Discover the best luxury accommodation on the South Island
Renowned for its beautiful mountains, glaciers and tranquil lakes, the South Island offers a scenic retreat with endless outdoor fun and adventure. With luxury accommodation on the South Island, you can experience the ruggedness of the landscape with hiking and water sports, then retreat to your decadent family holiday home for pampering and relaxation with the kids. You’ll find an array of luxurious holiday rentals all over the South Island, including family lodges near ski resorts and luxury cabins on the waterfront, so you can stay close to the best activities and attractions. Find out what you can expect from luxury accommodation on the South Island to plan your next holiday.
Hanmer Springs luxury accommodation
Known for its geothermal hot pools with healing mineral waters and dramatic mountain ranges for hiking and skiing, Hanmer Springs is one of the best places for luxury accommodation. In winter, you can stay in beautiful alpine cabins or lodges to stay close to the slopes and enjoy après-ski activities. In summer, the Hanmer Springs landscape becomes an adventure playground for hiking, mountain biking and water sports like whitewater rafting with the family. You’ll find numerous options for luxury accommodation in Hanmer Springs that boast incredible amenities like underfloor heating, breakfast delivery, gas fireplaces, spa baths, expansive outdoor play areas and deluxe bedrooms with super-king beds.
Family luxury accommodation in Christchurch
Located in the heart of Waitaha Canterbury, Christchurch is a bustling city with historic attractions, vast churches, lush gardens and rich English heritage. You’ll find plenty to do in Christchurch, from cycling along the riverbank to touring historic sites with the family. If you want adventure, Christchurch is a great base camp to explore the wonders of the region. You’ll find plenty of luxury accommodation in Christchurch, including high-end hotels, boutique lodges and lavish family holiday homes, all offering amenities to make you feel pampered for your whole trip. Some of the amenities include tennis courts, spas, indoor heated pools and media rooms.
Family luxury accommodation in Marlborough Sounds
Marlborough Sounds is one of the most unique destinations in New Zealand. The network of sea-drowned valleys offers sheltered inlets, sandy bays, lush forests and crystal-clear waters for kayaking, hiking and other outdoor adventure. You can explore nature reserves and walk coastal tracks with the kids to see the scenery and catch a glimpse of playful dolphins and porpoises. Marlborough Sounds also has secluded bays with waterside accommodation that’s only accessible by boat or flight. Luxury accommodation in Marlborough Sounds offers privacy and decadence set in the native forest or on the waterfront for total peace and quiet. You’ll find many extravagant amenities at luxury lodges, including private courtyards with personal spas and open fires. If you’re having a family reunion or travelling with multiple families, a rental like Portage Paradise offers a 3-level Mediterranean home for 14 people, complete with ensuite bedrooms, an onsite gym, a pool, media entertainment, outdoor play areas for the kids and opportunities for watersports.
Family luxury accommodation in Canterbury
Canterbury is a picturesque region filled with clear lakes, verdant valleys and snow-capped peaks. It’s home to Christchurch, a vibrant city with a rich arts and culture scene, and Aoraki Mount Cook National Park and its towering glacier. You’ll find a range of experiences in Canterbury, whether you want city sightseeing, outdoor adventure, water sports or winter ski trips with the family. Depending on where you choose to stay, you can book luxury accommodation on vast estates with orchards and stables, lodges on the waterfront with on-site dining and activities, or unique stays like luxury rainforest treehouses with pools and spas. A luxury country home is the best option for a family stay, thanks to amenities like ponies, alpacas and fish on the property for the kids to feed, media entertainment and plenty of space to run around outside.
Kaikoura luxury accommodation
Kaikoura is a coastal town that’s home to incredible wildlife on land and sea. The area is popular for wildlife spotting, such as seeing fur seals on coastal rock platforms or watching whales off the coast. You’ll find many unique attractions in Kaikoura, including the 19th-century Fyffe House, a cottage built on a foundation of whalebones that showcases the town’s once-booming whaling industry. Kaikoura has many options for luxury accommodation, from bed-and-breakfasts for the family to swanky apartments and rainforest treehouses nestled in scenic surrounds. No matter what you choose, you’ll be treated to amenities like breakfast service, spa baths and private decks and courtyards. If you prefer something cosy but luxurious, you can book luxury bed-and-breakfasts with detached guest houses situated on rose gardens with coastal views and complimentary breakfasts of home-cooked comfort foods.