Quest Mount Maunganui bookings made ‘almost sight unseen’

A sneak peek inside Quest Mount Maunganui. Photo / www.anthonystrong.co.nz

Bookings at Mount Maunganui’s newest $20 million apartment hotel have already been made “almost sight unseen” ahead of its official opening next month.

But the Bay of Plenty Times can now reveal a sneak peek inside Quest Mount Maunganui, which was blessed by Ngāi Te Rangi on Tuesday morning.

The Quest Mount Maunganui development, on the Rata St and Maunganui Rd corner, was previously occupied by the Breakers cafe and bar for more than a decade.

The development, including 40 apartments and four ground-floor retail spaces, was just weeks away from starting construction when the country went into lockdown in 2020. It was given the green light to restart construction in 2021. Now, it will officially open on June 12, 2023.

Quest Apartment Hotels (NZ) group chief operating officer Adrian Turner said the project had survived challenges including Covid restrictions, record-high construction costs and lack of building materials.

Tyler Tabak, Avelien and Tere Strickland, Steve Te Kani, Manea Ngatai, Tipene Walters, and Adrian Turner. Photo / Zoe Hunter

“It has been five years in the making,” he said. “But we have come out the other side and we have a building that we can be extremely proud of.”

Turner said they already had “lots and lots” of bookings with the first guests “due in on day one” who were a mix of local and corporate domestic travellers.

Quest Mount Maunganui franchisee owners Avelien and Tere Strickland were “pumped” to welcome their first guests next month.

“It is great to see a number of corporate guests already booking with us. They are booking almost sight unseen,” Avelien Strickland said.

Quest Mount Maunganui franchisee owners Avelien and Tere Strickland. Photo / Zoe Hunter

Strickland, who grew up in Tauranga, said she had worked for Quest for 15 years and was looking forward to making the move back home from Auckland.

“We were looking for that mix of work and lifestyle. It has been a bit of a homecoming for me,” she said.

“It is good to be part of our local community again.”

A sneak peek inside Quest Mount Maunganui. Photo / www.anthonystrong.co.nz

The Wallace Development Company bought the 2118sq m site, including Breakers cafe and bar and Rosie O’Gradys, pre-Covid. All existing buildings built in the 1950s and 1960s were demolished to make way for the new development.

Wallace development manager Tyler Tabak said interiors retailer McKenzie and Willis had secured the entire bottom floor of retail space and was due to move in the next few months.

“We consider the site a gateway site to downtown Mount Maunganui and Wallace Development Company Limited is extremely proud of the design and delivery of this landmark building,” Tabak said.

Established in 1906 in Christchurch, McKenzie and Willis also has stores in Queenstown, Dunedin, Wānaka, Timaru, and Wellington.

Co-owner Bill Willis said it acquired furniture store The Design Depot, which has stores in Hamilton and Mount Maunganui, about two years ago.

Since then, Willis said it has been searching for a property large enough for its McKenzie and Willis offering and signed the lease with the Quest building about a year ago.

“The Design Depot will, unfortunately, cease trading under that brand and resume as McKenzie and Willis interiors brand,” he said.

“The new high profile spot at the Quest has grown our footprint close to three times what it was in the old location.”

Claudia West, of Mount Business Association, said it was exciting news for the Mount’s main street.

“To have additional visitor accommodation located right on our main street is going to be a big boost for our street and surrounding businesses,” West said.

“The Mount is great as everything you need is in walking distance, so visitors will be able to come, leave the car and experience everything the Mount has to offer, all from a great location at the Quest Mount Maunganui.

“We’ve all been watching the progress of this large project and awaiting its opening. It is great to see it all taking shape and in its final stages.”