The Intrepid Is a New Boutique 18-Room Hotel on Ghuznee Street

The soon-to-open hotel arrives from the team behind Golding's Free Dive, Puffin and Shepherd.
Stephen Heard
March 15, 2021

Some of Wellington's best-known hospitality personalities are moving away from the dining room to open a new boutique hotel in the capital. The Intrepid Hotel arrives on Ghuznee Street this May from Sean Golding — the mind behind craft beer bar Golding's Free Dive, natural wine bar Puffin and award-winning restaurant Shepherd.

He's joined by property developer and co-owner Alex Cassels, who spearheaded the 138-room The Park Hotel and a soon-to-be-completed social housing building conversion on Tory Street, plus Nina Siegler who brings her welcoming presence to The Intrepid's front desk, and Devvrat Kaushal who has previously managed a number of hotels in Wellington.

The soon-to-open hotel aims to fill the luxury, boutique gap in the Wellington market, offering a more intimate option for visitors during a quick stopover, long weekend or week-long break.

The property's location at 60 Ghuznee Street takes over an existing building opposite Glover Park. The four-storey building is the former office and warehouse designed by architects Hoggard and Price and built in 1909 for Cadbury Brothers. It has since housed Great Expectations restaurant and various retail businesses. After three years of earthquake restrengthen, The Intrepid Hotel is opening its doors to guests on May 8, 2021.

Leah Maclean.

The Intrepid Hotel features 18 contemporary rooms across three floors. The rooms are split into three sizes — Precious (queen), Baker Street (king), and Mighty (super king) — and all come furnished with luxurious beds, velvety furniture and unique artwork. All of your traditional in-room luxuries are there, too, including plush robes, fresh linen sheets, extra-large television screens and sustainable skin-care — here provided by plant-based retailer Real World.

Minibars are stocked with complimentary local beverages and snacks, while outside on the landings guests have access to bottomless Coffee Supreme filter coffee and Libertine Tea.

Occupying the ground floor of The Intrepid Hotel is natural wine bar, Puffin, operated by Golding and business partner Hannah Wells. Opened in 2019, the intimate bar is one of city's classiest spots to sit down for a drink. Settle down in one of the plush velvet green booths and work through the list of minimal-intervention, organic and biodynamic wines.

Also on the ground floor is The Intrepid's very own shop Seller Door, which will stock a selection of items like vintage watches from FiveFortyFive, gifts from Brown & Co and records from RPM. In the immediate vicinity of the hotel there are plenty of galleries, craft breweries and fashion boutiques worth exploring.

Find The Intrepid Hotel and The Puffin at 60 Ghuznee Street. The hotel is open to guests from Saturday, May 8, 2021. For more information and bookings, visit theintrepidhotel.com.

Published on March 15, 2021 by Stephen Heard
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