By HEATHER RAMSAY
Many hotels around New Zealand may be considered nice, but Terry Parkes and Chris Herlihy can joke that they actually have the only nice hotel in the country.
That's because their property is the Nice Hotel, a boutique hotel offering seven luxurious rooms and one sumptuous suite in
the heart of New Plymouth.
We arrived late one summer afternoon, and rang the bell. The old leadlight door was opened promptly and we were welcomed into a reception area that oozed warmth and comfort, and felt opulent without being too fussy.
Formalities were swift, and we were shown up the stairway to the St Mary's Room, so called because the bay window looks over the oldest stone church in New Zealand, St Mary's Pro-Cathedral. It's an imposing building, and the crumbling headstones in the churchyard tell of New Plymouth's early settlers, making it a good place to start an exploration of the city.
If you took the name of each room at Nice Hotel and explored its origin, you would gain a comprehensive understanding of New Plymouth's history and sights. The Redcoats and Marsland Rooms look towards Marsland Hill, a leafy lookout point behind St Mary's. Originally a pa, in colonial days the site housed regiments of soldiers that marched from the hilltop barracks down Redcoat Lane to the parade ground.
On the other side of the hotel, the Wind Wand and Puke Ariki Rooms look towards modern New Plymouth's CBD, a one-minute stroll away.
The Wind Wand room has views down to the waterfront and the Wind Wand, the 45m Len Lye kinetic sculpture that is New Plymouth's new icon, and a striking feature of the city's 6.1km coastal walkway.
Puke Ariki refers to the city's latest and most ambitious cultural project, a multimillion-dollar heritage and information centre that will open in June.
In a hotel run by stalwarts of the local arts scene, it's not surprising to find a Gallery Room. The name is a double entendre because not only does the room feel like an airy gallery, it also refers to the Govett Brewster Gallery, which is recognised for its contemporary exhibitions and collections, including the Len Lye Collection. The hotel is something of a gallery, with an extensive and eclectic collection of works by artists both well-known (Don Driver pieces feature) and more obscure.
But back to the St Mary's Room. All of the sights are a short walk from the hotel, as is the acclaimed Pukekura Park. However, I decided not to explore nor even to soak in the double spa bath. Alongside our room was a library with comfortable chairs and an interesting selection of books, artwork and photos showing the history of the building back to 1855.
I borrowed a couple of books and curled up on the couch in our room. The sun was streaming in, the home-made chocolate and jam slice was delicious, and not even the freshly ground coffee from local Ozone Coffee Factory could stop me dozing off. The hotel may be in the town centre, but there was definitely no rush inside.
On our return home, I tried not to use the word "nice" when I was asked about the hotel, but I was amazed at how hard this was.
"How was the meal?" "What was your room like?"
Defined by different adverbs, that simple word somehow seemed the most suitable response.
Nice food
Our hosts told us that the attached bistro was intended to be classy enough for a visiting princess to wear her gown and tiara, and casual enough for the locals to wear jeans.
I didn't spot a princess or anyone in jeans, and with movie madness in town, it's American accents that turn heads.
Tiaras, jeans and movie stars aside, the bistro is elegantly simple and this is reflected in the food. Summer and winter menus and the wine list are kept small, but still offer sufficient choice.
Various platters make an ideal accompaniment to afternoon drinks on the secluded deck, but we were there for dinner so opted for something more substantial. Two-in-a-bowl soup ($9) was a colourful combination of traditional beetroot borscht and pureed mint and green pea soup. While it looked light, it was extremely filling, as was the caramelised red onion, tomato and olive tart with rocket and feta ($13). Thai beef on udon noodles with melon salsa, snowpeas and mezuna greens ($21), and pumpkin, pesto and pecan cannelloni finished with slow-roasted tomato and a creamy cheese sauce ($19) followed as main courses, and were accompanied by salad or vegetables.
Nice Bistro is open to the public for platters and meals from 4pm daily. Breakfast and lunch by arrangement.
* Heather Ramsay was a guest of Nice Hotel.
CASE NOTES
Where to find it
Nice Hotel & Bistro
71 Brougham St
New Plymouth.
Ph (06) 758-6423,
Fax (06) 758-6433
Email: info@nicehotel.co.nz
What it costs
Bed & Breakfast for two $200 + GST. Corporate rates, wedding packages and other specials on inquiry.
Access
Wheelchair access possible.
Smoking
All rooms are non-smoking.
Facilities
All rooms have data ports. All have double spa baths or a massaging shower.
Getting there
Air: New Plymouth is well served by both Air New Zealand and Origin Pacific. Internet-only fares start at $59 one way. It's a 50-minute flight and Nice Hotel offers a courtesy airport pick-up.
Driving: 4 1/2 hours from Auckland. Take SH1 to Hamilton, then SH3.
Bus: Intercity (09 913 6100 ) has two services daily. Dalroy Express (0508 46 56 22) has one service daily.
Events
Taranaki Festival of Arts, February 27 - March 16
Multi-ethnic Extravaganza, March 1
Womad (World of Music and Dance), March 14-16
Santana in concert, March 21
New Plymouth
Taranaki
New Plymouth hotels nice by any standard
By HEATHER RAMSAY
Many hotels around New Zealand may be considered nice, but Terry Parkes and Chris Herlihy can joke that they actually have the only nice hotel in the country.
That's because their property is the Nice Hotel, a boutique hotel offering seven luxurious rooms and one sumptuous suite in
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