Bay of Islands hotel has many income streams

The Paihia Pacific Resort Hotel at 25 Kings Rd, Paihia in the Bay of Islands

The Qualmark four-star Paihia Pacific Resort Hotel in the Bay of Island is up for sale as a freehold property and going concern business offering its new owner a variety of future income earning streams within an idyllic setting.

Located on 5549 sq m of land at 25 Kings Rd, Paihia, the four building complex set in semi-tropical landscaped grounds has 36 suites and a wide range of other facilities.

The hotel is being marketed by Millie Liang and James Chan of Bayleys Auckland office, in conjunction with Alan Broadbent of Bayleys Kerikeri. Tenders for the land, buildings and business close on March 27 unless the complex is sold earlier by negotiation.

"Paihia Pacific Resort Hotel offers comfortable, affordable accommodation with a selection of spacious, air conditioned and fan cooled rooms," says Liang. "The complex has multiple business streams, being well set up to cater for functions such as weddings and conferences along with casual guests who are spending time in the popular Bay of Islands. The wide range of guest facilities include a swimming pool, spa and sauna, restaurant, bar, gymnasium and laundry and there is plenty of on-site car parking. Just across the road are floodlit tennis courts which hotel guests can also use at no charge.

"The property is very centrally located, one block back from busy Marsden Road, a short stroll from the town's cafes, restaurants and shops and about 150 metres from the waterfront."

The Paihia Pacific Resort's main building comprises a reception, restaurant, conference room and lounge bar which opens out on to the pool. The three other buildings house the guest accommodation. There are eight standard double rooms, 15 premier rooms which sleep up to three people and 12 superior suites which are very large split level rooms, with a lounge area, that can accommodate up to four guests. All rooms have kitchenettes enabling guests to self cater or they can use the on-site restaurant which offers dinner, lunch and full cooked and continental breakfasts.

Liang says the Paihia Pacific Resort has one of the best equipped purpose built conference and function facilities in the Bay of Islands and is ideal for small to mid-sized conferences. It is located on the ground floor, providing easy vehicle access. The conference room measures 13.6 x 14.5 metres with a raised stage measuring 6 x 3.5 metres. It is sound proofed with air conditioning and central heating and is serviced by a nearby bar.

The conference room has the latest audio-visual presentation and communications equipment including hi-fi stereo sound and a controlled lighting rig that would be available to the next owner.

The capacity of the room is about 80 persons with banquet styled seating and up to 150 with theatre styled seating. It is suitable for product launches, trade days, lectures business gatherings and private functions like weddings, birthdays and anniversaries which require a dance floor.

Liang says there is plenty of potential to further develop the business and the Paihia Pacific Resort Hotel is being offered for sale at a time when tourism visitor numbers and hotel occupancy are at record levels.

Statistics New Zealand says visitor arrivals to New Zealand were 402,500 - up five per cent in December 2014 compared with December 2013. China contributed the biggest annual increase in visitors and continued to be the biggest source of growth, with 39 per cent more arrivals from China than in December 2013. Total visitor arrivals from all countries numbered 2.86 million in the December 2014 year - also up five per cent from the previous year and ahead of the Government's forecast of 2,805,000.

Liang says the Bay of Islands in particular is benefitting from the increase in Chinese visitors, because it is a favoured destination for them. "They also prefer to stay in good quality hotels rather than motels or budget accommodation, although not necessarily in the top of the range of hotel accommodation."

Liang also quotes a Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand (TIA) report stating that the New Zealand hotel sector had a record year, marked by high occupancy rates and improved returns. TIA hotel members' occupancy for 2014 was at 76 per cent - three percentage points up on 2013 and the highest annual occupancy rate in the last 10 years.

She says the latest regional hospitality occupancy figures from Statistics New Zealand show that guest nights spent in short-term commercial accommodation in Northland were up 14.6 per cent in November compared with 5.9 per cent nationally.

Liang says the Paihia Pacific Resort Hotel is well geared up for visitors to the region with an in-house tour desk that has a wealth of information on the activities and tours available in the Bay of Islands and in the wider Northland region. The tour desk can also make bookings, reservations and other arrangements for guests.