In a heart-warming display of community generosity, Trinity Wharf Tauranga has chosen compassion over waste.

The owners of the renowned hotel are making a meaningful impact at Christmas by donating beds slated for replacement to the community of Tauranga, extending a helping hand to those in need of a comfortable night’s sleep.

This initiative not only reflects the hotel’s commitment to social responsibility but also underscores the power of collaborating in addressing essential needs within the community.

Harbour rooms at the hotel offer plush bed and expansive views on or over the Tauranga harbour.

The harbour bridge, which Geoff and Shelley Payne’s company Civenco Construction Bay of Plenty helped build before they went on to build the hotel, adds to the picturesque backdrop.

“We have 120 hotel rooms and they have a variety of king size beds and a number of split kings which accommodate many of the sports teams. There are also three apartments with three or two bedrooms,” says Geoff.

This means that, counting the split kings as one bed, there are 130 beds, with about 40 beds being replaced now.

“We had a problem with dye running out of mattress protectors, so we are replacing the beds in stages.”

Geoff says he had the mattresses purpose-made for the hotel.

“We went to the factory, looked at standard hotel beds but decided they were too hard. So we got an extra thickness topping put on, so they are customised Trinity Wharf beds.”
He’s already replaced one group of beds, and phoned former Te Tuinga Whanau leader Tommy Wilson to see if the beds could be used for people who don’t have a bed.

“It’s The Grateful Bed,” says Tommy, referencing American rock band ‘The Grateful Dead’. He is delighted that 30-40 families will get to have a bed this Christmas, with the modern day hotel turning the 2000-year-old Bethlehem ‘no room in the inn’ story on its head.

“Even Jesus didn’t get to have a bed,” says Tommy.

“These will go to all sorts of different homes, people are sleeping on floors, some out of jail, kids that haven’t got a bed for themselves, people who are rough sleeping, who can’t afford a decent bed, trying to cover their mortgage… it’s great for this time of year.”

Apart from some dye coming out of the mattress protectors, there’s nothing wrong with the beds.

“I hate throwing something out,” says Geoff. “We decided it was time to replace them.”

“It’s all about connecting the needs of the community with people who have something they can share,” says Tommy.