Queenstown hotel developer Kevin Carlin died of heart disease

Prominent Queenstown developer Kevin Carlin. Photo / James Allan

Queenstown hotel developer and composer Kevin Carlin died of heart disease in December, an official report found.

Coroner Alexandra Cunninghame’s July 17 report said there were no circumstances surrounding his death that would make any coroner’s inquiry necessary.

The cause of death in early December was hypertensive heart disease, she said.

“He had complained of illness in the days before his death. He was last seen alive on the morning of December 1 when he was in this hotel room and was not well but did not want to see a doctor,” Cunninghame wrote.

It was not till December 3 that he was discovered.

The post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death for Carlin, aged 69.

Police had also confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances, Cunninghame wrote.

Therefore no coroner’s inquiry would be necessary.

Carlin died in a room at the $30 million hotel he developed: The Carlin Boutique Hotel on Queenstown’s Hallenstein St.

The 69-year-old owned The Carlin Boutique Hotel, a $30 million-plus project in Queenstown, in which he lived in a penthouse on top.

Carlin, originally from California, first visited New Zealand in the early 90s and several holidays later bought land in Queenstown, where he moved.

In February, receivers were appointed to Queenstown Views Villas and Carlin Hotel Property Management.

This month, receivers were appointed to The Carlin Hotel.

Carlin was a composer who wrote 14 orchestral pieces which the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra performed for an album, The Princess of Wales.

He recalled in one Herald article how in 1989 he had read Tolkein and how his music was inspired by The Lord of the Rings.

The Carlin Hotel in Queenstown.

A BDO receivers’ report issued three months ago on Queenstown Views Villas showed that the company had land and buildings valued at $25.8m.

The hotel at 43 Hallenstein St is made up of six units plus four ancillary units or car parks owned by Queenstown Views Villas.

Three units and two ancillary car park units are owned by another company, Pablo (Aust) Pty.

Units were subject to a management agreement with Carlin Hotel Property Management to run The Carlin Hotel.

Receivers were trying to sell the company’s business and assets via a confidential sales process.

But the $25.8m assets exceeded $30.7m of debts or liabilities.

Pablo in Australia was owed $28.2m and unsecured creditors were owed a further $2.4m, the April 26 initial receivers’ report said.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.