | Comments Off

27
July 2011
Gabriella Garnett




IHG Race Around the World

Today is race day!!

IHG has initiated a project called Race Around the World, which the team at Crowne Plaza Auckland are participating in. It is roughly 150 000km around the world, and IHG has said that for each km an employee walks, runs, swims or cycles on  Wednesday 27th July, they will donate $1 to the new IHG “Shelter in a Storm” fund, up to that 150 000km mark.

Check out our team video above…

Categories: Team events | Comments Off

13
July 2011
Gabriella Garnett




Crowne Plaza Auckland team take a trip to Motuihe Island

On 30 July 2011, a group of us from Crowne Plaza Auckland Hotel gathered in the lobby in casual clothes to collect our delicious, full (not for long!) lunch boxes and headed on down to the ferry that would take us off to Motuihe Island, a Recreation Reserve (where you can go camping for $5 a night, visit for the day or help with tree planting, with a group of friends or even on your own – check out www.motuihe.org.nz) to plant trees with the Department of Conservation, facilitated by our great host John. After a scenic boat ride, all sitting on the supper deck, Ronald declared to the skipper that we were the magic people – good on ya, Ronald! :)

At the island we walked to the shed where we would soon climb into some gumboots kindly provided (and very much needed!), to fill the trailer with trees of all kinds including Manuka, Kawakawa and Cabbage Trees. We then hopped onto/perched on the sides of the trailer/tractor and rode down to our planting site in style before digging in, literally!

After planting over 600 hundred trees on a perfect day full of sunshine, laughter, fresh air and some physical labour, we returned to Crowne Plaza Auckland on the ferry, a little muddy but very happy. Those of you who came – wasn’t it great!? For those of you who did not make it this time, fear not, for there are many more trees to plant and there will be a chance for more willing hands to get involved in the future, so watch this space!

Motuihe Island is located in the Hauraki Gulf, a short trip from Auckland, New Zealand. The island features some of the best sandy beaches of the inner Hauraki Gulf islands and is a popular destination for day visits and camping holidays.

Another great event we are getting behind is the Race Around the World. It is roughly 150,000km around the world, and IHG has said that for each km an employee walks, runs, swims or cycles on  Wednesday 27th July, they will donate $1 to the new IHG “Shelter in a Storm” fund, up to that 150 000km mark. So, let’s get involved everyone! Watch this space – updates are coming!

There are wonderful things happening at the moment – let’s be a part of them

Categories: Team events | Comments Off

Crowne Plaza offers ideally located Auckland accommodation and some of the best hotel deals on offer, all within walking distance of some amazing Auckland experiences. With its award winning restaurants and amazing facilities for weddings, our hotel is the perfect choice for all your Auckland events. If you are looking for executive accommodation, Crowne plaza are known for offering exceptional conference venues, with companies returning year after year. As one of the best luxury hotels Auckland has, book online; we look forward to seeing you.