Grand Hotel Auckland

The Grand Hotel, at 9 Princes Street, was the leading hotel of Auckland, New Zealand, from 1889 until 1966. With its vaulted ceilings, ornate mantlepieces, red carpet and marble statuary, the Grand Hotel was a plush and social rendezvous from its opening. The Grand Hotel reopened in 1967/8 as the 'Grand Building' fitted out as offices. The leading hotels of Auckland were in the following order: The Grand Hotel, Princes St (closed 1966), the Central Hotel, Victoria St (closed 1972), the Star Hotel, Albert St (closed 1973), the Royal Hotel, Elliot St (closed 1980s) and the Albert Hotel, Queen St. Consequently, the Grand Hotel facade is the last surviving of the main Victorian/Edwardian era hotels in Auckland.

The Grand Hotel architect was Mr William Skinner, designed in 1887. The building was completed by 1889, however, the interior of the third storey was fitted out at a slightly later date. Additions to the rear took place in 1900 by architect John Currie. In 1902 the hotel was rebuilt after the fire, incorporating the front and side facades that had survived. In 1913, a large extension to the Grand Hotel was completed which included a new dining room, kitchen, scullery, and open-cage lift. This was the last major addition to the hotel.

The Grand Hotel was opened on 21 April 1889 by Mr Frank Gaudin for the purpose of receiving the Earl and Countess of Onslow on their arrival from Britain.

The wooden Masonic Hotel occupied the site before the Grand Hotel was built.

In 1901 the Grand Hotel hit the headlines with a massive fire. At the time of the fire the hotel had just finished being refurbished in anticipation of hosting the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall during their stay in Auckland as part of the 1901 Royal Tour.

The fire almost destroyed the building and killed three children, a bank manager from Wellington and a maid. The cost of the damage was said to be 12,000 pounds and the fire left only the charred external and interior brick walls. The lack of fire escapes became a public concern. The children Leonora, Eva and Nina Johnston died of smoke inhalation, the hotel employee, Dora Wallace died after jumping from the building.

The fire was not the end for the Grand Hotel and it was soon rebuilt, incorporating the original ornate plastered brick street frontage and side walls.

The interior was furnished by large paintings collected by Moss Davis and Ernest Hyam Davis which leased the Grand Hotel building from the Ara Masonic Lodge through Hancock & Co. Ltd. These paintings were auctioned when the hotel closed on the 14th December 1966 and are in private collections.

Well known guests over the years include: Queen Elizabeth II, Randolph Churchill, Noël Coward, Captain Musick, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, George Formby, Todd Duncan, Webster Booth, Mountbattens, Lord Montgomery, Gracie Fields, Anthony Eden, Duke of Edinburgh, Lord Denning, Dame Margot Fonteyn, innumerable prime ministers and governors-general.

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Wikipedia