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Story: Hotels and motels

First-floor plan, Ōamaru hotel, 1863

This plan shows the first floor of a typical mid-19th century hotel, with bedrooms running off internal passages. An internal wall separates the two grades of accommodation. In larger hotels sitting and writing rooms were often found amongst the bedrooms.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Plans-99-020-009

by William Beatson

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Paul Christoffel, Hotels and motels – Types of early hotels, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/21905/first-floor-plan-oamaru-hotel-1863 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paul Christoffel, published 4 March 2010.