| 9 REGIONAL The Lake Hotel LSA where your space problems make room for design solutions. • Work undertaken includes residential & commercial • New builds, plus additions & alterations • Architect for Lake Haven Hotel, Taupo NZ Institute of Architects Registered Practice and Design 3 LBP www.lyndaslaneyarchitects.co.nz Contact: 021 2648559 Grant Fisher Phone 027 492 6895 Proud to be associated with The Lake Haven Hotel Taupo Proud to support Lake Haven - Taupo “Totally Dependable” Residential | Commercial | Maintenance & Servicing Central Heating | WasteWater Treatment Laser Plumbing Taupo 07 377 3023 3/41 Runanga Street, Taupo taupo@laserplumbing.co.nz www.taupo.laserplumbing.co.nz T TKaren Phelps Location and style set hotel apart The Lake Hotel is located on Tongariro Street in the heart of Taupō’s hospitality district. A new boutique hotel is set to welcome its first guests into the centre of Taupō, marking the culmination of a four-year journey for the investors behind one of the town’s most ambitious hospitality projects. The Lake Hotel, located on Tongariro Street in the heart of Taupō’s hospitality district, is opening with strong early interest from travellers. “It’s a project that’s taken about four years, so it’s very rewarding to get to this point,” says Murray Jones, the commercial investor that has overseen the development. “We’ve already got good forward bookings.” The 30-room boutique hotel occupies the second storey of an 850sqm building that spans both Tongariro St and Tūwharetoa St. The former backpacker accommodation, originally built in 1957, has been comprehensively gutted and re-imagined following a renovation project that has exceeded original budgets by $1 million. “We’ve created the most compliant accommodation place in Taupō, everything is up to the latest building code. We’ve put double Gib on every wall, installed fire-rated windows and implemented the latest fire rating systems throughout,” says Murray. Each of the 30 rooms measures approximately 25sqm and features contemporary décor, fully marble-tiled bathrooms, 55-inch televisions, and writing desks, making them well suited to singles and couples. Every room has ensuites, tea- and coffee- making facilities and king beds. “To give people more options, some rooms have beds that can be split into two singles and some of our larger rooms offer both double and single bed configurations. Several provide either lake views or overlook the Tongariro Domain.” The hotel takes a modern approach to guest services, with no traditional front desk. Guests book and pay online before using state-ofthe-art kiosks to access their rooms via pin codes. Lift access and rear car parking are also available. There are plans to add three, two-bedroom apartments to The Lake Hotel atop the Cobb & Co restaurant. At around 100sqm each, and connected directly to the hotel, the apartments will cater to families and larger groups. Construction is due to begin later this year. “You couldn’t get a better location – there is no other hotel in the middle of the CBD,” says Murray. “It’s a very modern offering for Taupō, very distinct. We are boutique, and are offering something different to the market. It’s quite an accomplishment to complete it.” The location is central to the hotel’s appeal, says Murray, who has been investing in Taupō for three decades and now calls it home. He owns The Lake Hotel along with three other investors. The building also houses several established businesses, including Cobb & Co restaurant, Finn’s Bistro and Beer Garden, Taupo Nails, Kebab Turka and Luna’s Gelataria – the latter owned by Murray’s sons, Michael and David. Guests need only step outside the door to access the town’s full hospitality offering, with the lake itself just a short walk away. Murray sees The Lake Hotel as part of Taupō’s broader rise as a premier North Island destination. He says recent infrastructure investment has further bolstered the town’s appeal, with the council refurbishing main streets and increasing car parking capacity. Motorway connections mean Taupō has excellent access to Auckland and Hamilton. “I call it the Queenstown of the North Island,” he says. “It’s a really nice place and is like waking up every day in a holiday resort.” “We’ve created the most compliant accommodation place in Taupō....”
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