Chateau Tongariro RFP: CBRE runs the hunt for an operator to restore, run historic hotel

19th March 2026 By Paul Yandall | paul@propertyticker.co.nz | @propertyticker

The government has launched a formal process to find an operator to restore and reopen Chateau Tongariro.

It is the first official call for commercial interests to revive the historic hotel at Mount Ruapehu, which was mothballed in February 2023 due to seismic concerns.

The Department of Conservation has engaged CBRE to run the RFP process.

“The request for proposals (RFP), opening on 19 March 2026, invites interested parties to put forward plans that recognise both the heritage significance of the Chateau and the cultural importance of Tongariro National Park,” Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said.

“The Chateau is a landmark many New Zealanders have visited for holidays to school trips and international visitors experiencing Tongariro for the first time.”

DOC, which owns the land the building sits on, started developing an expressions of interest process in 2024 before providing advice to Potaka on possible options for the hotel, including permanent closure.

Potaka told the Ticker last year that he had gone through three or four expressions of interest for the hotel.

Whakapapa Holdings Limited, the new operator of Whakapapa ski field backed by investors The South Island Office, was one of those that lodged an expression of interest.

The property comprises a 97-room hotel, conference facilities, food and beverage outlets and more than 20 hectares of land, alongside a range of ancillary buildings used for staff accommodation and operations.

Initial repair costs are estimated at around $10.4m, excluding seismic strengthening, with DOC indicating in its RFP document that a staged redevelopment approach is likely to be required.

Potaka said today that restoring the Category 1 heritage-listed hotel at Whakapapa Village will help ensure the area continues to attract visitors while supporting local businesses and tourism in the wider region.

“We are looking for proposals that balance commercial viability with conservation values, respect for tangata whenua aspirations, and the unique character of Tongariro National Park.”

He added that the RFP process will help identify operators capable of restoring the building while ensuring it remains consistent with the values of one of New Zealand’s most important national parks.

A panel will assess the proposals but the RFP does not guarantee a DOC concession to operate. Applicants will need to demonstrate they can meet DOC’s concession requirements, including all statutory, environmental, and heritage obligations.

The successful proposal, if one is selected, would likely lead to a concession process under the Conservation Act, allowing a lease of up to 30 years, or potentially 60 years in exceptional circumstances.

The RFP will be open until 21 April 2026, with the details available on the GETS platform and a preferred respondent expected to be identified by the end of that month.