Stonehurst Accommodation

From family home, to boarding house to Maternity Hospital to Private Hotel, 241 Gloucester Street has a long history of offering people a safe, secure and comfortable place to stay.

Situated in the area famous for Christchurch’s first and only reading of 'The Riot Act' Stonehurst has always been involved in the life of Christchurch. In 1898, a Mr Davis Hunt, music teacher and organist, occupied the original building.

1903 saw the Stonehurst building used for the first time to accommodate others when a Mrs Alice Donovan ran a boarding house.

In 1907 the building became a family home for John Stott. He sold the building in 1908 to Emily Hester Welsman who in turn, transformed it into Rawhiti Private Hospital – a maternity home. It was to be run as this until 1925.

In August 1927 Albert Ockenden, a builder, applied for and received a building permit to add four garages to the property. Stonehurst was opened as a Private Hotel and it has always prided itself in providing a superior quality service to its guests.

In 1957 Mrs Nora Ward and her sister owned 'Hotel Stonehurst'. Breakfast, lunch and tea were silver service and each guest was awakened at 7.00 am with tea and toast.

Over the preceding years, Stonehurst has been owned by another three owners – each adding a little of what they felt the market dictated. Stonehurst Motels for example, were built in time for the Commonwealth Games, which Christchurch hosted in 1974. The owners at that time also applied for and won, the licensing rights to sell alcohol.

In 1984 the current owners (both New Zealanders) set about modernising, upgrading and adding to the property. Stonehurst Accommodation now sits on over 9,000 square metres of land (much of it retained as award-winning gardens) and offers 12 different accommodation types from Backpacker Rooms through to Three Bedroom Apartments.

Still with a dedication to a quality product and service, Stonehurst Accommodation has won multiple New Zealand Tourism Awards including the prestigious Distinction Award.

"Enjoy a warm welcome at Stonehurst Accommodation, Christchurch."