Business Of The Month
Dorset House
Joe - 28/7/00

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Dorset House - come on in!

With the current popularity of backpacking well entrenched among the mobs of visitors to NZ, the demand for inexpensive accommodation has never been greater. Competition among the providers of low budget beds has increased accordingly allowing the weary traveller to pick and choose from a wide range of establishments.

One such option in the central Christchurch area is Dorset House. If location and price were the only considerations Dorset House compares well with its peers. However, there is more than just dollars and distance to consider here.

Built by William Royse in 1871 and J. B. Way in 1872 Dorset House is one of the grand old residences of early Christchurch. The 18 bedroom weatherboard house, after narrowly escaping abandonment in 1996 and a bulldozer's push in 1998, has had an improbable yet colourful past. First named Remuera by Way himself, it later became a seminary for training priests and renamed Hafbaeur House. The government bought the house in 1980 and rented it to the Richmond Fellowship who renamed it Dorset. It became a treatment centre and half way house for psychiatric patients. When vacated in 1996 it remained empty and deteriorating for two years.

Richard and Bronwyn Kay (and partners) bought the house in November 1998 with a plan to "do the place up and start a backpackers". Over that summer they worked long days and most nights renovating the house room by room. Living a nomadic life they slept and cooked wherever they could so that the rejuvenation process could continue unimpeded.

Richard enjoys the pleasures of management!

The backpackers 'Dorset House' opened in January 1999 and billeted the first paying customer after only six weeks of work.

The family had come down to Christchurch from Kaikoura where they had been running a backpackers called "Kays" since 1992. Richard's roots stretch to the family farm in Duvauchelle on Banks Peninsula. "I like Christchurch and after the time in Kaikoura it was time to get back home."

Richard and Bronwyn looked for suitable premises to establish a new backpackers for six months before finding Dorset which was up for tender. "We fell in love with the place as soon as we saw it and we knew it was the one." With a helpful real estate agent who went out of his way to help the Kays, the house became theirs although not without risk as a critical resource consent was pending. "If the resource consent had gone wrong we would have been in real trouble."

The house had been upgraded by the government to accommodate patients and therefore had sprinklers and other facilities making it ideal for large numbers of guests. "If the sprinkler system alone hadn't been installed we would've just had to walk away as we would never have been able to afford it."

The magnificent drawing room

Dorset House can sleep up to 35 guests and has some wonderful facilities. The drawing room is the piece de resistance measuring 13.5 x 5.4 m with an ornate Italian marble fireplace at one end of the room underneath a glorious stained glass window.

"The crystal chandeliers have all gone but many of the delights remain. Amazingly, after such unlikely owners and caretakers, the house has lasted incredibly well."

The location of Dorset House is also to the guests' benefit. Picturesque Hagley Park and the Avon river are literally across the road, and the Arts Centre and Cathedral Square are easily within walking distance. Amenities such as shops, restaurants and post office are also nearby.

Dorset House should continue to be a popular spot for travellers. With the superb location, tremendous facilities and service, and low price of $45 per night for a double room, there is certainly no reason why any traveller wouldn't enjoy the quality, space and good old fashioned hospitality.

For enquiries or bookings contact Dorset House;

Telephone 03 366 8268 (International +64 3 366 8268)

Email dorsethouse@dorsethouse.co.nz

or visit their website at www.dorsethouse.co.nz

Price as of 26/7/00 (may change without notice)