Devonport Seaside Village - North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand

The charming seaside village of Devonport on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand is characterised by historic Victorian wooden villas dating back to the beginning of last century, and beautiful native Pohutakawa trees.  This picturesque and quaint part of Auckland is centrally located, and just a ten-minute ferry ride from the heart of Auckland city.   The Esplanade Hotel is the ultimate in seaside accommodation in Devonport, Auckland - a New Zealand Historic Places Trust building, and right on the waterfront of Auckland harbour.

The shopping strip along Victoria Road provides an eclectic mix of boutique shops, cafes, world-class art studios and galleries all within easy walking distance from The Esplanade Hotel. Adjacent to the hotel is the very helpful Devonport Visitor Information Centre. Devonport has a cinema, three museums, tennis courts, a gym, and the 18-hole Waitemata golf course is only 5 minutes by car.

From the Devonport ferry terminal it is easy to make excursions to Auckland city and the islands in the gulf including Tiritiri Matangi, Waiheke, and Kawau.

Across the road from The Esplanade Hotel is the beautiful Windsor reserve. This reserve is a lovely spot for a picnic under the Pohutakawa trees, to watch boats sailing on the harbour, to kick a ball, or to just relax in the sun. The well-equipped playground is a favourite with local families. Nearby Mount Victoria and North Head are easy to ascend and offer expansive views of North Shore City, Auckland City, Rangitoto Island and the rest of the Hauraki Gulf.

For beach lovers, Cheltenham Beach is nearby. The beach is sandy and a safe place to swim, and is considered by many to be one of Auckland’s best beaches. Stanley Bay and Torpedo Bay are also handy swimming beaches.

History of The Esplanade Hotel, Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand

The story of The Esplanade Hotel begins in 1900 when a local company, Northern Property Limited purchased the old Flagstaff Hotel, situated on the current Esplanade Hotel site. The Flagstaff was removed and plans drawn up for a grand hotel to be built, called The Esplanade Hotel.

The plans were modelled on the resort hotels of the English seaside towns of Brighton and Blackpool, The Esplanade Hotel being named after the best-known resort hotel in Brighton, England.

Construction of the £7000 hotel started in 1901 by leading builder of the time, William Cranston, and construction was completed in February 1903. The Esplanade Hotel quickly became established as a well run popular seaside resort hotel.



An amusing incident occurred in 1919 when members of the Ponsonby Cruising Club posed outside the hotel for a photograph. The photo was sent to Sir Thomas Lipton, along with a request to donate a trophy to the club. Sir Thomas, impressed by the "Clubhouse", sent out a solid silver cup then valued at £1800 for the competition, stating that he would like to visit the clubhouse if he came to New Zealand. The Ponsonby Cruising Club, which did not even have a clubhouse, were relieved when hearing of Sir Thomas' s death as he never managed to visit New Zealand.

The Esplanade Hotel has continued to be an Auckland landmark, and has had several owners, all adding their own touch to create The Esplanade Hotel history. The hotel underwent a major refurbishment in 2002.

In 2004 Auckland-based Mecca Café Group purchased The Esplanade Hotel and continued with renovations. The most significant renovation was to the brasserie which has been completely redesigned into a contemporary café. In 2005 it was reopened as MECCA Esplanade, the seventh MECCA cafe in Auckland. It has grown to become a very popular eaterie for locals and visitors to Devonport.