In 1939 New Zealand Breweries had this this now classic art deco building (green) constructed as a luxurious hotel with railway customers in mind. It stayed open till circa 1990 and was closed due to a steady decline. Now it is a backpackers hotel.
However there is a personal link. In 1959 as a young kid I was put up there overnight courtesy of NAC (now Air NZ). I was traveling alone from Tauranga to Nelson on one of the old DC3s' planes but the weather was so rough all flights were cancelled. NAC arranged someone to look after me (another passenger) and I can still remember to this day how freaked out I was to be in such a "flash and posh" place. What stuck in my mind was the vast array of knives and forks and spoons on the table when it came time to eat. I was very humbled. I never knew that sort of thing existed.
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