- The Waitākere Resort and Spa in West Auckland is for sale after 85 years in one family.
- Manager Reg Nevill-Jackson says the property evolved from a bachelor pad to a 26-suite retreat.
- Nevill-Jackson, now in his 70s, seeks a buyer with potential to further develop the $13.5m site.
A grand Hollywood Hills-style hotel in West Auckland is on the market after 85 years in the same family.
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The owners of the Waitākere Resort and Spa, in Waiatarua, have decided they are not getting any younger and, with the next generation doing their own thing, are on the hunt for someone who will love their boutique hotel as much as they have.
Manager Reg Nevill-Jackson told OneRoof that the property has evolved over the last 80 years, from its humble beginnings as a bachelor pad to a rainforest retreat with 26 guest suites, including two two-bedroom apartments.
His father, Captain J Nevill-Jackson, picked up the initial 2.7ha property at 573 Scenic Drive in the 1940s before meeting his wife Monica and having three children.
There are 26 guest suites onsite and resource consent to add another 12. Photo / Supplied
A helipad and chapel for wedding ceremonies are among the facilities on site. Photo / Supplied
The couple built three motel-style units on the site, but it wasn’t until Reg’s father retired from the Air Force at the age of 55 that it became a fully-fledged hotel.
“He didn’t want to sit down and do nothing for the rest of his life,” Reg told OneRoof.
The first block of 12 rooms (known as the deluxe rooms), a reception and a lounge area were completed in 1982, which meant that the family could run a wedding and conference business alongside the accommodation business.
Reg said he had lived at the property on and off for all of his life, but it wasn’t until 1996, after a spell overseas, that he took over its management.
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The hotel is popular with overseas visitors during the peak summer season, but Aucklanders looking for a nearby city break remain the main clientele.
Eight years ago, a further expansion was carried out: the squash court was ripped out, and eight accommodation rooms known as the premier rooms were installed, alongside a gym, a sauna and a spa treatment facility.
“The squash court was basically sitting there unused because squash had lost some of its popularity so they were more relevant to what people are looking for today.”
While Piha Beach is only a 15-minute drive and Titirangi Village is just down the road, many guests don’t leave the resort during their stay. “There’s quite a bit to do in the area, but a lot of people will just have a rest and maybe some spa treatments and do things on-site rather than going out and about.”
Guests find the resort has everything they need on-site from the swimming pool to the day spa. Photo / Supplied
They can eat at the on-site restaurant, lounge by the swimming pool or walk one of the two bush tracks on the 28ha property, which borders the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Park.
Nevill-Jackson, who owns the property with two other family members, said he had enjoyed everything about running the business, but retirement was calling. “We are now in our 70s, and we know we can’t keep going forever,” he told OneRoof.
“We are not getting any younger, and the next generation isn’t interested.”
Nevill-Jackson said the property, which has an RV of $13.5m, offered a lot of potential and would suit someone already in the accommodation sector, someone looking to run a retreat or medical business from the site or someone looking for a private residence on a grand scale.
There was also scope to further develop the property with a resource consent in place for another 12 rooms.
- 573 Scenic Drive, in Waiatarua, Auckland, is for sale, price on application
