Hotel free to a good home

ROBERT CHARLES/Taranaki Daily News

ROOM WITH A VIEW: New Plymouth Girls' High School students, from left, Kristin Henry, 15, Lauren Luque, 14, and Charlotte Kisby, 14, relax in front of the Stratford Mountain House on a school trip yesterday.

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Businessman Karl Reipen is planning to give away the Stratford Mountain House he bought last year with a dream of turning it into an international attraction.

He wants to hear from individuals, artists, charities and trusts who would have a good use for the historic lodge on the slopes of Mt Taranaki.

Mr Reipen bought the 10-bedroom hotel last year for more than $1 million and is understood to have spent another $1 million on refurbishing it.

At the time, he said he hoped to attract wealthy Europeans and Asians to the pristine environment.

But this year it appeared on the real estate listings with an asking price of $1.8 million.

Now Mr Reipen says the lodge is going for free.

He says a recent quadruple heart bypass operation has made him reconsider his life's priorities.

Mr Reipen arrived in Taranaki from Germany some eight years ago, buying a significant coastal property at Awakino.

He has developed an international quality equestrian facility there and invested heavily in horse and cattle breeding.

The businessman, who made his fortune in Germany in iced coffee drinks, is usually media shy. But earlier this week, he appeared on TV3's Campbell Live to promote his giveaway.

"I have my farm, I have my riding things and a bit of business in Europe, so that's more than enough," he said on television.

Mr Reipen was less talkative when contacted by the Taranaki Daily News yesterday. "I have no time to talk on the telephone," he said before hanging up.

He has enlisted New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent to help consider proposals before making a decision who to donate the lodge to.

Mr Tennent said he had met Mr Reipen about his philanthropic gesture and was happy to be involved.

"He acknowledges that quality accommodation on the mountain needs to continue," Mr Tennent said.

The business yesterday was still listed for sale by Robert Angus on the Bayleys website for $1.8 million along with the Dawson Falls Romantic Hotel which has an asking price of $1.4 million.

Mr Angus did not return calls from the Taranaki Daily News yesterday.

Don Sinclair of Remax Team Realty said he had been marketing the Patua Lodge, inland from Okato at the base of the mountain, but potential buyers were wary of the risks in the economic climate.

Mr Reipen bought the mountain house – built in 1899 – from Berta Anderson, who owned it with her late husband Keith for 22 years.

Proposals for the Stratford Mountain House can be submitted in writing to – The Mountain House, PO Box 303, Stratford, Taranaki.

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