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When my Hubby stops spending my Money on Furniture , and I can get a new Computer for Home I'll be able to Post some of the recent and current developments :cheers:

Back to future Hingarae set for resort take off
NBR

A picture often tells 1000 words and never a truer word was spoke in the case of a proposed helicopter-access resort development at Hingarae overlooking Lake Taupo. The architecture of the proposed 28 buildings destined for the 40ha property is reminiscent of 1960s modular space ship landing pods familiar to people who remember science fiction screen masterpieces such as Lost In Space, The Jetsons, 2001: A Space Odyssey or Star Trek. The entrepreneur behind Hingarae, Greg Hickman, is targeting potential investors and buyers with a marketing package that includes a bottle of whisky sourced from a South Island distiller and a hard-cover, glossy, colour large-format book with maps, plans and photos. The buildings have a price tag of more than $3.2 million each, so the marketing programme for Hingarae is individually tailored rather than relying on mass communication. Mr Hickman is targeting people aged between 30-50 with lots of disposable income.

Mr Hickman is a New Zealander in his early 30s currently based in Sydney after spending about five years in Singapore "largely involved in technology startups." He said he began researching the potential of the resort market in New Zealand after noting the emergence of change in resort marketing, with the emergence of hotel companies like Marriott and Banyan Tree and five-star African tent safari packages. Mr Hickman said he and his backers had spent about $4 million getting to this stage and securing the farm overlooking Western Bay at Lake Taupo. He obtained resource consent for the $50 million-odd project in mid-2006 and has been working on the marketing and pre-development issues. "We've brought together a team of conservation-minded people. My role is as the visionary behind it and doing the marketing side and finding a hotel operator who allows us to retain control of the resort brand. This has to be really different and interesting.

"We're not just doing another Huka Falls resort but we'd probably cannibalise some of that market as well as creating a new one. The sort of product that attracts our target market just isn't available in New Zealand." Mr Hickman said that while Hingarae is the first of his developments he has identified other suitable sites in Bali and Vietnam.

On the Web:
www.hingarae.com

He sounds like high maintenance ... oooooops, that sounds familiar ;)

When I was Poor :ohno: so Marky doesn't mind :cheers:

He sounds like high maintenance ... oooooops, that sounds familiar ;)

:cheers:http://data.realenz.co.nz/edi/virtour183/photos/PP493872-5.jpg

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And the other thing Taupo is world famous for....


The infamous Taupo Cycle Challenge (http://www.cyclechallenge.com/) :)

My wife took these of me in the race in 2001 (scanned pre digital!)
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i156/cpst_davis/005Turangi110Kmrendezvouspoint.jpghttp://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i156/cpst_davis/007Ontheroadagain.jpg

I love Lake Taupo :cool:

And yea the Taupo Cycle Challenge is cool. I want to do it sometime, probly in a year or two. how'd u find it kane? What kinda prep does one need to have done to go in it?

Loved the ride. Beut scenery. But really hard coming up that hill out of Turangi. About 110km and a couple of hours gone, so a bit tired by then. Only another 50km to the finish :).

Prep: I did cycle 20km 3-5 days a week to/from work. Every weekend would do 50-100 km rides out to Piha, Scenic Drive, Warkworth, Helensville, Howick etc.

I should have done more of the 100 instead of the 50 k rides but i'd suggest 3-4 months before do at least 1x100 k ride per weekend with lots of little ones in between.

Taupo has a hard but short hill at the start, generally rolling till a huge downhill luge before Turangi, but as the saying goes, what goes down must come up, and the up ex Turangi is a bitch!

Could even be under construction :cheers:
Good to see these smaller places getting such facilities:)

http://www.ascarchitects.co.nz/assets/images/projects/taupo_ac_baths_main.jpg

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^^ Cool design! And to add to Taupo's day:

Taupo gets Hilton Hotel
Stuff: BusinessDay 19/05/2009

Taupo is to get New Zealand's second Hilton Hotel, with the US group set to take over management of the Terraces Hotel.

The Terraces Hotel, located near the centre of Taupo, is being renamed the Hilton Lake Hotel and is due to open in the final quarter of the year. Hilton Hotels Corporation has signed a deal to manage it on behalf of Kiwi firm Triumph Capital.

The Mayor of Taupo, Rick Cooper, welcomed the announcement.

"I am delighted that Hilton has chosen Taupo as the destination for its second hotel in New Zealand. To have a truly global brand like Hilton in our destination will help to introduce Taupo to a wider audience," Cooper said.

Hilton's existing New Zealand hotel is located on Auckland's Prince's Wharf.

The Taupo project, whose funding has been arranged by Triumph Capital, will see the Terraces Hotel's capacity expanded to 149 rooms from the existing 113.

Martin Rinck, president of Hilton Hotels Asia Pacific, said the existing hotel - opened in 1889 - would be upgraded to meet Hilton's requirements. New wings will be added to improve the meeting, convention and accommodation facilities.

Hilton Hotels Corporation, perhaps best known for socialite heiress Paris Hilton, operates more than 3,300 hotels worldwide.

Hingarae Residence and Resort

Most of us have a personal image of an ideal escape or getaway. A secluded beach shack hidden on an island paradise - a tucked away cabin built into a snowy mountainside - a private chateaux set on the quiet, rolling hills of a vineyard - basically anywhere we feel removed from the mundane normalcy of our own daily lives. X.Pace, a Sydney/Singapore-based design studio is on the verge of helping us redefine the ultimate lifestyle solution - the ultra luxurious Hingarae residences and resort located in Lake Taupo on New Zealand's north island. Hingarae embodies everything one would expect from 6 star standards - the ideal balance of extreme luxury, privacy and ultra-modern built form set upon a pristine natural environment. The development will offer twenty eight opportunities to own a fully-furnished Hingarae Module. Each individual Module is 2,153 square feet set carefully within 2.5 acres of natural landscape. Oversized windows allow uninterrupted views to the surrounding forest, green countryside, snow-capped mountains and crystal blue lake. The interior design is equally rewarding offering an exceptional imported blend of modern and futuristic furniture. The main living space sits on a revolving disc floor that allows orientation toward the exterior or the LCD screen. Numerous additions to Hingarae Module ownership include an electric car for all on-site traveling, personal use of Hingarae's premium luxury 4WD vehicles for off-site travel, access to on-call helicopter, on-going membership to Jack Nicklaus' Kinloch Golf Club, ongoing winter season's pass to Mount Ruapehu's Whakapapa (New Zealand's largest ski area), shared use of Hingarae's motor launch and unlimited access to the 6 Star Hotel Hingarae and all its facilities including a recording studio. Hingarae also fully manages and maintains each Module and its individual acreage. Nearly every aspect of a superior style of living has been taken into consideration during the conception and development phases of Hingarae. Unlike anything in the world, this New Zealand destination will soon embody the ultimate expression of escape for those of us able to get in - as prices start from US$1.9 million. As for the rest of us, we can always hope for an invitation from a generous friend

http://www.thecoolhunter.net/images/stories/2007pics/storiesnew2007pics/hingare.jpg

http://www.thecoolhunter.net/images/stories/2007pics/storiesnew2007pics/hingare1.jpg

http://www.thecoolhunter.net/images/stories/2007pics/storiesnew2007pics/hingare5.jpg

http://www.thecoolhunter.net/images/stories/2007pics/storiesnew2007pics/hingare4.jpg

http://www.thecoolhunter.net/images/stories/2007pics/storiesnew2007pics/hingare3.jpg:cheers:

The Present Terraces :cheers:

http://www.laketauponz.com/assets/images/Headers2/Terraces_Hotel.jpg

Hilton Hotels taking over Taupo hotel
NZPA | Tuesday May 19 2009 - 03:06pm

The Hilton Hotels Corporation is setting up its second luxury hotel in New Zealand, taking over Taupo's 113-room Terraces Hotel. The $55 million project will redevelop the existing operation, expanding it to 149 rooms and building a new conference centre at the site. It is projected to create 40 jobs and expected to open in October, with new facilities opening next year.

The Terraces Hotel building was built in 1889, and refurbished in 2003. The Hilton group will manage the hotel on behalf of New Zealand financial advisory company Triumph Capital. Restaurateur and chef Simon Gault has been named as the hotel's executive chef, through his Nourish Group. Mr Gault has been involved in running many restaurants, including Euro and Pasha in Auckland and Shed 5 and Pravda in Wellington.

"Lake Taupo is one of the more breathtaking areas of the New Zealand countryside and the Hilton Lake Taupo will represent an exciting addition to our growing portfolio of international destinations," said Dave Horton, senior vice-president, brand management, Hilton Hotels&Resorts. The completed hotel would have a ballroom, bars, thermal pools, fitness centre and tennis courts, a spokeswoman said.:cheers:

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Hilton taking shape on historic hotel site
4:00AM Wednesday Jun 03, 2009

http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/Hilton230.jpg

Photo / SuppliedBuilding work is under way at the once-failed property project next to the historic Terraces Hotel at Lake Taupo.

Work on The Terraces Hotel Apartments restarted after the venture went into receivership but the property was then sold to a group of investors instrumental in bringing Hilton to the area.

Construction on the partly completed block will see it become part of the Hilton Lake Taupo.

Grant Graham and Brendon Gibson, receivers for the Terraces Hotel Apartments, said when they took over last year the new building was only partly finished.

"It was a concrete shell when we were appointed. The developer's money had run out and work had stopped onsite for some time," said Graham. The Hilton Lake Taupo is due to open in October.:cheers:

Just a couple by of the lake, taken by myself.



http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii316/bumsmoke/DSCN1599.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii316/bumsmoke/DSCN1600.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii316/bumsmoke/DSCN1601.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii316/bumsmoke/DSCN1602-1.jpg

And from just a little further away...

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii316/bumsmoke/DSCN1631.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii316/bumsmoke/DSCN1636.jpg

New Hotel apparantly about to be announced in Taupo?? Anyone know of the details?

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/plans-100m-hotel-development-near-taupo-118812

Looks to be an Accor property..

Oh man, that scene of Taupo is just beautiful... I'm gonna seriously consider my honeymoon in New Zealand next year! :D