Two major Rotorua accommodation venues up for sale
The venues on Rotorua's main motel strip and lakefront are being marketed as offering significant potential to domestic and overseas buyers
Two major Rotorua accommodation sites have hit the market, with one being positioned as ideal for overseas investors.
The two properties have hit the market amid tentative signs of recovery for the tourist destination, with domestic and international visits on the rebound.
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The Copthorne Hotel, just off the town’s main motel strip of Fenton Street, is being sold with options for vacant possession or a short-term lease to the existing occupier.
The total landholding measures 35,935sq m and buildings at the property span 7,940sq m, including spacious rooms, suites, and a restaurant and bar.
Agency Colliers describes the accommodation as ideally suited for redevelopment, repositioning, or a combination of both.
Colliers broker Mark Rendell said that, based on the size and strategic positioning, this property is one of the most appealing purchasing opportunities that will be presented to the market in Rotorua this year.
“This property is perfect for developers, investors, accommodation providers, or groups seeking a large, centrally located project,” Rendell said.
Meanwhile, the Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort on Rotorua’s lakefront, has also come onto the market, with agents Bayleys emphasising its potential to overseas buyers.
The established 4.5 star resort has a total land area of 8,976 sqm, including 30 guest rooms, a day spa, restaurant and conference facilities for up to 100 guests.
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The listing describes a “versatile asset primed for future expansion”, whose new owners could choose to focus on premium eco-villas or upscaling the existing conference hub.
Initial signs suggest that Rotorua’s visitor economy is gradually recovering from COVID.
In 2025, the town’s tourism sector contributed $357.1 million towards GDP, a significant rebound from the post-pandemic low of 2022’s $271.6 million, and level with tourism spend in 2011.
This amounted to 7.2 percent of Rotorua District’s economic output in 2025, as compared to 8.1 percent in 2000.
Although economic output in Rotorua District’s tourism sector declined by 0.6 percent in 2025, this was slightly ahead of the national average of 0.8 percent.
