In Brief: The Rydges Rotorua hotel has been listed for sale by NZ Hotel Holdings through an international expressions of interest campaign.
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Image Credit Rydges Rotorua
The Rydges Rotorua hotel, located at 10 Tryon Street adjacent to the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley, has been placed on the market by NZ Hotel Holdings. The 203-room property is being offered for sale by international expressions of interest, with CBRE representatives Michael Simpson, Peter Hamilton, and Nick Hill exclusively appointed to manage the sale process.
The hotel occupies a freehold site of 10,987 square metres on the edge of the Whakarewarewa Forest, adjacent to the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Reserve and Living Māori Village. The Redwoods-Whakarewarewa Forest, featuring the Treewalk attraction, hiking trails, and a network of approximately 150 kilometres of mountain biking trails, is nearby.
Originally constructed in the 1960s, the Rydges Rotorua underwent significant refurbishments in 2022 and 2023. Guest amenities include Chapman’s restaurant, a geothermal outdoor pool, two spa pools, a gym, a cultural centre, and eight conference and function spaces, including the 600-square-metre Pohutu Conference Centre.
Most guest rooms have been renovated, with further opportunities to refurbish the remaining rooms. Plans have been developed for upgrades to the geothermal swimming pool area, including new landscaping and a private hot tub facility, following engagement with a landscape architect.
Rotorua’s hotel market recorded occupancy of 81% and an average daily rate of $223 in the year to March 2026, compared to 79% occupancy and a $144 average daily rate in 2019. The city generates approximately 1.94 million visitor nights annually and nearly $800 million in tourism expenditure, with a destination management plan targeting $1 billion in visitor spend by 2030.
In February 2025, RotoruaNZ and Air China signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen ties and increase Chinese visitation to the city.
