Otahuna was built in 1895 for Sir Heaton Rhodes, a high-profile pioneer of Canterbury, long-term parliamentarian, a military officer, stockbreeder and keen horticulturist. The magnificent property was a gift to his wife Jessie and would remain their home for more than 60 years.<\/p>\n
Otahuna swimming pool. <\/p>\n
Otahuna has also become a showcase for New Zealand artworks; 28 major works have been commissioned for the lodge over the decades, including works from Peter Beadle, Anna Caselberg and Craig Primrose. <\/p>\n
Otahuna Polo Suite bedroom.<\/p>\n
The Room: We had the pleasure of staying at Otahuna\u2019s newest sanctuary, the Polo Suite, which is a nod to the sport Sir Heaton Rhodes played on Otahuna\u2019s grounds. Originally known as the \u2018Green Room\u2019, the suite is a vintage dream, with historic decor and an original wood-burning fireplace alongside bold forest green walls and large windows out to the Great Lawn and Port Hills beyond. <\/p>\n
Otahuna Polo Suite entry way. <\/p>\n
Bathroom: The Suite also boasts the largest bathroom at Otahuna, which includes a standalone bath situated in what was once a bedroom. The vast amount of artwork on the walls pays homage to Sir Heaton Rhodes\u2019 New Zealand stamp collection; one of the largest and most complete in the world and is now held at Canterbury Museum. <\/p>\n
The bathroom is stocked with ECOYA toiletries and has everything from magnifying mirrors and hairdryers to an ironing board and the softest bathrobes.<\/p>\n
Otahuna Polo Suite bathroom. <\/p>\n
Location: The name Otahuna is M\u0101ori and popularly translates as \u201clittle hill among the hills\u201d. It\u2019s a fitting name, given the homestead is situated at the top of a small hill between the rocky outcrops of the Banks Peninsula, in Canterbury. It is a 20-minute drive from Christchurch city and a 30-minute drive from Christchurch International Airport. The surroundings of the remote homestead made it feel like we had escaped to a new world away from the hustle and bustle of the city, influenced by the style and scale of noble English country estates. <\/p>\n
King Charles and Camilla Queen Consort with the staff of Otahuna Lodge, on their 2019 visit. Photo \/ VCO, Supplied <\/p>\n
Perfect for: Anyone eager for gracious hospitality, deep relaxation, beautiful wine and food and a range of unique experiences within an opulet yet comfortable space. <\/p>\n
The Facilities: Each suite has its own charm, with guest-controlled heating and air conditioning, underfloor bathroom heating, and original wood-burning fireplaces that make the whole place feel wonderfully homely. Every piece of furniture has been custom-made for the suites with a mix of original artwork, historic photos, and fresh flowers from the garden. It\u2019s the small touches that really make it special, with cookie jars by the bed refilled daily. The service is just as thoughtful, with complimentary laundry and pressing, free global calling and valet parking. Even better, the outdoor heated pool (open in summer) and year-round spa pool are the perfect spots to unwind.<\/p>\n
The Drawing Room at Otahuna Lodge, Tai Tapu. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Food & Drink: We learned one thing soon after arriving; no one goes hungry. Hall showed us a vast array of foods that were kept in a common area between each suite. This included scones made fresh by chefs, coffee, tea, soft drinks and sweets. After our tour and time spent settling into our room, we were eager to join the pre-dinner drinks with canapes. Our waitress for the evening, Zoe, was incredibly accommodating, sitting and talking over cocktails on the menu to ensure we had a drink in our hand that we enjoyed. <\/p>\n
Otahuna daffodil field. <\/p>\n
This kind and considerate attitude is reflected in all staff at Otahuna. Chefs tailor the four-course dinner menu for guests each day based on what treats are growing in the garden. Situated on 30 acres of land, the gardens supply the house with more than 120 different types of fruit, vegetables, nuts and mushrooms, so there is no shortage of delicious, fresh food. From a spicy pumpkin soup to tender lamb paired with a fruity sauce, the chefs at Otahuna knew how to match flavours like magic.<\/p>\n
A tian of salmon, avocado and tomato, served at Otahuna Lodge. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Dessert (a fruity, cheesecake-inspired dish with creamy Kiwifruit ice cream) was similarly incredible. As for wines, Zoe answered all of our questions with ease, whether we wanted to know about the flavour profiles, best pairings or about the label artwork. <\/p>\n
The Dutch Garden at Otahuna Lodge, Canterbury. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
The next morning, we enjoyed a full cooked breakfast of whatever our hearts desired, served in a spot of our choosing. So, we found ourselves digging into a perfect eggs Benedict with bacon in a private area of the house that was flooded with natural light. <\/p>\n
In the Neighbourhood:<\/p>\n
Being a secluded retreat, one of the most spectacular nearby attractions is the garden, and I was eager to explore the 30-acre surrounds after seeing the daffodils upon our arrival. Pulling on a pair of provided gumboots, we stroll through the manicured lawns, semi-wild woodlands and sheep paddocks, which are full of sheep enjoying the sunshine with their springtime lambs. <\/p>\n
Accessibility:<\/p>\n
Otahuna has a fully disability compliant suite called the Botanical Suite that can provide same-level access to all downstairs common areas and public rooms. <\/p>\n
Price: Winter rates start from $2,600 per night for a couple. Summer rates from $3,900 per night for a couple. Prices cover several inclusions such as pre-dinner drinks and canap\u00e9s, a four-course degustation dinner with wine pairing, breakfast, lunch, and laundry service, and more.<\/p>\n
New Zealand Herald stayed courtesy of Otahuna Lodge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Otahuna was built in 1895 for Sir Heaton Rhodes, a high-profile pioneer of Canterbury, long-term parliamentarian, a military…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":95120,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[15892,10043,22857,8815,11424,1861,70437,3096,70438,173,111,139,69,70435,1240,213,70436,2069,70439,223,19054,40648,28975],"class_list":["post-95119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-boutique","tag-canterburys","tag-escape","tag-explore","tag-finds","tag-history","tag-homestead","tag-islands","tag-jazlyn","tag-lodge","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-otahuna","tag-south","tag-sports","tag-stately","tag-stay","tag-steeped","tag-the","tag-turned","tag-warmth","tag-whales"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95119"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95119\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}