More than 30 years ahead of its time, Grand Mercure Puka Park has won a top award for its eco-sensitive development.
Grand Mercure Puka Park lies in 8ha of native bushland in Pauanui. It this year won the coveted New Zealand Lodge award at the 2020 HM Awards.
Developers Angie Male and Rainer Hoehn aimed to create the quintessential Kiwi experience, with world-class service and an eco-inspired and culturally inclusive design.
Over 30 years on, the experience, the design and build remain second to none.
Rainer and then wife Angie developed the lodge in 1987 when there were two motor camps and a restaurant called the Sand Piper, which they leased.
"We had overseas people coming and rented holiday houses off New Zealanders for the first three years for people from Germany that would come over," says Angie. "We also needed a restaurant to provide for guests."
A native of Germany, former airline pilot Rainer was charmed by Pauanui, with its airfield through the middle of the settlement and white sand beach flanked by bush.
When the couple went to the then Tourism and Publicity Department in Wellington, they questioned investing on the Coromandel, saying tourists only came to Rotorua and Queenstown in New Zealand.
"The Coromandel was not even a weekend destination for the Aucklanders.
"I saw that Pauanui was only an hour and 45 minutes from Auckland and people would come for sure — anything two hours away they come for a weekend."
Rainer had reached a crossroads in his life after an accident while in the cockpit of a jet during a flight and developed tinnitus.
With money to invest, they looked at the world map and focused on New Zealand.
"I didn't want to repeat the mistake where we turned happy farmers into unhappy tourism-makers. Uncontrolled tourism where greedy developers build concrete monstrosities on the beach so you had no sun after 12, and sewage went directly where you swim.
"I saw an opportunity here to build something which was in harmony with nature and the people.
"I found New Zealand was the most undeveloped developed country, so to speak, and fell in love with New Zealand and New Zealanders. Now it's the most over-regulated country I know.
"It's such a special place here, we tried to tuck the chalets into the bush so people staying would really feel like they were experiencing the same tranquillity we felt the first time we walked up the hill there."
At Puka, 49 private chalets are nestled in the bush, where guests fall asleep to the sound of the ruru (morepork) and wake to the song of the tui.
"We didn't cut out any native trees. We identified spots with mānuka and kānuka and we flew in the house parts by helicopter. Everything came in by helicopter, in some instances we had trees growing through the balcony, we built roads around trees, we tried to be sensitive," says Rainer.
He was driven by what happened to Spain's Costa del Sol, where poor development had ruined the place: "It's wrong, you can't relax."
"We wanted to keep in harmony with the bush and the land," adds Angie.
The Hoppers — Ian and Tony — welcomed the concept and Ian became their mentor and good friend.
He and Angie teamed up with local businessman Warren Male to start Coromandel FM. He also tried to set up an international spa in Pauanui but says the red tape was by this stage too abundant.
"The consent took three years and cost $1,050,000 and didn't lead anywhere. The hearing for Puka Park lasted five minutes and then we could go ahead."
At Puka, breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the expansive lounge of the main lodge or on its deck, with uninterrupted views to Pauanui and the bay. Miha Restaurant features finest New Zealand produce, and The Hoehn Bar and Lounge pays homage to the developers.
Staff at Puka Park in Pauanui this Christmas. Photo / Supplied BTG 31Dec20 - Staff at Puka Park in Pauanui. Photo / Supplied
Rainer is now a real estate agent in Pauanui.
Conservation activities such as tree planting and wildlife surveying abound. Tennis, a gym and mountain bikes lure the energetic, and others simply relax in the hot water spa and heated outdoor pool or enjoy the beach.
Guests are equally charmed by the personalised service of the team. All special occasions are celebrated, with loyal members delighted by balloons launched on arrival, deconstructed mojitos or hot chocolate delivered to their chalets.
The team is involved in volunteering with local community services and despite the months of lockdown, in the year September 2019 to September 2020 the resort achieved above market performance despite loss of market segments and international travellers.
Qualmark rates it the only 4.5 star resort on the peninsula, further confirmed by a Tripadvisor rating of 4.5 stars and achieving the Travellers' Choice 'Best of the Best' award.
CEO of Accor Vacation Club, Craig Wood, said the recent award brought pride.
"We are very proud to achieve such strong recognition for this incredible resort, the contribution of the team has made this outstanding award possible. The experience and customer service at this property is exceptional."
