AUCKLAND, Today: Whittaker’s is giving Chocolate Lovers a chance to check in for its first-ever overnight stay, with a bookable experience created to celebrate 130 years of chocolate making.
Called the Whittaker’s Hotel Sweet, the one-of-a-kind stay is taking over Auckland’s historic Hotel Fitzroy for an exclusive two-week residency, blending boutique hospitality with plenty of chocolate-fuelled indulgence.
The setting is a fitting one too, with Hotel Fitzroy recently awarded one MICHELIN Key in 2025, giving the experience a polished backdrop packed with character and charm.
The campaign was created by Special PR and marks the agency’s first piece of work for Whittaker’s, spanning experiential, media relations, creative and design.
Production of the campaign’s high-fidelity visuals was handled by Jason Domancie and Kayle Lawson of Subgenre, helping bring the Hotel Sweet concept to life.
Guests lucky enough to lock in a stay will step into a chocolate-themed experience featuring a Whittaker’s welcome, bespoke chocolate-inspired linens and robes, and a curated library exploring the company’s bean-to-bar story.
And yes, the suite is stacked with Whittaker’s treats throughout, making sure the whole thing feels like a proper celebration rather than just a themed room.
“Our 130th birthday felt like something we should celebrate directly with the Chocolate Lovers who’ve supported us for generations. Hotel Sweet lets people step inside that celebration and have some fun with it.” – Soraya Cottin, Chief Marketing Officer, Whittaker’s
There is also a wider purpose behind it. All proceeds from bookings will go to Save the Kiwi, marking 10 years of partnership between the conservation charity and Whittaker’s.
Soraya Cottin, Chief Marketing Officer, Whittaker’s says, “Our 130th birthday felt like something we should celebrate directly with the Chocolate Lovers who’ve supported us for generations. Hotel Sweet lets people step inside that celebration and have some fun with it.”
“We’re excited to be celebrating such a significant milestone with Special PR. Their work has a reputation for blurring the boundaries of traditional PR, moving into truly immersive brand storytelling. We couldn’t think of a better way to mark 130 years than by inviting Kiwis to venture behind the doors for a truly sweet experience.”
Harry Willis, Senior PR Director, Special PR commented: “At Special PR, we’re driven to create work that lives at the intersection of culture and commerce. Transforming Hotel Fitzroy into a Chocolate Lover’s sanctuary is exactly the kind of earned-first storytelling we love to create.”
“It’s a privilege to work with such an iconic Kiwi brand by proving that, after 130 years, Whittaker’s is still the most delicious conversation in the country.”
The first release of bookings sold out in under an hour after launch, pointing to strong demand from Chocolate Lovers keen to experience the stay for themselves.
A second wave of bookings will go live on March 31, with those interested able to head to whittakershotelsweet.co.nz when the next release opens.
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