The Wellesley, Wellington

Overview

"The Wellesley Boutique Hotel is named after Arthur Wellesley, better known as the Duke of Wellington, the victor of Waterloo. The Duke was a sponsor of the New Zealand Company, which in turn recognised his support by naming Wellington, one of the principal towns of the new colony, after him. In 1891 a group of Wellington businessmen decided to establish a gentlemen's club, they chose the name Wellesley because of its obvious connections with the city of Wellington. The building that today houses the Wellesley Boutique Hotel was designed by architect Gray Young and completed in 1929. It won an Institute of Architects Gold Medal and is considered one of the finest examples of neo-Georgian architecture in Wellington. The building has been designated a grade 1 Heritage Building by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. In 1997 the building was meticulously restored as a hotel.