PARADISE. ONE YEAR ON.

May 21, 2015

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This week marks a year since Mother Nature reminded us who was boss here in Paradise, with a lightening strike that destroyed the original Paradise Homestead.

We have worked hard to save what we could after the fire. Miller House now stands proudly amongst the monumental chimneys, and with a refurbished Annexe, has done a fantastic job of housing our many guests over the summer months. The loss of income following the fire was serious and potentially crippling for the Paradise Trust. The above projects along with the many donations from Friends of Paradise have seen the Trust rise from the ashes to the point where it is almost ‘Business as Usual’. 

A huge thanks must go out to those of you who held your bookings with us and had the faith that we would turn the rubble into something special within a short space of time. Thanks to your support we had a busy summer which included celebrating six weddings and some special benchmark birthdays. The feedback on Miller House and the renovated Annexe has been fantastic.

The relocated Glenorchy School has also proved its worth on many occasions and has been a favourite dining experience for the Revolution Tour groups when they visit Paradise. 

Our managers Daman and Mandy deserve special commendation; their work in the past year has been quite outstanding. 

The rebuilding after the fire has been made possible by grants from the Central Lakes Trust ($70,000) and the Otago Community Trust ($30,000), and by a very satisfactory insurance settlement.

Future plans are still in discussion but one thing is for sure… Paradise will always be Paradise.

So if you have yet to experience Miller House (which sleeps 8) please take advantage of our great winter special which is extended to all our wonderful friends and supporters. Winter is a magical time to visit Paradise with stunning scenery and cosy nights in front of the fire. The normal rate for Miller House is $600 per night. However for the coming three months (June/July/August) Up to eight people can spend two nights in Miller House for just $600 – so you can have two nights at Paradise for the price of one. 

Our new-look website is still ‘under construction’ but progressing forwards. You can still contact us through our existing website in the meantime. We look forward to hearing from you.

A big thanks also goes out to Laurence Belcher who has supplied these wonderful photos of the Miller House and the Annexe interiors.