Pauanui eco vacation resort in advance of its time wins award

Additional than 30 yrs ahead of its time, Grand Mercure Puka Park has gained a best award for its eco-delicate growth.

Grand Mercure Puka Park lies in 8ha of native bushland in Pauanui. It this 12 months received the coveted New Zealand Lodge award at the 2020 HM Awards.

Developers Angie Male and Rainer Hoehn aimed to build the quintessential Kiwi knowledge, with globe-course support and an eco-impressed and culturally inclusive style.

About 30 a long time on, the knowledge, the style and build stay second to none.

Rainer and then wife Angie developed the lodge in 1987 when there have been two motor camps and a restaurant called the Sand Piper, which they leased.

“We experienced overseas men and women coming and rented vacation residences off New Zealanders for the initial three decades for persons from Germany that would arrive about,” says Angie. “We also required a restaurant to give for attendees.”

A indigenous of Germany, former airline pilot Rainer was charmed by Pauanui, with its airfield by way of the center of the settlement and white sand seashore flanked by bush.

When the few went to the then Tourism and Publicity Section in Wellington, they questioned investing on the Coromandel, stating tourists only arrived to Rotorua and Queenstown in New Zealand.

“The Coromandel was not even a weekend spot for the Aucklanders.

“I noticed that Pauanui was only an hour and 45 minutes from Auckland and men and women would arrive for guaranteed — something two several hours away they come for a weekend.”

Rainer had achieved a crossroads in his everyday living immediately after an accident although in the cockpit of a jet throughout a flight and created tinnitus.

With money to commit, they seemed at the globe map and focused on New Zealand.

“I failed to want to repeat the oversight where we turned satisfied farmers into disappointed tourism-makers. Uncontrolled tourism in which greedy developers create concrete monstrosities on the beach so you had no sun after 12, and sewage went instantly exactly where you swim.

“I noticed an opportunity in this article to build something which was in harmony with nature and the persons.

“I observed New Zealand was the most undeveloped created place, so to discuss, and fell in really like with New Zealand and New Zealanders. Now it’s the most about-regulated place I know.

“It truly is these kinds of a particular location here, we attempted to tuck the chalets into the bush so persons staying would actually experience like they had been enduring the very same tranquillity we felt the initially time we walked up the hill there.”

At Puka, 49 personal chalets are nestled in the bush, exactly where visitors drop asleep to the sound of the ruru (morepork) and wake to the music of the tui.

“We didn’t cut out any native trees. We discovered places with mānuka and kānuka and we flew in the household sections by helicopter. Every thing came in by helicopter, in some scenarios we experienced trees increasing by the balcony, we created streets all-around trees, we attempted to be sensitive,” says Rainer.

He was driven by what took place to Spain’s Costa del Sol, the place poor advancement had ruined the location: “It truly is improper, you can not unwind.”

“We required to preserve in harmony with the bush and the land,” provides Angie.

The Hoppers — Ian and Tony — welcomed the idea and Ian turned their mentor and superior close friend.

He and Angie teamed up with area businessman Warren Male to start Coromandel FM. He also tried to established up an intercontinental spa in Pauanui but says the crimson tape was by this stage much too considerable.

“The consent took three several years and cost $1,050,000 and failed to direct any place. The listening to for Puka Park lasted five minutes and then we could go ahead.”

At Puka, breakfast, lunch and meal are served in the expansive lounge of the primary lodge or on its deck, with uninterrupted sights to Pauanui and the bay. Miha Cafe functions very best New Zealand develop, and The Hoehn Bar and Lounge pays homage to the developers.

Rainer is now a real estate agent in Pauanui.

Conservation activities these types of as tree planting and wildlife surveying abound. Tennis, a fitness center and mountain bikes entice the energetic, and other folks merely take it easy in the very hot h2o spa and heated outside pool or enjoy the seaside.

Visitors are similarly charmed by the personalised services of the group. All particular occasions are celebrated, with faithful customers delighted by balloons launched on arrival, deconstructed mojitos or scorching chocolate delivered to their chalets.

The team is included in volunteering with regional local community services and even with the months of lockdown, in the calendar year September 2019 to September 2020 the vacation resort achieved previously mentioned market effectiveness inspite of decline of current market segments and worldwide travellers.

Qualmark costs it the only 4.5 star resort on the peninsula, further confirmed by a Tripadvisor score of 4.5 stars and acquiring the Travellers’ Preference ‘Best of the Best’ award.

CEO of Accor Vacation Club, Craig Wood, said the modern award brought satisfaction.

“We are quite very pleased to realize these kinds of solid recognition for this extraordinary resort, the contribution of the team has made this fantastic award possible. The experience and customer service at this assets is excellent.”