A little bit of Old England in the heart of Whanganui, the Rutland Arms Inn has been a fixture on the corner of Victoria Avenue and Ridgway Street since it was first erected in 1859. Named after England's smallest county and the regiment stationed in Wanganui in 1845, this fully refurbished historic building is one of the few city hotels in the country still standing on its original site — an iconic piece of Whanganui's history and a proud local favourite.
In the restaurant, authentic old English style meets fresh New Zealand cuisine: a traditional menu served in a modern way, with menus covering breakfast, day, dinner and dessert. The kitchen is led by Head Chef Richard Corcoran and Sous Chef Sam Jones. The bar carries a tantalising mix of local, imported and craft beers, plus a craft gin list for anyone keen to try something new.
Within the building are eight beautifully appointed guest suites that combine the appearance and charm of yesteryear with all the modern conveniences of today — a way to spend the night inside one of Whanganui's most storied buildings.
Your hosts, Tavis Small and Jennifer Gilbertson-Small, are Wanganui born and bred with hospitality careers spanning London and Wellington. They took over the Rutland in 2010 and, with their team, offer personalised service in a relaxed, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Dinner service runs from 7:00 to 9:30pm, seven days.
Stand on the corner of Victoria Avenue and Ridgway Street in Whanganui and you're looking at one of the city's great survivors. The Rutland Arms Inn has served locals, travellers and business people on this exact spot since it was first erected in 1859 — one of the few city hotels in New Zealand to remain on its original site. Fully refurbished but unmistakably historic, it bills itself as 'a little bit of Old England in the heart of Whanganui,' and the description fits: elegant, unique English charm in one of the town's most prominent street corners.
The Rutland is iconic in Whanganui and wears its tradition as a local favourite proudly. In its early days it was known as 'the finest hotel between Wellington and New Plymouth,' a place where professionals dallied, did business and generally enjoyed themselves.
Few hotels have survived as much. Named for England's smallest county and the regiment stationed in Wanganui in 1845, the Rutland has been through fire — literally — more than once. A blaze on Christmas Day 1868 completely destroyed the hotel, and a new, larger Rutland rose from the ashes within twelve months. Fires struck again in 1880 and 1903, prompting proprietor FC Faber to rebuild in 1904 as a three-storey brick hotel with 70 guest rooms and shops and offices on the ground floor. The Murchison earthquake of 1929 and the Napier earthquake of 1931 saw the brickwork strengthened, while the fire of 1946 claimed the third floor and turret for good.
One of the proudest chapters came in 1966, when the Dining Room was redecorated in Wedgwood Blue and Gold in anticipation of a visit from the Queen Mother, who stayed in a guest room overlooking where the Watt Fountain now sits. By 1986 the hotel had closed and its fittings — doors and the staircase included — were auctioned off, leaving a derelict shell slated for demolition. Two local businessmen bought the property in 1993 and spent years restoring the Rutland to its original style and atmosphere.
Today the Rutland blends an authentic old English style cafe/restaurant with fresh New Zealand cuisine — 'a traditional menu served in a modern way,' as the team puts it. The kitchen is led by Head Chef Richard Corcoran and Sous Chef Sam Jones, and the menus run the full day: breakfast, a day menu, dinner and dessert, all served in a relaxed, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It is, by their own description, the perfect place for a catchup and meal.
The bar deserves equal attention. The Rutland pours a tantalising mix of local, imported and craft beers, and its craft menu — craft beer and gin among the highlights — invites you to try something new. It's the kind of list made for a long evening at a corner table in a building that has hosted a few long evenings itself.
Eight beautifully appointed guest suites combine the appearance and charm of yesteryear with all the modern conveniences of today. Staying here means waking up inside one of Whanganui's most storied buildings, a short stroll from Queens Park — the hill once known as Pukenamu, where an English stockade stood behind the hotel in the 1840s.
Your hosts, Tavis Small and Jennifer Gilbertson-Small, are both Wanganui born and bred, both hold Bachelor degrees in Hospitality Management, and both worked in the industry in London and Wellington before coming home in 2005 to open the Espresso Garden Café at Gilbertson Mitre 10 MEGA. In 2010, friends and previous Rutland owners Mike Hos and Brigid Crowley convinced them the Rutland already had a winning formula — perfect for putting their own spin on. Their three young boys are part of the operation too: the youngest shows guests to their rooms and wrangles the coffee machine, while the older two serve as chief taste testers in the restaurant.
Dinner service runs from 7:00 to 9:30pm, seven days a week. Whether you book a table, a suite or both, expect personalised service in a building that has been making Whanganui feel at home for more than 150 years — and, as the hosts say, if there's anything you need to make your stay more comfortable or enjoyable, just come and ask.