The Waitomo Caves Hotel and Sights

Hello, my dear readers! Today, I have decided to share with you the curious story of the Waitomo Caves Hotel. After all, this is a blog about the Waitomo Caves Hotel and Sights, and there is hardly any lodging establishment more worth featuring here than the hotel in question. So, I invite you to sit comfortably and relax as we go through this most intriguing story.

Background

As the Waitomo Caves area gained popularity as a tourist destination, the need for adequate lodging options arose. At the time, there were only a few available guesthouses that did not provide enough beds or the proper conditions to meet tourist demand.

Hence, in 1908, the construction of the Waitomo Caves Hotel began at a site now known as 27D Waitomo Village Road and Access Road. The building would later become famous for two things – its unique New Zealand Victorian style and the alleged hauntings.

The Waitomo House: How It All Started

The story of the Waitomo Caves Hotel actually dates a little further back in time. It started with a pioneer cave explorer and tourist guide called Tane Tinorau Opataia and his wife. The entrepreneurial couple built their home in Waitomo Caves in 1901, only to convert it into a guesthouse three years later. The lodging establishment was called with the seemly name of the “Waitomo House.”

Incidentally, that action coincided with the nationalization of the Waitomo Caves under the Public Works Act. This is how, in 1905, the Waitomo House became the property of the Tourist and Health Resorts Department, and its owners received a good deal of money in exchange.

The Department became the establishment’s managing body and, in fact, did quite well. Soon after, the New Zealand Department of Public Works was impressed with the Waitomo House’s success and commissioned the construction of a more modern building. The goal was to accommodate larger numbers of visitors and meet the ever-increasing quality expectations tourists had of lodging establishments.

The Waitomo Caves Hotel: Design and Construction

The new hotel’s design was entrusted to John Campbell. This renowned professional served as the architect-in-charge at the Public Works Department’s Public Building Division.

Despite the idea to build a modern-day hotel, Campbell still sourced his creative ideas from the past. This resulted in creating a gorgeous building in the Victorian style but with quite a few design twists that were typical of the past New Zealand housing trends.

Whereas the Waitomo Caves Hotel has undergone several renovations since its early days, it has still largely kept its initial outlook and major design elements. Here is a quick video to show you how the hotel looks today on the outside. The short film is shot with a drone, so you can explore the building from numerous angles. It also allows you to view in perspective the district in which the hotel is located as well as its surroundings:

A curious fact from its early days is that the Waitomo Caves Hotel used to offer tents to its guests. The reason was that – despite the original intent to host a growing number of visitors – the establishment originally was built with only six guest bedrooms.

The rest of the space included the reception, kitchen, dining hall, and staff rooms. Hence, in case of overbooking, tourists had to sleep in tents outside.

Original Construction and Extension

The original building was completed in 1908. It was initially called “The Government Hostel at Waitomo.” Later on, when the hotel compound expanded, it became known as the “Victorian Wing.”

With only six guest bedrooms, it was not before long that the hotel proved too small to accommodate travelers flocking to the Waitomo Caves. That is how the “Art Deco Wing” was built between 1927 and 1928.

Government Architect John Mair was charged with designing the extension. He took the contemporary Art Deco style as his influence. However, Mair also mixed other stylistic elements originating from California’s Spanish missionary settlements as well as the Cape Dutch buildings in South Africa. This resulted in a vivid contrast with the old Victorian Wing, yet the façade became even more beautiful.

Recent History

Because of its unique architecture, the Waitomo Caves Hotel was registered as a Category 2 Historic Place on 28 June 1990. At present, it does not accept guests. However, if you are looking for lodging options in the Waitomo Caves area, you can find plenty of alternative hotels and guesthouses. Some of them include:

• Abseil Inn
• Waitomo Caves Guest Lodge
• Waitomo Top 10 Holiday Park
• Woodlyn Park Motel
• Waitomo Golf Ridge
• Glow Worm Motel
• Aranui Farmstay
• Waitomo Village Chalets Home of Kiwipaka
• Junohall Backpackers
• Waitomo Homestead Cabins
• Te Tiro Accommodation
• Rock Retreat B&B Farmstay

Hauntings

Another curious fact from the Waitomo Caves Hotel’s history is that it is claimed to be haunted. In fact, it has been ranked as the fourth most haunted hotel in the world. Join me for another captivating read as I tell you more about this!