The Victoria Hotel – History

65-67 Melmore Terrace

Old Cromwell Town

Cromwell

Central Otago

The Victoria Hotel (renamed Victoria Arms Hotel by NZ Breweries in the 1960’s) was established in 1863 by Mrs A Box who owned the Hotel for 14 years, until she sold out to Mr. James Stuart in 1877.

Mr Stuart was the former owners of the Ferry Hotel in Bannockburn. James Stuart owned the Victoria Hotel until his death in 1899 and his wife carried on running the Hotel. Built of Schist it was remodelled near the turn of the century and there are walls with the original stone in place showing off the craftmanship of yesteryear.

In the 1880’s there were nine Hotels in Cromwell’s main street but owing to stiff competition only the most successful one’s stayed in business.

The building of the Clyde Dam saw the drowning of the only other two Hotels operating at the time, leaving the Victoria Arms Hotel (also known as the top pub) as the only Hotel operating in Old Cromwell Town which it still is today.

The Victoria Arms Hotel has been offering food, refreshments, and lodgings for well over 150 years and plans to continue doing so for the next 150 years.

We have named one of our Bar Snacks after our resident ghost “George” not sighted but felt around the place quite often mainly frequenting the accommodation area. Doors closing, televisions turning on with no reason are but a few stories from the guests, but I’m sure the Hotel in general have some fine tales to tell.