The Oceanside Hotel

Ocean Lodge - showing Ocean Beach, c.1925-1926
Printed by Hugh & G. K Neill Ltd., Dunedin

The Oceanside Hotel with its white plaster façade, corrugated iron roof and distinctive turrets stood on the corner of Adams Avenue and Marine Parade from 1931 to 1995.

In 1918 a Captain Tovey built the first dwelling on the prime site. The Captain sold the house to a Major Stewart of Rotorua, but from 1932 the history of the building changed forever when it was converted into a private guest house for Mr. Walker Howard.

Hotel Oceanside and Ocean Beach, Mount Maunganui, c.1950s
Published by Paul Bouchier

In 1933 the hotel was damaged by fire, it was rebuilt and sold to Bert Taylor in 1935. Florence and James Rix purchased the hotel for 17,500 pounds after World War Two. In 1954 Mr. Rix purchased the hotel’s first liquor licence.

From 1959 the Oceanside was owned by the L D Nathan Group. My parents, Bill and Jean Fenton took over as licensee’s from June of that year and for two idyllic years home was the best spot in town.From the 1970’s the hotel passed through the hands of several owners until, on April 6th 1995, one of The Mount’s iconic buildings was lost forever, demolished to make way for the second of the Oceanside Twin Tower multi-storied apartment blocks.

Images from the collection of Justine Neal