After an eight-year labour of love Neville Gorrie is ready to let the Grand Hotel go - but only to the right person.
He's looking to lease or sell it, preferably to a Wanganui person who appreciates the heritage work he has done and can make a go of the business.
"The most important thing for me is that I feel whoever takes over is capable of running it," he said.
Mr Gorrie bought the 1927 central city hotel eight years ago, when it was in receivership. He has spent the years since working seven days a week and restoring it to its former glory.
He's now looking to work shorter hours and said if he leased the hotel he would spend another year doing a final few things to bring it up to his standard. He's willing to leave some money in if he finds the right buyer or lessee and said it would best suit two people who could share the workload.
If he can sell or lease to the right person or people, he has a more low-key business idea tickling his fancy - a non-profit retreat centre that he would run with two friends.
His eight years' work have paid off and these days the Grand lives up to its name. Its formal dining room has a grand piano, leather sofas, stag prints and Wedgewood plates on the wall, and a silver tea and coffee service.
Its staircase and corridors are lined with wood paneling and old prints, all of which belong to Mr Gorrie. Its Breakers Cafe and Bar has billiards and pingpong tables and an open fire and its "governor's suite" has a sitting room and spa bath.
Mr Gorrie said previous owners had trouble making ends meet.
"I have made it shine and brought love back into the place.
"I have probably spent $600,000 on this building since I have been here. I'm the first person since Tim Hurley's days to spend any proper money here."
Mr Gorrie said he had kept the price of accommodation "realistic". "It's not that pricey that it's a luxury to come and stay."
He's hosted Probus Club gatherings and has a letter of praise and thanks from the New Zealand Labour Party following its conference in Wanganui a few weeks ago.
He said he thought Wanganui was a beautiful city and bought the hotel because he loves old buildings. It has 53 bedrooms and two function rooms, a bar, a cafe and restaurant and a staff of 20. It mainly gets full when there are special events in the city - the Vintage Car Club Rally in January was a particularly good time.
Mr Gorrie is originally from Upper Hutt. His first business venture was a Hastings bar and restaurant, which was also a seven-day-a-week operation.