New Wellington Hotel Drifter Is Officially Open For Bookings From January

It's been a few years since a new hotel has opened its doors on the capital. Wellington has a thriving restaurant scene, but when it comes to places to stay, things have been a little quiet for a while. Until now. Drifter, the Australian outpost that successfully opened in Christchurch in 2024, has officially opened for bookings in Wellington from January 2027. 

A private room at Drifter Wellington: Instagram 

Housed in a converted heritage building, this hotel-hostel hybrid includes both private hotel-style rooms, alongside share dormitories and dream pods, which offer far more privacy than your standard dorm bunk bed. Private rooms function as any good hotel room, with ensuite bathrooms, luggage storage, desks and more. 

Rambler eatery at Drifter Wellington: Instagram

CTRL Space have designed slick, modern spaces rife with earthy tones and clean lines that transition seamlessly from shared spaces to private rooms and dorms. Not content with simply offering modern, design-led accommodation, Drifter is centred around the idea of connection. The hotel will be home to all-day eatery Rambler (the renders of which look very Soho House-esque), a cinema, wellness centre, co-working space and more. 

This will be the brand's second Aotearoa location, with works taking place on a site near Auckland's Waitematā Train Station that's set to open soon, and intentions to open a Queenstown spot by 2030.