Bayswater hotel car park left hanging on cliff

A Bayswater hotel suffered a large slip at the rear of its site on the corner of Beresford St and Bayswater Ave on 27 January, rendering four rooms temporarily unsafe.

Ocean Breeze Hotel was yellow-stickered by Auckland Council inspectors on 28 January, due to the landslide near a rear car park.

The hotel’s gym was red-stickered after being flooded on the Friday, with ankle-deep water.

Red stickers deem a property unsafe to enter, while yellow stickers allow temporary access for the removal of property.

Four rooms on the upper and lower floors at the back of the hotel were left vacant following council advice, but occupancy was later allowed.

The car park was closed and two guests were moved to other rooms during the flood.

Hotel Manager Anil Chauhan said the damage was minor and that the accommodation remains safe for guests.

He told the Flagstaff, other than the landslip and the flooding of the gym, the hotel was largely unaffected with no other flood damage.

“There is nothing to worry about, everything is safe here.”

Rain washed away the land slowly, in different pieces, over the course of the night. Guests awoke to see a corner of the car park hanging above the cliff and trees in the water below.

Chauhan said the hotel housed “many” families whose homes were flooded, but added that most of them checked out after the weekend. The hotel is open for bookings, although the future of the car park and gym remains in question, pending further inspection.