Hot property and business north of Auckland

Elevated view of Parakai Springs Lodge.

A boutique lodge 40 minutes' north of Auckland with private geothermal spas and an adjoining section of land in an area catering to a flourishing domestic tourism sector has been placed on the market for sale as a property and going concern business.

"Parakai Springs Lodge located 43 km northwest of Auckland, has provided luxury accommodation to a growing range of visitors since it opened a year ago," says Grant Miller of Bayleys Auckland Central who, with colleague Shiona Dyer, is calling for expressions of interest in the lodge and land closing on October 23.

"The lodge has been placed on the market with an adjoining section of land and they are for sale together or separately," Miller says.

"This vacant site offers multiple options for future development and has current resource consent until 2017 allowing for the construction of a 117 room retirement village.Alternatively the land could also be used to maximise opportunities for the lodge such as additional facilities to maximise the 'wellness' and geothermal offering.

"Another option would be to develop the site into residential housing, with the possibility of this being a 24-lot residential subdivision. Residential housing surrounds the semi-rural site that has ease of access to the West Coast beaches, numerous vineyards and a number of local attractions like Woodhill Forest along with numerous adventure and outdoor activities."

Miller says Parakai Springs Lodge is a freehold property at 153 Parkhurst Rd, which comprises 12 accommodation units in a secluded private venue set in a landscaped garden, on a 2400 sq m section. "The property had a government valuation of $1.76 million at July 2011.."

The lodge includes six premier rooms each with a private outdoor geothermal spa and courtyard and six deluxe rooms each with indoor spas. Room rates range from $165 to $195 a night.

A special attraction is a fully-enclosed outdoor mineral pool and a spa equipped with air bubbles for communal guest use. "Louvers at the top of the spa provide open-air ambiance while providing privacy for guests," Miller says.

The facilities include an office and a café along with an entertainment deck area that flows out from a bar and commercial kitchen.

The 1.39 ha of vacant, flat, semi-rural land is next to the lodge at 11 Chic Gardens and next to Parakai School one block back from the main highway to Southhead.

"The land had a government valuation of $1.35 million at July 2011," Miller says.

He says the lodge appeals particularly to a growing demand from Aucklanders looking for weekend break destinations located within an hour's drive of the city centre.

"The timeframe allows city workers to leave on a Friday night and travel to destinations with easy reach for a relaxing weekend break away. Along with regions such as Counties, Matakana, and Omaha, at only 40 minutes from downtown Auckland, Parakai has become a popular destination choice.

"Noted for its hot springs due to its source of natural geothermal mineral water, Parakai is a popular destination for locals and visitors who flock to the hot pools year round. As one of the most best known public mineral pool complexes close to Auckland, Parakai Springs,is located opposite the lodge, providing guests with easy access to the facility.

"The geothermal hot springs are a huge draw card to the area," Miller says. "Only a relatively short drive west out of Auckland, Parakai offers a veritable thermal and recreational playground for visitors."

He cites Tourism New Zealand figures showing the domestic tourism expenditure grew to $14.2 billion last year - up 2.4 per cent compared to the previous year. Total expenditure by international visitors also increased to $9.8 billion, up 2.2 per cent on the previous year.