The Waverley Heritage Inventory entry for the Clarendon Hotel states that it was built in 1878 and had 21 rooms. The Taranaki Herald reported briefly on 4 July 1894 that the "Clarendon Hotel, Waverley, was burnt to the ground on Sunday night".
It seems likely, therefore, that the present building dates from 1894-95. In September 1894 the Patea Licensing Committee granted permission for a new 22 room (exclusive of the bar) hotel to be built and for business to continue in temporary premises.
In 1909 (not 1907 as the Heritage Inventory records) the hotel survived a huge blaze that destroyed the Commercial Hotel, directly opposite the Clarendon. On arrival the fire brigade concentrated their efforts on saving the Clarendon as the Commercial was already well alight.
The Commercial Hotel was again destroyed by fire on 1 May 1933, although the Clarendon Hotel was badly damaged, it survived the fire opposite thanks to the efforts of the Waverley Fire Brigade.
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