Te Aroha property could spring anew
The land and buildings of a health and wellness retreat established by a fashion designer and social entrepreneur is for sale. The property — formerly known as Te Atawhai — at 195 Te Kawana Rd, on the outskirts of Te Aroha township in the Waikato, was run by successful fashion label entrepreneur Annah Stretton.
Consisting of five bedrooms, each with their own individual ensuite, the lodge premises sits in landscaped gardens, with a substantial pond. When trading as a commercial accommodation venue, Te Atawhai commanded rates of up to $2200 for four-night health and wellness package encompassing yoga, massage, meditation and fitness sessions.
Guest amenities include a salt water swimming pool, and grass tennis court. The main dwelling is accessed by a long driveway set well back from Te Kawana Rd.
The 365sq m lodge, sitting on some 10,000sq m of freehold land zoned rural 1A, is on the market for sale at auction at 11am, on March 7, through Bayleys Hamilton.
Salesperson Josh Smith says the lodge is being sold as land and buildings only, with the Te Atawhai wellness retreat no longer trading.
However, all the furniture, fittings, manchester, whiteware, and guestroom amenities are included in the offering. The lodge has open-plan communal living, cooking and dining areas — as well as an office on the ground level, with guest bedrooms on the upper floor off a central corridor.
“It would be relatively straightforward for any new owner to establish a lodge or B&B style business at the address,” Smith says.
“Te Atawhai had a niche clientele target-market with its extended-stay health and wellness programmes. Realigning the accommodation offering to the wider one and two-night stay general tourism market at a midprice point around $200 per room per night would most likely result in a substantially higher occupancy rate.
“With a vast flat lawn space immediately in front of the lodge’s portico entry capable of sustaining a sizeable marquee, commercial activity could be scaled up for the property to operate as a wedding reception venue. Should the venue morph into a luxury lodge, the lawn could also sustain a helicopter landing pad.
“There are ample building platforms close to the homestead which would sustai new accommodation to increase guest capacity.”
Immediately adjacent to the lawn is a large landscaped pond with a paved fountain setting and multiple mature trees.
Under Te Atawhai’s operations, the residence’s 45sq m garage was converted into a carpeted yoga stu- dio — featuring an air conditioning unit, and a floor-to-ceiling mirror.
“This space could continue as a wellness-focused amenity, or it could be reformatted into a meeting or function room, or — subject to council consent— could potentially be converted into an additional bedroom,” Smith says.
Te Aroha’s reputation as a wellness location dates back to the 1880s when a geothermal hot springs resort was established in the town domain. The mineral pools quickly became a tourist magnet — drawing in tens of thousands of holidaymakers before Te Aroha’s spa drawcard was eventually surpassed by the bigger and more spectacular geothermal attractions of Rotorua.
However, domestic tourism in and around Te Aroha township has undergone a resurgence over the past six-years with the opening of the Hauraki Rail Trail.
Te Aroha sits at the axis of two legs within the cycling network: the Paeroa-to-Te Aroha section, and the Te Aroha-to-Matamata spur.
The Hauraki Rail Trail is one of the busiest parts of New Zealand’s national cycle network.
Smith says with Te Atawhai operating for only two years, the dwelling’s interior decor is relatively modern and well-maintained, with furnishings in neutral colours and styles.
“Any new owner looking to purchase the property with a view to reopening it as a commercial accommodation entity could simply walk into this ‘turn-key’ opportunity and begin taking on guests. Or, with minimal refurbishment, they could redecorate the interior to any new tastes or design preferences,” he says.