Browns Bay Motor Inn (775 Beach Road)

The idea of a hotel in Browns Bay was first mooted by East Coast Bays mayor Reginald H. Greville in 1957 as the completion of the Auckland Harbour Bridge drew near. Unfortunately for the promotors, local residents voted against it at the time. In 1963, a second poll was conducted and the hotel was approved. The initial building opened on 5 December 1967 and included a large lounge and public bar, with an expansive beer garden opening early the next year.

Things took a downward turn in subsequent years for the Browns Bay Hotel. Plans to build 20 guestrooms in an adjacent accommodation block were shelved and Greville changed the building’s license to that of a tavern. To reflect this change, the building was renamed the Phoenix Tavern in 1971. The name refers to two Phoenix palms that were preserved on the property when the complex was first built. The tavern picked up a reputation as a popular venue for bands, but it also attracted a rough crowd.

In 1981, the complex finally achieved its original goal of providing rooms for guests under the name Browns Bay Motor Inn. A new eight-room motel was opened to the east of the original building and featured the Freemans Bar and a Cobb & Co restaurant. Soon afterwards, the old pub was renamed The Brownzy Sports Bar and the lounge was converted into a liquor store. The motel continued to operate until 1997 and then shut down. The restaurant and bar closed soon after and the entire complex was then demolished to make way for the Bay Palms apartment complex. The Brownzy, meanwhile, still remains a popular music venue, with a Bottle-O liquor store adjoining it.

Continue along Bute Road.