The 150-year-old Tuakau Hotel on Auckland's outskirts is set to double in size to accommodate the growing demand for heritage experiences.
The 150-year-old Tuakau Hotel on Auckland's outskirts is set to double in size to accommodate the growing demand for heritage experiences.
One of New Zealand’s oldest hotels is set to expand its historical buildings thanks to a $5 million investment, as it hopes to capitalise on a surge in heritage tourism.
The Tuakau Hotel is located in the small rural service town roughly 4km south of the Auckland boundary.
Celebrating 150years this year, it was built in 1875 during a nationwide depression and coincided with the opening of the town’s railway station.
The hotel underwent a $4.5m sympathetic restoration over four years from 2007 to 2011, which transformed the derelict building into a world-class heritage hotel.
Now entering its initial planning stages, the $5m development will consist of a three-storey expansion built alongside the hotel, with plans showing a design in line with the historical building.
Tuakau Hotel director Dee Bond said she hoped construction could begin as early as 2027 once design concepts had been approved.
“The Tuakau Hotel, the sixth oldest in New Zealand, was built during the country’s ‘Vogel Era’ – a time of major economic expansion and infrastructure development, fuelled by public borrowing and assisted immigration,” Bond said.
“It was constructed during a nationwide depression and coincided with the opening of the town’s railway station and it is an example of both resilience and progress. But like many of New Zealand’s historic hotels, it was vulnerable to neglect, redevelopment and natural disasters. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to preserve it.”
The 150-year-old Tuakau Hotel on Auckland's outskirts is set to double in size to accommodate the growing demand for heritage experiences.
Tuakau has emerged as one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing communities and is projected to double in size by 2031. Its population has grown from 4500 to 6500 in under two decades.
The rapid population increase has put pressure on local accommodation providers, with occupancy levels regularly at full capacity.
Bond believes the community can benefit from international interest in authentic, history-rich travel experiences, which she believes are on the rise, a trend already recognised by Tourism New Zealand.
Recent Government data shows cultural and heritage activities now attract around 1.3 million international visitors annually, and that figure is climbing.
Tourists from North America and Australia are showing a growing interest in the architecture and history of these places because of a shared connection in design across similar eras overseas.
“The architecture and history of places like Tuakau Hotel resonate particularly well with North American and Australian tourists, who connect with buildings developed during similar eras in their own countries’ pasts.”
Chief executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa Rebecca Ingram said that experiences like these are important to a visitor’s experience.
“From the International Visitor Survey we know that of the 3.3 million arrivals to December 2024, 89.2% enjoyed a cultural or historic experience while they were here,” Ingram said.
“Included in this - 39.3% visited a Museum or Gallery, 24.3% a Māori site, 17.2% a cultural building (for example the Treaty buildings in Waitangi), and 8.4% an exhibition.”
Bond said there is a perception that old buildings are liabilities, with restorations often requiring bespoke craftsmanship and heritage consultation, which can add to cost and time.
She believed, however, that preserving historical facilities is often a more sustainable option.
“It involves minimising the environmental impact of construction by reusing existing buildings and materials, reducing energy consumption through retrofitting and promoting responsible tourism.”
“Buildings like these are part of our national story but they are fragile. Numerous historic facilities have been lost to fire and once they’re gone, they’re gone. The most sustainable way to care for them is to preserve them and use them.”
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
