Sir Paul Holmes, photographed at Mana Lodge, Poukawa, south of Hastings, Hawkes Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor
Sir Paul Holmes, photographed at Mana Lodge, Poukawa, south of Hastings, Hawkes Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor
Sir Paul Holmes' family home Mana Lodge has been sold, but the buyer and vendor are staying tight-lipped about the sale.
Sir Paul and Lady Deborah Holmes married at the homestead and the property also hosted his investiture ceremony, two weeks before his death in early 2013. The home's mostrecent RV, in 2013, places the property's worth at almost $2 million.
The real estate agent Christine Thomas, from Harcourts Hawke's Bay, wouldn't reveal what the buyer paid for the property, but said the buyer was a New Zealander.
Mana Lodge at Poukawa, near Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor
The property had sold in its entirety - the main house and the gate house together in one title.
All parties had signed a confidentiality agreement so no further information about the sale or the buyer would be made available.
Thomas said she sold the property to Sir Paul and Lady Holmes 15 years ago.
"It seems fitting that I should now be searching for another person or family who will cherish the property as the Holmes [family] did, with Sir Paul calling Mana Lodge his treasure," Thomas said in September.
A UK advertisement for the property described Mana Lodge as a "much-admired Hawke's Bay country home and a two-bedroom gatehouse set in more than 45 acres of freehold estate land, including more than 2500 mature olive trees".
The UK ads invited potential purchasers to consider options including expanding the existing wedding/luxury accommodation/corporate events business that Lady Holmes has been operating.
