Merivale Manor & Apartments, New Zealand

Overall Impression I enjoyed my stay in the Merivale Manor & Apartments in Merivale, a leafy suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand because my accommodations were spacious and comfortable, the staff were friendly and helpful; and the property was close to the Central Business District and closer still to a variety of Merivale shops and restaurants. It was also conveniently located en route to the airport for my predawn departure.

The 100-meter two-bedroom Te Wepu Suite in the Merivale Manor historic building offered more than enough space for me. After changing hotels every night or two during an 18-day off the beaten track itinerary of the South Island Christchurch was my final stopover before heading home. The roominess and suite amenities allowed me to relax a bit before embarking on the long series of flights home. The suite had a kitchen with a full size refrigerator and most basic items, allowing me to cook my own breakfast and meals when I wanted. There was a well stocked grocery store within walking distance, where I bought supplies. I liked that there were several dining options nearby.

I liked to sit at the dining room table to gaze at the comings and goings in front of the property and parking lot, watch television, go online or talk on the landline phone. I could also sit in the living room as the kitchen, dining and living spaces were in a single room. When I had company we were able to chat in the living room instead of the bedroom, where my suitcases sat unmade.

I slept in the back bedroom, where I used the second bed to spread out and repack my backs for the long return journey. It was blessedly quiet. I would return to the Te Wepu Suite and recommend it to friends traveling to Christchurch for its location, spacious interior, friendly service, and amenities.

Children Yes, children of all ages were welcome.

Class of Accommodation Boutique Style Manor, Studios, Self Contained Apartments

Connectivity There was high speed WiFi in my suite.

General Manager Jeff and Naomi Peters were the relief managers during my stay.

Handicapped Access Yes, there was handicapped access with rails, special bathrooms, shower seats and wheelchair ramps.

Languages Hotel staff were able to greet guests in Chinese, German, Thai, Malaysian, Italian, Indonesian, Spanish, Singaporean.

Length of Stay Two nights

Location The property is nine kilometers, or about a 15 minute drive, from Christchurch International Airport.

Owned and Managed Wayne and Karen Peat

Pets Allowed No

Size The Manor building, where I stayed, has two floors. There were 25 rooms on the half hectare property with eight employees.

Year Opened-Renovated The property opened in 2004. It was renovated in 2015 following the Canterbury earthquakes.

Lobby and Common Areas The entrance to the property was from a busy main street onto a narrow parking lot. Parking spaces were on the right side. There were garden features. The Manor, an old two-story Italianate building, occupied the rear of the property. There was additional parking behind the building. The path was one-way, requiring drivers to circle left around the back to exit the parking lot. There was a small reception desk with a steady flow of guests. There were tourist brochures and promotional flyers on and around the desk. There were also loaner DVDs. Adjacent to the reception there was a laundry room with one washer and one dryer.

Bathroom The rectangular bathroom at the rear of my room had sink, toilet and shower with a glass door.

Room I stayed in the Te Wepu Suite, a 100 square meter two-bedroom suite and a combined living, dining and kitchen room. It was on the ground floor of the Manor building. A dedicated entrance through the front of the building led to a wide hallway that ended in the Manor building interior. To the left of the hallway in a single room were the living, dining and kitchen areas. To the right there were two adjacent en suite bedrooms, each with a king and a single bed.

There was wall to wall carpeting across the suite except for the kitchen and bathrooms. There were some oriental rugs. The hallway had period décor. On the wall, framed photos showcased scenes of Christchurch at the time of the building’s establishment and portraits of the original owners and their family.

The name Te Wepu translates to The Webbs meant to celebrate the owners of the property in 1882. It had four meter ceilings, chandeliers with ornate ceiling roses, and antique sideboards.

The interior furnishings were designed by the owner Karen Peat “with a deference to celebrating the past, while ensuring a modern day look and feel.” The construction was original kauri wood. The owners believe this flexible material helped the building better survive the 2012 earthquakes.

Food and Restaurants On request and for a fee the property offered continental breakfast delivered in the room the previous night. It consisted of fresh fruit (banana, apple, orange, red and green grapes, kiwi), yogurt cereal medley, sliced bread, orange juice and milk.

Amenities There were complimentary hot beverages in the suite, including several types of tea, coffee and hot chocolate powder. There was a pretty flowering orchid plant on the dining table. Mor shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, amenity kit and hand cream. There were Marshmallow scented deodorizers throughout the building and suite. There were televisions in all the rooms of my suite.

Facilities A laundry room was available for guest use for a fee.

Other The owners expressed a commitment to responsible tourism by recently removing over 5,000 plastic bottles from the property’s recycling program and switching breakfast products into reusable glass containers. There were recycling waste bins in my suite. Staff attended regular housekeeping standards, health and safety, hazard identification, self care, use of equipment and products, and customer service training, according to the owners.

Merivale Manor received two recognitions from TripAdvisor.com: 2019 Travellers Choice Award in four categories (Service, Romantic, Small Hotel, South Pacific Service), and Hall of Fame Award for five years consecutively.

Cleanliness Very Good

Date of Review February 2019

Reviewers

Photos and Article by Elena del Valle

Would You Stay There Again? Yes