Swan Hotel

The Swan Hotel, 1856, is the second oldest, and protected, hotel in Auckland. Only the Prince of Wales is older.(1851)

Despite her current appearance, the Swan is actually made out of native timber, it just got plastered over in the 1950s. There have been many other changes along the way too, and further change is afoot. The original designer of the hotel was Edward Bartley, who was also responsible for Aucklands first Synagogue and other important buildings. His design was flat fronted and urban, but renovations in 1909 changed the Swan's facade a little.

This was apparently a difficult hotel to get off the ground in the first place, as it was one block from an example of a long-forgotten institution 'The Maori Hostel.' Hostelries were set up for rural Maori to stay at when visiting cities for trade, and Mechanics Bay/Parnell was an early area of trade. At that time there was concern that alcohol consumption might 'corrupt the natives' and a liquor licence was at first denied for the Swan, but accepted a year later.

Now Parnell has changed shape considerably, as has the Swan, via the 1950s plaster job and other changes. But she is still here, still providing accommodation and refreshment and in 2019 there are hints of further change as a new landlord takes over. It might even become a design hotel.

BOOK YOUR STAY AT THE HISTORIC SWAN HOTEL

Image Credits: Booking.com, Henry Winkelmann, Auckland Libraries Special Collections, George Gray Heritage Collection.