Stumpers Bar & Cafe is a full-service hotel located in the heart of Hokitika's town centre at the historic corner of Weld and Revell Streets. The building occupies a site with deep historical roots in Hokitika's social fabric, most notably as the home of the legendary Westland Hotel, a dominant gathering place in the town for over a century. The current Stumpers opened in 2001 and has been progressively upgraded, with Premium rooms added in 2011 and all other accommodation refreshed in 2017.
The onsite bar and cafe serves homemade food from 7am (8am Sunday) until late, offering everything from light snacks to full delicious meals suitable for the whole family. The menu changes seasonally with blackboard specials that take advantage of local and fresh ingredients. Dining guests can choose between sun-drenched outdoor seating for warm days or cosy fireside seating for winter comfort. The bar features live sports on TV, a pool table, darts, and a wide selection of beverages, making it a hub for both locals and tourists.
Stumpers is ideally positioned as a base for exploring the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. The hotel is only 15 minutes' drive from the West Coast Treetop Walkway, welcomes cyclists on the nearby West Coast Wilderness Trail (a 132km cycle trail centred around Hokitika), and is close to numerous walks, beaches, and artisan workshops and galleries.
Stumpers Bar & Cafe sits at the corner of Weld and Revell Streets in central Hokitika, occupying a location with remarkable historical significance in the town's social and commercial life. The current building, which opened in 2001, stands on ground that has hosted various businesses and gathering places since at least 1875, when Linemahon's Mixed Importers occupied the site. But it is the memory of the Westland Hotel that looms largest in Hokitika's collective consciousness.
The original Keller's Hotel, which later became known as the Westland Hotel, dates back to 1866. The Westland name itself was first used by proprietor Jane Henderson in that same year. Over the decades, the Westland evolved into Hokitika's dominant watering hole and social centre, drawing both locals and tour groups who came to experience the warmth and conviviality of this West Coast institution.
The hotel's prominence continued through the early and mid-20th century, though World War Two saw the building taken over by the New Zealand Breweries. The 1960s brought revival under private ownership—Mick and Joyce Sullivan took charge, expanded the buildings, and filled them once more with patrons seeking connection and hospitality. By the 1990s, however, the Westland gradually declined. It was finally closed in 2000, ending an era that many older Hokitika residents still regard with fondness and nostalgia.
When Stumpers opened at Labour weekend 2001, it deliberately continued the tradition established by its historic predecessor. With its glass facade and newly painted exterior, Stumpers brought a contemporary look to the historic corner while maintaining the role of community gathering place. Progressive upgrades—Premium rooms in 2011, full room renovations in 2017—have kept the property modern and welcoming.
Today, Stumpers Bar & Cafe operates as a busy hotel catering for both locals and tourists, much as the Westland did in its heyday. The onsite cafe and bar serve homemade food from 7am (8am Sundays) until late, offering everything from light snacks to full meals. The menu features grilled salmon, lamb rack (as a blackboard special), and a large dessert menu, with changing specials that showcase local and fresh ingredients.
The bar itself features live sports on TV, a pool table, and darts, maintaining the social function that made the Westland legendary. Guests can choose between sun-drenched outdoor seating on warm days or cosy fireside seating for winter comfort.
For visitors exploring the West Coast, Stumpers is ideally positioned as a base. The hotel is only 15 minutes' drive from the West Coast Treetop Walkway, where visitors can walk among native rimu treetops and see outstanding views of Lake Mahinapua, the mountains, the Tasman Sea, and the rainforest. The hotel welcomes cyclists tackling the West Coast Wilderness Trail, a 132km easy cycle trail centred around Hokitika. Numerous walks for all fitness levels, a driftwood-strewn beach, and various artisan workshops and galleries are all nearby.
In this way, Stumpers carries forward the legacy of hospitality and community that defined the Westland Hotel, while adapting to the needs and interests of contemporary travellers.