Wanted: new owner for Careys Bay Hotel

After 15 years running the Careys Bay Hotel, Jo Kidston and Steve Little reckon they are starting to feel their age.

The husband and wife owners have put the historic building and restaurant on the market in the hope someone younger, with just as much passion and energy, will take it over.

Ms Kidston said they were looking for a slightly "quieter" life after a hectic decade.

"It’s been a long time and the business has got really big.

"We started with 10 staff and now we’ve got 35.

"We’re all into it. We’re pretty hands-on owners."

Careys Bay Hotel owners Steve Little and Jo Kidston are selling the historic building in their...
Careys Bay Hotel owners Steve Little and Jo Kidston are selling the historic building in their bid for a quieter life. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
She said the Covid-19 pandemic was challenging, but the business got through it and came out the other side.

"And now with the cruise ships back, we’ve got loads of tourists coming through, and the cycleway has opened, which is bringing us a really good amount of customers.

"So we think it’s a good time to pass it on to someone else, someone younger with a bit more energy.

"We’re looking for a quieter life now."

Ms Kidston said it was the second time her family had put the building on the market.

Initially, it was bought by her parents, and she ran the restaurant business out of the building.

In 2014, her parents decided they wanted to sell, so she and Mr Little decided to buy it.

She said they had a few "pots on the stove", but it was still too early to talk about their plans for the future.

"We’d like to travel and do the gardening — all those things that we haven’t had time to do for the last 15 years."

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

 


 

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