Iconic gold-era hotel on the market

The iconic Cardrona Hotel is up for sale after a decade of ownership by the current owners.

The 162-year-old pub is one of New Zealand’s most iconic buildings, smack in the middle of the Crown Range Road which connects Wānaka and Queenstown.

The pub's current owners – Cade and Alexis Thornton and James and Fleur Jenneson – have owned the historic establishment since 2013 and describe it as a “once-in-a lifetime opportunity”.

“It has always been a very busy and successful business, and we have loved our time here, but our next step is to spend more time with our young family,” Mr Thornton said.

Built in 1863, the hotel’s history is steeped in the gold rush era, with many of the original relics such as the historic facade, and a glass window looking into a mineshaft in the floor of the property.  

"The local farmers will come in, leaving their gumboots by the door. I don’t think there’s any other place quite like it in New Zealand,”  Mr Thornton said.

The hotel is one of the region’s most well-known tourist attractions and a popular après ski destination, hosting everyone from international movie stars and royalty to locals. There has been thousands of Instagram-worthy photos taken outside of the facade on the main road.

The hotel which was once called “Hotel Cardrona” was once under threat of demolition.  

Having been built during the gold rush of the 1860s, the historic building had its lowest moment 100 years later when owner Jimmy Patterson died in 1961 causing the hotel to close.

Cardrona Alpine Resort founders John and Mary Lee purchased the hotel and later sold it to Eddie Jones, originally from England, and his wife Rosemary Jones, from Germany, who  took on the monumental task of bringing the hotel back to life.  

“It was a shame to stand there and rot,” Ms Jones said, recalling what she thought when first laying eyes on the hotel.  

One of the key elements of the restoration process was the revival of the facade.  

The couple had rallied their friends from across Cardrona and Wanaka to bring their cars and use some poles to help them restore the most important piece of the puzzle.  

The full restoration took about ten years, and the hotel reopened in 1983.

The deadline sale of August 15 will be expected to attract significant national and international interest. The hotel business and associated buildings will be sold by private negotiation, with expressions of interest now open.

Located in a prime position just 20 minutes from Wānaka and 40 minutes from Queenstown, the 8613sq m property has an award-winning restaurant, year-round beer garden, and 17 ensuite hotel rooms sleeping up to 44 guests.

It employs 40-50 staff, and averages an 84% occupancy rate annually.

“The atmosphere of the hotel is just so different from anywhere else; it’s got that authentic feel and it appeals to so many different groups,” said departing owner Mr Thornton.

Expressions of interest for the sale of the freehold going concern close at 4pm on Friday,  August 15.