– A landmark 14-bedroom property in Huntly, formerly a maternity hospital, is for sale over $3 million.
– Current owner Reverend Gideon Im operates it as a hotel and retreat for pastors.
– The property, with an RV of $1.96 million, is profitable and often at 80% capacity.
A landmark building in Huntly has hit the market for sale, looking for buyers with over $3 million to spend.
The 14-bedroom property at 24 Upland Road is well known to locals. For much of the 98-year-old building’s life, it was Huntly Maternity Hospital, and its rooms have ushered countless Waikato babies into the world.
It fell into disrepair after the hospital’s closure in 1997, and lay vacant until its sale and relaunch as Manor Views Hotel nearly 10 years later.
The property, now a hotel, sits on a hilltop site overlooking the river. Photo / Supplied
The owner is selling the buildings and the business together. Photo / Supplied
The current owner, Reverend Gideon Im, founder of the World Missionary Support Centre, bought the property in 2014 for $1.2m and has continued to operate it as a hotel and retreat for serving pastors and missionaries. “We are using this property as a self-support mission base,” Im’s spokesperson told OneRoof.
The property, which sits on a prominent 4494sqm hilltop site and commands views across the river, has an RV of $1.96m, but Raine & Horne listing agent Kylie Hooker said the vendor wanted to sell the hotel as a going concern, and was inviting expressions of interest from $3.6m.
“The business itself is producing some really good money. We’ve got a separate transaction where I’m selling the house and land, and Gideon will be involved with the business side of things,” she said.
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“It’s a very profitable business. I understand it’s at 80% capacity most of the time. It’s quite a popular place for people to go for a couple’s weekend.”
She said buyers who wanted to operate the business hands-on could live on site. “It has a big commercial kitchen, so it could be a wedding venue or a café. The options are certainly endless,” she said.
Hooker’s favourite feature is the viewing window, where fathers and families could view newborns. It looks into one of the rooms. “It’s such a cool property,” she said.
Originally constructed in the 1920s, the property has ushered in countless Waikato babies. Photo / Supplied
It’s the second time in over a year that a mansion has been listed for sale in Huntly. Last August, a luxury home on Kimihia Road hit the market with an RV of $1.45m. However, it failed to find a buyer, and the listing was eventually withdrawn.
Hooker said the town had seen 10 house sales of more than $1m in the past year, most of which were lifestyle properties.
The most upmarket property Hooker had sold was across the river at Lake Puketirini, on Weavers Crossing Road. That sale was in August 2020 for $960,000, although the RV is now $1.11m. “If it were in Hamilton, that would probably be $2m,” she said.
Most home sales in Huntly were more modest, Hooker said. “I’ve sold a lot of properties in Huntly to Aucklanders and first-time buyers.”
– 24 Upland Road, Huntly, Waikato, is for sale by negotiation