Christchurch’s highest rooftop bar to be called Noahs

Wednesday, 13 August 2025

Christchurch's first Sheraton hotel will be five stars and have a rooftop bar.

A $150 million revamp of one of Christchurch’s most distinctive buildings will include a rooftop bar to be called Noahs, a nod to the hotel’s rich history.

The 14-storey curved building on Oxford Tce was originally named Noahs when it opened in the 1970s before becoming Rydges in the 1990s. It will reopen as Sheraton Christchurch in mid-2027.

Developers confirmed on Wednesday that the hotel, part of America’s Marriott hotel group, will be 5-star. It will be the first Sheraton, or any hotel in the Marriott group, for the South Island.

The hotel is being repaired and renovated at a cost of $150m, well above the $80-$100m initially estimated.

An artist's impression of the redeveloped hotel on Oxford Tce, formerly Noahs and Rydges.

The hotel emerged from the earthquakes relatively unscathed. It had been built with raft foundations and an expectation it could be used as a back-up emergency centre.

However, its future initially appeared uncertain as insurance wrangles continued for 12 years, ending in the Supreme Court. In that time the Christchurch City Council added the bulding to its “Dirty 30” list of sites considered barriers to the city’s rebuild.

In 2022, its owner Emmons NZ Ltd finally settled details of its $190m claim for the three buildings on the site. Two buildings, a parking and retail building and the Grant Thornton office tower, have been demolished.

The distinctive curved hotel on Oxford Tce, now under renovation, will reopen as the Sheraton Christchurch in mid 2027.

Emmons is now a consortium of NZ equity investors through Mainland Capital and Russell Property Group.

An image of the Noahs Hotel in the 1970s.

Mainland Capital director Ben Bridge said securing Marriott International as the hotel operator was a major milestone for the development.

He said having a world-class brand would help Christchurch as it emerges as a destination for both leisure and corporate travel. The hotel would deliver “exceptional” experiences for both guests and the public, he said.

An illustration of the finished Sheraton Christchurch hotel.

Noahs was opened to the public in 1975, after being used to accommodate athletes and officials for the Commonwealth Games.

As the city’s premier hotel it welcomed a glittering succession of famous guests including royalty; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1977 and then-Prince Charles with Princess Diana in 1983.

Star guests include Elton John, The Beach Boys, Joan Armatrading, Lou Reed, David Bowie, UB40, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Annie Lennox and Dudley Moore. Nigel Kennedy was pictured playing violin on its marble staircase.

The curved hotel on Oxford Tce will reopen as the Sheraton Christchurch, the South Island’s first Marriott group hotel, featuring 240 rooms, new dining, and the city’s highest rooftop bar.

The reopened Sheraton Christchurch will have 240 guest rooms and suites, up from 210 before the earthquakes.

Additions will include an extension on the eastern side, a new double-storey street frontage facing the river, and a canopy extending over Worcester St shielding a new forecourt. There will also be an arrival and departure lobby with a glazed revolving door.

The ground floor will include a restaurant and bar, with a raised terrace on Oxford Tce used for outdoor dining.

Function rooms and a guest lounge will be on the first floor.

The Noahs rooftop bar will have an outdoor terrace facing north. A presidential suite will also be on this level.

Richard Crawford, Marriott International’s vice president of hotel development for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, said the hotel would play a key role in the revitalisation of Christchurch’s business district.

“As the South Island’s primary tourism gateway and the departure point to Antarctica, the city is ready for more globally recognised accommodation, and Sheraton Christchurch will deliver that,” Crawford said.

Auckland has a Four Points Sheraton, a brand targeted at business travellers, and a hotel under the group’s JW Marriott brand. Internationally there are 430 Sheraton hotels in over 70 countries.