About Us

The name Junction Hotel came from its location at the point where the original settlements of Grahamstown and Shortland met. During the gold boom of the late 1860’s and early 1870’s, this area was the bustling centre of one of New Zealand’s richest goldfields.

The hotel became a gathering placed for miners, traders, travellers, and towns folk, reflecting the important role hotels played in the social life of early Thames.

Today the hotel operates as The Grahamstown Inn, combining accommodation with a popular restaurant & bar.

The building retains its historic character while serving as a modern hospitality venue for locals and visitors exploring the Coromandel region.

The Inn is known for its relaxed & homely atmosphere, dining, functions and accommodation.

What makes The Grahamstown Inn particularly significant is its connection to Thames’s heritage. When Thames was at the height of the gold rush, the town briefly rivalled Auckland in population, and The Junction Hotel (now The Grahamstown Inn), stood at the centre of that activity.

More than 150 years later, it remains a living reminder of the towns pioneering past and the era when Grahamstown was one of New Zealand’s busiest mining settlements.