THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH HOTEL Russell, a popular tourist destination in the Bay of Islands, which is an aquatic New Zealand playground lavishly furnished with 144 islands and a myriad of secluded beaches. Holding New Zealand's oldest pub license, The Duke, as the hotel is affectionately known among the locals, offers charming lodging with spectacular views of the bay. Russell, or as it was formerly known, Kororareka, was one of the first European settlements in New Zealand. The legacy of Northland's earliest European settlers can be seen in the town's historical buildings and museums that provide visitors an insight into colonial New Zealand. The Duke is close to many historical sites including the rammed earth Catholic Mission Building that houses the 1840s bookbinding, printery and tannery called Pompallier