No_1_1959 — Page 40

The urgent need for additional hotel accommodation in Fiji was con- firmed by a survey carried out for the Fiji Government by the Intercon. tinental Hotels Corporation of New York, Their report estimated that Fiji would have to double its hotel accommodation by 1961 and treble it by 1965 to cope with the fast-grow- ing tourist industry.

With these facts in mind, tenders were recently invited by the Govern- ment of Fiji for a 99-year lease of the world famous Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva.

"The G.P.H.", as it is known all over the world, is Fiji's premier hotel, and is the most famous hotel in the South Seas. It has seen the pomp of Royal occasions; its romantic at- mosphere has inspired novelists and playwrights; it stands at the hub of the Pacific at a cross-roads of sea and air routes which join the Ameri- can Continent with Australia, New Zealand and the Far East.

Spacious, lofty, substantially built in reinforced concrete and stone, this fine Colonial-type hotel, erected in 1914 with imposing colonnades and wide verandahs, has a character of its own. It stands in delightful grounds between Suva Harbour and Albert Park, with views of distant islands, mountain scenery, and the constant break of surf on the fringing

reef.

A ground rental of £5 per annum will be charged for the first 25 years of the lease, provided the successful tenderer is prepared to modemize and enlarge the hotel within five years as a condition of the lease.

It was requested, therefore, that tenders should take the form of: -

(a) Capital sum for purchase of hotel buildings and other im- provements,

(b) Description of the

modernization,

valuation thereof.

with

intended capital

The present hotel and grounds cover over three acres, set out with lawns and tropical flowers. The total ground floor area of the main build- ing is over 20,000 sq.ft. The hotel has nineteen double and five single bedrooms. In addition, there is a Manager's suite with two double bed.

rooms.

The principal dimensions are: din- ing-room 1,632 sq.ft., lounge

36

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GRAND PACIFIC HOTEL

VIEW FROM SEA

SECTION

SUVA, FIJI

TERRACE

LINK BETWEEN OLD AND NEW BUILDING

BIRD'S EYEVIEW TOWARDS MAIN ENTRANCE

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 1

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