In response to the increasing numbers of tourists that began visiting the Waitomo Caves in the late nineteenth century early cave explorer and tour guide Tane Tinorau Opataia together with his wife constructed a house in 1901[2] when they converted to provide tourist accommodation in 1904 calling it Waitomo House.

[3] Completed in 1908 the building which is positioned upon an escarpment overlooking the village was originally called the “Government Hostel at Waitomo” and is today known as “The Victorian Wing”.

As a result, it was enlarged between 1927 and 1928 by adding a two-storeyed plastered reinforced concrete tiled roof extension which is now called the “Art Deco Wing”.

However the Tanetinorau Opatai Trust, was not in a position to fund the work as it had not received any income for seven years from its 51% share of the Waitomo Caves tourism operation.

[10] There have been claims of bathtubs dripping blood, orbs bouncing around the driveway and a Māori princess stalking the corridors.

Some people have also reported experiencing the dining room going cold, laughter, the feeling of 'something' walking through them and the noise of a maid's trolley going along the long stretch of hall in the lower part of the hotel.

[10] It has been reported by hotel staff and guests that a ghost likes to play tricks on them or that apparitions have been seen in the dining room, along with an uneasy feeling in the atmosphere.

[13] In late 2001, a television program called Hauntings screened on New Zealand's TV2 featuring an episode involving the Waitomo Caves Hotel.

[14] In 2006, Waitomo Caves Hotel was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunt, a New Zealand television show.