“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ....Oscar Wilde

Tuesday 19 July 2011

The 'Nice' Hotel.....New Plymouth. New Zealand

I'd like to describe the Hotel we stayed at, whilst in New Plymouth, as a nice hotel....which in fact it was in more ways than one.
Its literally called the 'Nice' Hotel.
We had a great time staying there and the staff were so pleasant and friendly. It had a special atmosphere that made you feel welcome and at home straight away.
The award winning restaurant 'Table' proved very popular too. 
But there are also plenty of other restaurants in the local area, if you want to get out and about.

Here's the Hotels website....
I was fascinated by the blue prints of the buildings previous life, hanging in the hallway.
They show that it used to be a Doctors surgery.
This cosy little reading area at the end of the first floor corridor, just outside our room, certainly appealed to me....but then you know what I'm like for books. I immediately felt comfortable. If you look at the top right hand corner,at the black and white photo, you'll see its a signed photo from Tom Cruise.

he starred in the film 'The Last Samurai' which was filmed in 2003, in the local area.....but I'm not sure if he stayed at the hotel or not, sorry.
This is the other side of the reading area with lots of old photographs. Unfortunately the owner was away from the hotel so I couldn't check if they were family photo's. I imagine they were .....but I could be wrong.  

 Peter Jackson's Autobiography was sitting on my bedside table, when we checked into the room, which I thought was a great idea. I couldn't resist starting it, although I didn't get very far into reading it. Its on my Kindle now, so that I can continue reading. 
Peter Jackson was born as an only child in Pukerua Bay in New Zealand in 1961. When a friend of his parents bought him a super 8mm movie camera (because she saw how much he enjoyed taking photos), the then eight-year-old Peter instantly grabbed the thing to start recording his own movies...the rest as they say is history...Heavenly Creatures, Meet the Feebles, and Bad Taste....
Lord of the Ring Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Lord of the Rings - Two Towers (2002), Lord of the Rings - Return of the King (2003), and King Kong (2005), plus The Lovely Bones (2009) to name but a few.

The Maori Warrior by the way, is a postcard that's hopefully on its way to the UK.
I was rather disappointed that I wasn't met at the airport with a nose rub greeting, but looking at this chap maybe that's just as well.

Our room was called 'Wind Wand' which intrigued me, but upon researching  I found this.....
One of the most visible art pieces in New Plymouth, is the 45m-high kinetic sculpture Wind Wand, designed by the late internationally renowned New Zealand artist Len Lye, which takes pride of place on New Plymouth's Coastal Walkway.

Installed next to the walkway's central deck on 31 December 1999 by the Len Lye Foundation as the city's millennium project, the artwork's sphere broke apart in stormy weather about a month later and the Wind Wand was removed for repairs. It returned to the Coastal Walkway on 5 July 2001 for the centenary celebrations of Len Lye's birth.
This dramatic artwork is fascinating to watch during both calm weather and storms. Its coastal location maximises its kinetic characteristics and its impact is enhanced by its highly visible location and the backdrop of the Tasman Sea.
Wind Wand is strong enough to stand upright but flexible enough to gently bend and sway in the breeze. By night, the globe on top emits a soft, red glow. We could actually see it from our room.

If you note the logo for the 'Nice Hotel' it incorporates the wand in the design. Very clever.
And last but by no means least....here's Sparky the resident pooch.
He wasn't allowed in the dining area but sometimes snook in to meet the guests.
This is just to show how thoughtful the staff were....after having a late check out, we still had a little wait before we needed to leave, so I decided to send a post. They suggested a quiet corner and promptly arrived with a cuppa......Perfect. 

Now I think that's what makes a place special....just going that extra distance to provide everything a guest may want.....even if they don't ask!

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