Character pubs: Grande dame reigns over Raglan

Jeff Holloway, right, with his son Mitchell, has run the Harbour View for 15 years. Photo / Christine Cornege

Grab a seat on people-watching veranda of majestic wooden pub and order up lunch.

It's hard not to relax and think "a beer, right now, would be nice" as you drive down Bow St in Raglan and catch a glimpse of the majestic Harbour View Hotel.

The hotel, which in the early 1900s ran an advertisement promoting Raglan as "the Brighton of the Waikato", is shaded by palm trees that line the main street in a town famous not only for its surf breaks but its relaxed, eclectic and bohemian vibe.

We arrive bang on lunchtime as a number of locals avail themselves of the pub's hospitality on its veranda that runs the length of the front of the establishment.

"This is the town's real pub although the oldies drink up at the [Cosmopolitan club] and a few of the younger crowd go to the yacht club," says Christina King.

"You can sit here and have a drink and see everybody."

When we visit the footpaths are packed with foreign visitors, some of whom are clearly here for the waves but there are also others checking out the cafes and art shops that neighbour the hotel.

There's a distinct relaxed and bohemian vibe in the town and at the hotel that's infectious.

Laz Baker, who runs local backpackers Lazy Stayz, says the hotel has a welcoming charm although he claims he was the last person barred in the old millennium when he was mistakenly escorted from the premises for allegedly throwing a glass.

"The owner realised he made a mistake the following day and I was allowed to come back."

Mr Baker says the hotel, while rustic with tidy, modern touches, has its share of world-famous visitors who likely enjoy going there for repeat visits because Kiwis tend to respect their privacy or are a little over-awed to ask for an autograph.

"Robert Plant [lead singer of Led Zeppelin] has had a drink here a few times and so has that British actor Martin Clunes, who comes here often. Ben Harper comes here to surf and so does Kirk Hammett [of Metallica], it's a happening place, man."

The original hotel and its replacement both burned down within two years in the early 1900s.

The current building, which has retained most of its original features and has 10 rooms on its second storey, opened in 1905 although there has been a Harbour View Hotel running in Raglan since 1867.

The pub's owner, the affable and inviting Jeff Holloway who for three decades served as a police officer in Auckland and in the Ruapehu District, has run the place for the past 15 years.

He says the hotel is "an iconic landmark in a pretty famous part of the country".

"We get good support from the locals and from return visitors.

"We pride ourselves on being friendly and safe, we are trying to create an environment that gives people that feeling."

Harbour View Hotel

Where is it?
14 Bow St, Raglan. About 160km from Auckland.

What's the most interesting drink on tap?
Old Mout Cider.

Who's there when we visit?
A handful of diners enjoying lunch. A few locals enjoying an early afternoon drink on the deck out the front.

What's the most popular thing on the menu?
The tavern's seafood chowder (I tried it and it's very good) or the chicken, cranberry and camembert gourmet pizza.

Would I take an hour out of my journey to have a drink and a meal there again?
My family and I come here often when visiting from Hamilton so you'll likely bump into me sometime if you come here.

What's the decor like?
Colonial-style but comfortable furniture in the restaurant and front bar. The public bar out the back is old-school with framed and signed rugby jerseys on the walls, big-screen TVs for sports, a TAB and two pool tables.