Renovations put lustre back in Grand Old Lady of the Mountain

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 599, 15 August 1995, Page 10 (Supplement)

Renovations put lustre back in Grand Old Lady of the Mountain

The Grand Chateau in Tongariro National Park, once known as the Grand Old Lady of the Mountain, has recently completed a three million dollar renovation v and refurbishment programme.

General Manager Chris Griffin says the hotel is now looking 'fantastic,' and it is a welcome return to the days when the Tongariro Chateau was an internationally famous and acclaimed hotel. "When I first arrived here six years ago the hotel was rather run down," he says. "You could pull the stuffing out of the chairs, and the

compliment the existing saunas and heated plunge pool. 1 Chris says these facilities will help keep guests entertained on days when the Mountain is closed, as well as provide them with things they are used to in the city and expect from a first class hotel. Over $100,000 was spent on energy efficiency

classic beauty of the hotel itself. And there can be no question the hotel is a historical classic. The lounge looks out across majestic views of Ngauruhoe while a huge fire throws out heat across the enormous room. The ceiling is incredibly high, reminiscent of a time when buildings were made to be impressive. A full size snooker table compliments the picture. The Ruapehu Room, the ' hotel's premier restaurant, is also classically elegant

known as the Whakapapa Tavern, which was very run down," he says. "It had 20 seats in it originally. We spent $100,000 enlarging the bar, moved the bottle store, put a stage in, recarpeted, bought new table tops, put in 120 chairs and a pizza outlet." "Now that's come together well, and I believe we've captured back a part of our market we might havpdost." A sign that The Grand Chateau renovations and refurbishments are already improving the final product experienced by customers can be found in the hotel's

carpet was literally threadbare. But over the last three years, Bayview (the hotel's owners) have spent three million to take the worn look out of the Grand Old Lady. We've brought her back to her former glory and classic elegance." All the rooms have been refurbished, taking into account the hotel's classical past. Curtains have been hung in an old fashioned style, decor and furnishings are classical and a new range of premium shampoos and soaps have been added to the upgraded bathrooms. There's new carpet, wallpaper and paint throughout, as well as entirely new facilities such as a children's games room and a gymnasium to

measures alone, to both cut costs and to help keep the hotel warmer during the bitter winters. An air curtain was installed at the front door, while through the rooms every radiator was given an individual thermostat. Conference facilities have also been upgraded, making them some of the finest to be found anywhere in the country. The final and most significant stage of the renovations will be the addition of an entirely new wing to boost bed numbers from 64 to 104. Chris says one of the greatest pleasures of running The Grand Chateau is the stunning surrounding environment of Tongariro National Park, as well as the

with food stifl served with the original hotel silver and with a vaulted ceiling overhead. Such surroundings make dining a true pleasure. The general feeling created by the lounge and Ruapehu Room is one of a bygone era, when craftsmanship and sheer physical beauty came before the costeffective use of space and commercial efficiency that dominate buildings of today, Chris says other parts of the hotel affected by the renovations are Fergusson's Cafe, which was previously used as staff quarters, and Fergusson's Villas, a set of self-contained units just behind the hotel. "Another area we've totally renovated is Trails, formally

recent accreditation for New Zealand Way branding, which stands for a high level of quality and service. Chris says this is just a part of the ongoing commitment to quality by the hotel management and staff. "We are aiming to be the best resort in New Zealand, and I think we're at least part of the way there now."