Highest hotel in country up for sale

The Skotel Alpine Resort is in the Whakapapa Village at the base of Mt Ruapehu. Photo / Supplied

The Skotel Alpine Resort, in the Whakapapa Alpine Village at the base of Mt Ruapehu, is for sale as a going concern business including buildings, situated on a Department of Conservation leasehold site.

Offers, by way of expressions of interest, will close on March 1, through Colliers International brokers Mathew Gibbard and hotels national director Dean Humphries.

"The Skotel is at an elevation of 1134m above sea level and has remained in the ownership of former Auckland city councillor John Strevens for the last 30 years," Gibbard says.

"It has been extended and upgraded a number of times since the first stage was built in the mid-1960s. It comprises a three star-plus hotel with 31 rooms, five standalone chalets, and 12 rooms of budget accommodation with 36 beds."

Gibbard says the resort has a large restaurant and bar, gymnasium, spas and saunas, games rooms, ski hire and equipment facility, and 70 car parks.

"The property also comes with a four-bedroom managers' accommodation and staff accommodation."

Humphries says the Skotel offers owner-occupiers and investors the opportunity to be involved in an established, successful alpine business in one New Zealand's fastest growing tourism regions.

"Tongariro National Park attracts 200,000 visitors each year, making it one of New Zealand's most popular national parks in both summer and winter.

"Many of these visitors come to complete the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, described as one of the best one-day hikes in New Zealand.

The Skotel's Lockwood building has high-stud rooms and varnished pine interiors. Photo / Supplied

"In addition, the Whakapapa ski field is now undergoing a major redevelopment programme including new chairlift facilities and plans for a gondola in 2020.

"It has recently introduced advanced snowmaking facilities that will open the ski season several weeks earlier, with the 2018 season scheduled to open in early June."

Humphries stresses the special nature of the offering, on a 10,800sq m parcel of land owned by the Department of Conservation, with the most recent 21-year lease still in place — expiring in 2027.

"The Skotel is being sold as an established, profitable business together with the existing improvements," he says. "This high yielding investment has many potential opportunities, as the region continues to expand in the wake of the tourism boom sweeping the country."