They’re leaving Spinnaker Bay Apartments after 14 years, but earlier notched up five years at Blue Peaks Lodge followed by 13 years at the former Mountain View Lodge.
Ian recalls they took over Blue Peaks in 1985 after one day’s training with the previous managers — "we’d never run an accommodation property in our lives".
The offer had come from lodge owner Skyline Enterprises as Jude had been its office manager before taking maternity leave.
Ironically, they opened a block at Blue Peaks Ian just been helping to build.
When they took on Mountain View Lodge, which was more a hotel than a motel, they still had Blue Peaks for three more months until successors took over.
Where they stayed at Mountain View was above the famous Bottle House.
Among regular guests were police who’d come from out of town to handle New Year’s Eve each year.
Ian: "One night before New Year’s Eve we got a complaint from a guest about a party going on, and I went up there and it was one of the police rooms, they were all enjoying themselves having a good beer."
Their stint there finished after the lodge closed down.
Ian says the same day they were made redundant he was offered a job at the Events Centre where he stayed for six years, the final two as GM.
He then had a brief stint in real estate before the couple were offered Spinnaker Bay to run.
Jude: "We’d jokingly said to [the outgoing manager] on the street one day, ‘when you leave, don’t forget to contact us’."
Ian says they’re retiring from the accommodation game particularly for Jude’s sake, as she’s often been in sole charge when he’s been away working as New Zealand Cricket’s liaison for visiting international teams.
He’s also been busy as owner/operator of Queenstown’s Corporate Cabs.
"It’s just full-on, and that’s why I’m exhausted almost," says Jude, who happens to be turning 65 tomorrow.
"In the style of places we’ve managed, everything’s been hands-on, whereas you go to these bigger properties, the GM can knock off and go home at 5 or 6 o’clock".
Ian adds: "We both agree it’s going to be hard to walk away from [Spinnaker Bay] because we’ve invested so much time and energy in the place and we’ve built a good clientele of return guests.
"We’re getting calls all the time now they’ve found out we’re going and even the owners, they’re in shock, but they’ve all been forthcoming with good wishes."
