Most of these old hotels have long gone, either burned down or demolished, especially in the cities.
New Zealand Pubs is a guide by Peter Janssen to 170 of the best historic pubs left today, including a selection of southern beauties.
Strath Taieri Hotel
25 Snow Ave
Middlemarch
Built: 1921
Food: In summer, bistro meals plus blackboard specials are available Monday to Sunday for early evening dining, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday for lunch. In winter, only evening meals are served.
Accommodation: Seven comfortable rooms with shared facilities, and undercover shelter for bikes.
Although no gold was discovered in the Strath Taieri valley, the town of Middlemarch developed to service the Central Otago goldfields; first as a major stop for horse-drawn coaches and later as an important station when the railway reached the town in 1891.
The first hotel was built on the other side of the railway line from the existing hotel in the 1890s and was one of three hotels in town.
This hotel burned down in 1921 and was replaced by a much simpler building on the opposite side of the tracks in Snow Ave, closer to the main road.
The distinctive Western-style facade and stone frontage are relatively new additions.
The side entrance to the hotel is flanked by two large limestone carvings depicting a merino ram and ewe.
The interior has the very rustic feel of a typical Kiwi pub, with a large central bar, a dining area off to one side and smaller bar by the entrance.
Today the hotel is a popular starting (or ending) point for those cycling the Central Otago Rail Trail and a destination for passengers on the historic Taieri Gorge railway line from Dunedin.
Becks White Horse Hotel
4160 Becks-Lauder Rd/SH 85, Becks
Built: 1864/1925
Heritage category 2
Food: Good country food; known for its steak and blue cod.
Accommodation: Two en suite rooms.
The tale of the White Horse Hotel is the story of two hotels, both of which still exist.
The original hotel was built of stone in 1864 by John Nixon Becks as a rest stop for the coaching service along the Manuherikia Valley.
An extension of wood and corrugated iron was added in 1884, and at that stage the hotel boasted 10 rooms, two sitting rooms, a dining room that seated 16 people, stables and the local post office, to which was later added the telephone office.
Interestingly, the hotel is located right on the 45th parallel, exactly equidistant from both the equator and the South Pole, though whether this was intentional is not known.
In 1925, a new wooden hotel opened down the road, and over the years the old hotel has had a new life as a private home, and later as the general store.
In recent years, locals have raised money to save this fine old hotel from deterioration, though at present only the exterior has been restored.
The outbuildings have long since disappeared, though an ancient pear tree still survives in the dry Central Otago soil.
The "new" pub has an attractive single bar and dining room, and the hotel owners have converted several front bedrooms into a successful antique store, which they later extended into the old hotel dining room.
Known as Glory Box Antiques and Collectables, this is very likely the only licensed antique shop in the country, and despite the sheer quantity of items available, it is incredibly tidy.
Luggate Hotel
60 Main Rd, SH6, Luggate
Built: 1881
Food: Not an extensive menu, but one that ticks all the "pub meal" boxes.
Typical of a goldfields hotel, the Luggate Hotel began its life in 1867 as a simple wooden building known as the Albion Hotel and serviced the alluvial gold workings between Wānaka and Cromwell.
Like many country hotels, the pub also owned land across the road to accommodate stock being driven to market and ran horse sales, all activities that were guaranteed to boost business.
In 1881 the new owner, Thomas Trevathan, replaced the old wooden hotel with the schist stone building still standing today.
Originally, the hotel would have been a maze of tiny rooms, accommodating a main bar (all drinking was done standing up) as well as sitting rooms, one each for men and women, a dining room and of course tiny bedrooms that held a bed and not much else.
Out the back were the stables and outhouses.
In 1969, the Albion Hotel became the Luggate Tavern, though the old name lives on in the local Luggate Albion Cricket Club.
The exterior is little altered since it was built 140 years ago, but the interior has changed radically.
Today the hotel is simply two large areas — the main bar and a dining room — both plainly decorated but comfortable enough.
The backyard is now a popular garden bar.
As the oldest pub in the area and the closest to the Wānaka airfield, this pub has a reputation for good hospitality with locals and visitors alike.
Beaumont Hotel
1897 State Highway 8, Beaumont
Built: 1938
Food: Good, honest pub food, including great steaks and pizza as well as coffee and bar snacks. There is usually a dish with an Icelandic twist (one of the owners is also the chef and is from Iceland).
Accommodation: Seven rooms with shared facilities and a camping ground with comfy modern cabins along with power sites for tents and campervans.
During the gold rush days of the 1860s, a township was surveyed on both sides of the Clutha River and became known as Beaumont.
In 1863, dredging for gold in the river at Beaumont began, and by 1870 it was a bustling community with three hotels.
The original Bridge Hotel, constructed in 1878, was a grand two-storey building with ornate verandas running around the entire building.
Burned down in 1931, it wasn’t rebuilt until 1938, this time as the more modest single-storey brick building that stands today.
Local builder Tom Butler clearly could turn his skills to most things, as not only did he build this hotel, but also the town bridge and two more hotels at Raes Junction and Millers Flat.
In the side porch is a curious pattern, which local legend has it was incorporated into the building by a German working for Tom.
However, what first appears to be a Nazi swastika is an ancient symbol for good luck.
In the Nazi version, the swastika arms are on an angle, whereas in the sign for good luck the arms are upright.
Beyond the hotel, very little of the old township exists today, and even the old 1887 single-lane bridge has now been replaced.
While the gold has long gone, farming, forestry and apple orchards flourish, and visitors can enjoy trout fishing, hunting and bush walks.
Family-run and friendly, the Beaumont Hotel (and camping ground) is a treat.
Hung with hunting trophies and old photos, the main bar runs across the front of the building, centred on a log burner for those damp, chillier winter days.
The separate dining room has stunning plaster ceilings, and the four beautiful, tiled fireplaces are worth visiting in their own right — clearly Tom the builder had an eye for detail.
If you are staying in the hotel, check out the beautiful wooden linen cupboards that line the passage.
Otautau Hotel
167 Main St, Otautau
Built: 1907
Food: Excellent pub menu, including meat and seafood platters, excellent salads, pizza and a children’s menu.
Accommodation: Five rooms with shared facilities, plus a self-contained studio.
Situated on the banks of the Aparima River and lying at the foot of the forest-covered Longwood Range is Otautau.
Visitors usually bypass this very pretty Southland town and thereby miss one of the region’s most attractive small pubs, the Otautau Hotel.
The hotel was constructed from timber in 1893, and fire swept through the building in the early hours of Saturday, June 23, 1907.
The blaze started in a back bedroom, very likely caused by someone smoking in bed (the usual cause of hotel fires), and it quickly consumed the hotel, with one guest leaping out a window to escape.
The conflagration, fanned by strong westerly winds, spread, destroying the National Bank and the local tailors and taking the life of hotel guest Mr W. Carnharn, who was in Otautau attending the horse sales.
Fully insured, the hotel was rebuilt the same year, this time in fireproof brick.
Retaining its fine Edwardian exterior, the Otautau Hotel has immediate street presence in this small town, while, inside, a smart contemporary bar/dining area runs the full length of the hotel and beyond to a sheltered terrace.
Serving great food, this is one of Southland’s most appealing country hotels.
Foveaux Hotel
40 Gore St, Bluff
Built: 1937
Accommodation: Eight single and queen rooms, all en suite and breakfast included.
In 1898, the Temperance Boarding House was built by Mary Cameron.
The boarding house was demolished in 1937, and the new and very stylish Art Deco Foveaux Hotel rose in its place, this time complete with a bar.
Today, the Foveaux Hotel is considered one of New Zealand’s most haunted hotels.
The ghost, said to be Mary, is described as woman in her 40s wearing a white blouse and a long black skirt, with her hair pulled back in a bun.
While Mary may not have approved of drink, her shade takes a particular liking to tall men in room 2, where guests find their room doors mysteriously opening and unable to close.
The hotel retains many of the best Art Deco features both inside and out.
The exterior has hardly changed since opening day, while, inside, many original features remain. Beautiful Art Deco geometric shapes grace the plaster ceilings and cornices.
Furnishings complement the period, and especially appealing are the collections of porcelain tea sets housed in elegant china cabinets.
The small, intimate lounge bar with comfy sofas and chairs centred around a fireplace completes the picture of the perfect small hotel.
THE BOOK
New Zealand Pubs: 170 Classic Pubs to Visit by Peter Janssen
White Cloud Books from Upstart Press, $39.99 RRP
