Re-opening of Otahuna Lodge
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Re-opening of Otahuna Lodge
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Category: Asia Pacific
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2007-06-11
New Zealand’s seven-suite Otahuna Lodge, on the South Island just 20 minutes from
Christchurch, has been re-launched following a significant, four-month renovation
undertaken by its new American-born owners Hall Cannon and Miles Refo. Opened on
May 1, 2007, the renovation includes the complete refurbishment of the seven suites, the
public areas and a major overhaul of the 30-acre garden. Guests will also be able to take
advantage of spa treatment rooms in addition to a heated pool, Jacuzzi and tennis court.
Built in 1895 for Sir Heaton Rhodes, Otahuna is the largest private residence in New
Zealand and is regarded as the finest example of Queen Anne architecture in Australasia.
Auckland-based Interior Designer Stephen Cashmore has taken great care to enhance the
Lodge with new furniture, fabrics and bedding while maintaining the original character of
this Category I listed building with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. True to its
original style, fifteen working woodburning fireplaces in the public areas and in the suites
(including two in suite bathrooms) along with its original hard-carved Kauri staircase and
Rimu paneling offer authentic charm to this magnificent lodge.
New Zealand art is strongly showcased at the new Otahuna Lodge, featuring one of the
most important private collections in the country. Twenty-eight major works, by both
established and emerging artists such as Peter Beadle, Mark Zhu and Craig Primrose, have
been specially commissioned for the Lodge. Additionally, original photographs illustrating
the homestead’s prestigious history – housed in the Canterbury Museum or National Library
of New Zealand – have been reproduced and installed throughout the Lodge. A special art
compendium has been created so guests can learn about the art while visiting Otahuna.
With its extensive gardens and focus on excellent dining, Otahuna Lodge offers an inspired
food and beverage program that features group cooking demonstrations and individual
cooking classes. Five-course degustation menus along with wine pairings (featuring largely
New Zealand wines) are prepared nightly and supplement such unique activities as foraging
for mushrooms on Otahuna’s grounds in late summer (March). Guests also have the unique
opportunity to select their own produce for their meals. The food and beverage program is
under the leadership of nationally regarded New Zealand Chef Jimmy McIntyre.
Noted New Zealand gardener Kevin Garnett, former superintendent of the Christchurch
Botanical Garden, and a team have restored the gardens of Otahuna and the Lodge’s original
lake. The 30 acres of manicured gardens and rambling, semi-wild woodlands, one of Sir
Heaton’s greatest legacies, include an orchard with a variety of fruit and nut trees, a one-acre
vegetable garden, a mushroom garden, a rose garden and a field that blooms with millions of
daffodils in the spring (September).
Otahuna Lodge is the perfect base camp for exploring Christchurch and the wider
Canterbury Region. Area activities that can be arranged include private garden tours, horse
riding, golf, heliskiing, fishing and hunting excursions. The Lodge is also conveniently
located for the scenic French settlement of Akaroa with its fascinating marine life, the varied
recreational offerings of the Southern Alps, and the Waipara wine region.
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