Former birthing hospital placed on the market
Media Release
4.12.2018
Former birthing hospital and now a luxury lodge placed on the market for sale
A former
maternity hospital and rest-home converted into a
multi-faceted five-star waterfront lodge has been placed on
the market for sale.
Zatori Retreat on the outskirts of Collingwood at the top north-west corner of the South Island features a two-winged accommodation destination with lounge and foodservice space in the middle ‘hub’ of the premises. The business has a five-star rating.
The lodge overlooks the lower reaches of the Aorere River as it feeds into Golden Bay’s Ruataniwha Inlet, with Collingwood township some five minutes’ drive away.
Each wing offers different pricing options based on room quality. In Zatori’s upmarket wing, nightly rack rates range seasonally from $229 to $399. Meanwhile in the budget wing, nightly rack rates range from $60 in a bunk-bed configured room, through to $210 for a family unit sleeping up to four people. Combined, the lodge has sleeping capacity for 30 guests.
The core of the property was built as the Joan Whiting maternity hospital in 1942, then converted and added onto in 1970 to become a rest home and doctors’ consulting rooms. Zatori Retreat was ‘born’ in 2014 when the buildings were refurbished into 13 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms.
The property has an expansive flat lawn which has been utilised as a helicopter landing pad when the venue has been booked out by corporate and wealthy guests. Zatori’s central lounge can be configured to accommodate 60 guests seated for functions and meal service.
Now the 610-square metre lodge sitting on some 6451 square metres of flat freehold land at 2321 Takaka-Collingwood Highway is on the market for sale by deadline negotiations through Bayleys Nelson Bays, with offers closing at 12pm on December 10.
Bayleys Nelson salesperson Tracey Walker said the lodge was being sold as a going concern – with all furniture, fittings, manchester, and existing marketing collateral and forward bookings included in the offering.
She said the Zatori Retreat business was fully licensed for the sale of liquor – enabling it to host weddings and private functions without the need to apply for special licensing conditions.
“Zatori Retreat’s marketing has been structured to attract both free independent travelers, and event-specific clientele for the likes of yoga and wellness short-breaks,” Ms Walker said.
“The dual-wing configuration allows for the business to market its rooms to several price-brackets simultaneously – sitting in the market above the ‘backpacker’ category, and below the high-end boutique $1000-a night accommodation providers.”
Zatori’s commercial-grade kitchen contains two ovens, 10 gas burner hobs and a bar which can be partitioned off during conferences and functions. The central hub space is also serviced by three toilets and a wheelchair-accessible shower. Produce for guest meals is sourced from the lodge’s own organic vegetable gardens and orchard, alongside an adjoining chicken run.
The lodge’s commercial-grade laundry, linen storage space, manager’s office and two-bedrooms for staff quarters are all situated in the budget accommodation wing. The wing also sustains six guest bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an additional kitchen and lounge area. An owner/manager’s apartment is located at the end of the wing.
Zatori Retreat runs off roof water with large underground water storage tanks and is also connected to the local water supply when needed enabling a reticulated water back-up supply over the summer months. All water is filtered through commercial filters. The former hospital’s electricity generator still exists on site to guarantee power supply in the event of emergency power outages.
Guest amenities within Zatori’s grounds include a wood-fired sauna room with double-glazed windows overlooking the river estuary, and an accompanying freestanding cold-water bush shower. A separate private corner contains a heated romantic two-person bathtub.
“With 13 bedrooms capable of accommodating up to 30 guests, along with self-contained food and beverage service options, Zatori is in a different class from much smaller B & B type operations. It consequently attracts a strong leisure clientele from throughout the Tasman region,” Ms Walker said.
“The Takaka-Collingwood Highway is located directly on the sole vehicular route to Farewell Spit and Wharariki Beach – widely regarded as two of New Zealand’s most remote beaches. It is also sandwiched in between two national parks – Kahurangi and Abel Tasman – making it a fantastic base for exploring.
“As a result, the business tracks a high percentage of two-night bookings from guests staying before and after their day-long return journey to the end of the highway.”
ends