The Duke of Marlborough; a hotel and restaurant in Russell, New Zealand
Throwback hotels with a bar full of stories grab me. The Duke’s history is the history of New Zealand; a well-kept wooden hotel, serving New Zealand food on their harbor-view porch. Located two steps from the base of Russell’s pier in the Bay of Islands, thirst is soon solved.
The Duke lies four hours north of Auckland by car; only a cyclone blocked the path. In the Atlantic basin, a tropical cyclone is known as a hurricane, after the ancient Central American deity of wind, Huracan. In the Northwest Pacific Ocean windstorms exceeding 74 MPH are called typhoons. In New Zealand cyclones are just cyclones.
Tropical Cyclone June arrived in Auckland the day after the 6.3 Wine Trail earthquake rattled me awake from an afternoon nap.
Waterspouts and low vertical wind shear are side effects of tropical cyclones; glad to be driving, not flying, to Russell. Rain from the Cyclone June will be intense, but the 80 MPH winds should blow all rain right off the windshield.
How Far Down the Block? The easy route north from Auckland international airport is Highway 1, with a final jog down Highway 11. Two options will conclude the trip; either a car ferry from Opua with a final 8 mile drive into Russell, or continue north on Hwy 11 to Pahia, park the car and grab the people ferry for at 15 minute voyage to the pier in the center of Russell. The Duke of Marlborough lies at the base of the pier, along the Strand.[mappress mapid=”2″]
Russell is the quiet, proper, and affluent alternative to nearby summer holiday destinations. In the 1830’s it was New Zealand’s epicenter for prostitution, whaling and the first Christian church.
Why you might be nearby? A) You’re meeting your sailboat for the late January Regatta in Bay of Islands; B) take an overnight break on your drive to 90 mile beach in the far north of New Zealand.
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If you’re staying at Eagles Nest where, rooms start at NZ$2,300/night and need a real people fix, The Duke is a five block walk down Tapeka Road. Don’t be conspicuous.
Lesser Known Facts: The Duke was the first establishment licensed to sell alcohol beverages in New Zealand; however, not having a license did not deter competitors in 1840. In 1840’s Russell was known as the Hell Hole of the Pacific. The Duke of Marlborough was called Johnny Johnston’s Grog Shop
Local Recommendation: Reserve a table on the porch overlooking the Strand for dinner; consider the Fish & Chips – the Duke turns this peasant dish into fine dining.
Cocktail hour take a bottle of NZ wine, drive the eponymous road to Long Beach – less than a mile from your room at the Duke. Be couth, bring a take-away cup and sip from a bench on the grass strand along the shore of Oneroa Bay.
Something for Nothing: In the early morning hike (known as a tramp in New Zealand) to Tapeka Point overlooking the Bay of Islands. You can shorten your tramp by driving to the end of Tapeka Road, park the car and tramp the final 800 meters to the point.