If you’ve ever thought about running away from the world and buying a wild west ghost town now’s your chance. All you need to do is move to New Zealand.
In 2006, a New Zealand businessman built what is now Mellonsfolly Ranch, a replica of an old western town, just for fun. He sold the miniature neighborhood to his friend Rob Bartley, a well-known entrepreneur in New Zealand with a handshake deal (as you would in the Old West). Bartley then turned the ranch into a boutique hotel and event space that has become a beloved destination to all who visit. And now, it can all be yours as he’s selling the town with New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty.
As the listing describes, the ranch is located in the heart of New Zealand and is a “truly breathtaking estate positioned on more than 900 acres of the Central Plateau.”
Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
The unique property comes with three distinct homes including the main private residence and two rental houses that can also accommodate a small staff if needed. Beyond the homes, the massive property also comes with ten other buildings meant to “meticulously replicate an 1860’s Wyoming frontier town.” The home, the listing added, was “crafted with astounding attention to detail, and to a standard of quality seldom found in even the finest homes.”
The home is still an operational boutique hotel, meaning the new owner can walk right into a preexisting business, complete with loyal clientele. Right now, the hotel can accommodate 22 overnight guests and can even accommodate them for a cocktail at the hotel’s licensed saloon. But that’s not all, guests can also have a mock trial at the courthouse, watch an old-timey film in the cinema, or get into a little trouble at the billiards lounge before being hauled off to the sheriff’s office.
“The current owners enjoy an enviable lifestyle on the property; summer is for hunting, fishing, and swimming in the rivers that wind their way through valleys,” the listing states. “And during winter, they benefit from the nearby picturesque ski town of Okahune and the Mount Ruapehu ski fields.”
Though the property doesn’t come with animals it does come with a “thriving” Manuka honey business. Want in? All you need to do is plunk down $7.5 million and the perfectly preserved Old Western town can be yours.
If you’ve ever thought about running away from the world and buying a wild west ghost town now’s your chance. All you need to do is move to New Zealand.
In 2006, a New Zealand businessman built what is now Mellonsfolly Ranch, a replica of an old western town, just for fun. He sold the miniature neighborhood to his friend Rob Bartley, a well-known entrepreneur in New Zealand with a handshake deal (as you would in the Old West). Bartley then turned the ranch into a boutique hotel and event space that has become a beloved destination to all who visit. And now, it can all be yours as he’s selling the town with New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty.
As the listing describes, the ranch is located in the heart of New Zealand and is a “truly breathtaking estate positioned on more than 900 acres of the Central Plateau.”
The unique property comes with three distinct homes including the main private residence and two rental houses that can also accommodate a small staff if needed. Beyond the homes, the massive property also comes with ten other buildings meant to “meticulously replicate an 1860’s Wyoming frontier town.” The home, the listing added, was “crafted with astounding attention to detail, and to a standard of quality seldom found in even the finest homes.”
The home is still an operational boutique hotel, meaning the new owner can walk right into a preexisting business, complete with loyal clientele. Right now, the hotel can accommodate 22 overnight guests and can even accommodate them for a cocktail at the hotel’s licensed saloon. But that’s not all, guests can also have a mock trial at the courthouse, watch an old-timey film in the cinema, or get into a little trouble at the billiards lounge before being hauled off to the sheriff’s office.
“The current owners enjoy an enviable lifestyle on the property; summer is for hunting, fishing, and swimming in the rivers that wind their way through valleys,” the listing states. “And during winter, they benefit from the nearby picturesque ski town of Okahune and the Mount Ruapehu ski fields.”
Though the property doesn’t come with animals it does come with a “thriving” Manuka honey business. Want in? All you need to do is plunk down $7.5 million and the perfectly preserved Old Western town can be yours.
