Napier, Art Deco Land

From Rotorua, we passed Lake Taupo and continued on to the city of Napier on the glorious green Hawkes Bay. Napier, a small town on North Island’s east coast, is famous for its excess of Art Deco architecture and decor. Fate played a role. An earthquake hit Napier in 1931 which leveled the town and tilted the coast adding in miles of land to the city. A decision was made to rebuild quickly. Lo and behold, Art Deco was the flavor of the day, and the town enthusiastically committed to this colorful style. Honestly, this is a gem of a town from its light emerald bay to its artistic storefronts and its geometric designs.

County Hotel

Staying at the County Hotel deepened our delight of Art Deco flourishes. The hotel was one of two significant buildings to survive the 1931 earthquake. It was completely refurbished in the Art Deco style and radiates an old fashioned luxury. So many lovely touches, starting with the friendly greeting at reception to the pastries in our room, followed by the welcome drink in the Churchill Champagne bar. Plush and grand, the sweeping staircase with the artistically decorated oak wood panels, high ceilings, and art deco lighting gives off a Gone With the Wind vibe. The library on the first floor is quite inviting with a decanter of complimentary port for the guests.

Art Deco Tour

We joined the Art Deco tour leaving from the Art Deo Centre close to our hotel. Led by a local elderly resident, she quickly announced she was not THAT old and had not been in Napier for the earthquake although her mother had been buried in the debris and managed to survive. We learned what makes Art Deco, Art Deco. A style most associated with the Gatsby era, the architecture utilizes geometric designs like chevrons, zigzags, starbursts, and lightning bolts. The pastel colors of lemony yellow, salmon pink, and celadon green are part of the ornamentation of the storefronts.

Napier Wineries

New Zealand is famous for its white wines, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, and Napier is known for its charming wineries. With not much time, we limited our choices to two wineries, Te Awanga and Elephant Hill. Te Awanga is low key and more local. Elephant Hill has an upscale classy appearance. Raphael and I agreed that New Zealand’s white wines far outshine their reds, but nearby Australia has that covered. Regardless, there are 72 wineries, so wine lovers, enjoy!

Continue on to Lake Taupo for extraordinary nature!