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Thursday October 10, mayor of Christchurch Phil Mauger officially opened 95-room Drifter Christchurch at 96 Lichfield Street.
At an event attended by ChristchurchNZ tourism representatives, local suppliers, the hotel’s design team from CTRL Space, and Leisure Accommodation Collective (LA Co) and Drifter team members, Mayor Mauger participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony alongside LA Co’s chief executive Luke Moran to mark the official opening Drifter Christchurch which welcomed its first guests in June.
Luke says “Christchurch is an amazing and resilient city, and we’re honoured to play our part in its continued re-birth. Drifter Christchurch is the first of many Drifter venues to open in New Zealand and Australia over the coming 12-months, with additional sites in Wellington, Auckland, Byron Bay, and Melbourne all earmarked to carry the Drifter flag and continue to offer unique experiences for all travellers to enjoy.
“At Drifter Christchurch, we employ 30 local team members across the hotel and food and beverage spaces, and work with over 30 local suppliers ranging from small buffalo and Angus beef farms to commercial laundry outfits like Canterbury Linen. We also support Christchurch’s vibrant music scene by hosting multiple live events every week across the hotel and bar. Additionally, with the opening of Te Kaha Stadium in 2026 we know our flexible accommodation options which include both private and shared rooms will ensure we’re well placed to host travellers visiting the city for special events.
“Thank you to Mayor Mauger for being here to officially open Drifter Christchurch, we are very excited to open what we believe is the best property in New Zealand in the great city of Christchurch.”
Following the ribbon cutting in Drifter Leisure Club on the third floor of the hotel, Drifter Christchurch hosted a raucous opening party at The Rambler bar and restaurant for 150 guests which carried on well into the night.
Local Ōtautahi band Yurt Party played two sets, with additional revelry organised by local ringmaster and comedian Shay Horae which included a very impressive aerial performance.
Christchurch’s Haven Tattoo, who are setting up shop in Drifter permanently from this month, were also on hand to ink any partygoers who were keen for a more permanent memory of their night.
In addition to free-flowing drinks from local Canterbury breweries and wineries, guests chowed down on bites from The Rambler’s menu including beef croquettes, salmon crudo, mini lamb smash burgers, triple cheese toasties and chicken katsu sandwiches.
Drifter Christchurch is a 95-room hybrid hotel with a capacity for 372 guests that opened in June. The Drifter concept offers both shared and private accommodation, and a roster of social experiences designed to bring guests together. Music, entertainment and food and drink is a huge part of that, so the opening of The Rambler bar and restaurant in September was a very welcome addition to the Drifter Christchurch offering.
