HAVELOCK.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 91, 16 April 1908, Page 7

HAVELOCK.

O&OM OtTB CORRESPONDENT.] ' Wednesday. Havelock does not intend to be behind other centres in the attention given to the accommodatipn of the travelling public and Visitors. Just recently I chronicled a large addition to Scott's Hotel, and now I have to mention the completion of the new Commercial Hotel, which has just left the hands of the contractors, Messrs Robertson Brotners, of JJelson,, A short description of. the new building may be of interest to ;ybnr readers. The new housej which fronts the east, is a twoystorey building, .and, it may be mentioned at starting that the main idea was to proyide quiet private accommodation for visitors and families as much apart as jjossible from the noisier side of a licensed Ihouse. With, this end in view the! northern portion of t&e faufliihig on forth floors may ; be said to be the family side of the house^, and.on Ihe lower floor a large commercial room, fitting and dining rooms and Htchen, tvMle above is a fine array ©i sitting rdoms, large bedrooms, bathrooms (two), with hotf an^ cold water, and linen press. The southern side of the house contains the bar on the south-! east corner, bar parlour and billiardroom, while the upper floor contains | mostly single bedrooms. The total ao<- \ wmmotiation is 25 rooms, and two j batnrooms and linen press, as well as a useful pantry ventilated with per- I forated snnc. Th£ passages, both above and below, are very ample, and the, fire escape arrangements are quite , up-to-date, both sides of the house! leading back to a covered platform I with an outside stairway, and' access^ <?an also be had to the front balcony. All the passages are dadoed, with 1 varnished- wood, and'surmounted with mouldings of unusual .width, and the ceilings of the principal rooms are panelled. All the mahtlepieces are excellently designed, and are really tasteful and well finished, as are all the internal decorations, and in^ fact the whole concern would do credit to a' much more pretentious place than Havelock. Messrs Robertson Brothers axe W be congratulated upon the thoroughly workmanlike manner in •wliich every detail of the; contract has' been executed, and Mr W. K. Mattnews, the architect, for the handsome and suitable building he has designed. Mr Hunter is expected to take possession of the property in a few days, ■and it is understood that the furnishing will be entirely new throughput, in keeping with the building.