Designer Cottage

Had a great stay, thank you Steve for being a great host

Had a 2n stay here about 10 min easy drive to the CBD. Room was a bit dated and cramped but clean. There are rooms in main house but didn't see them. Very good breakfast served by Chet and Steve who are very good hosts. Quiet neighbourhood with a great Thai/Viet restaurant 5 mins away called Zaffron.

Very good place to stay, nice and quiet with friendly staff. They went out and bought some Weetbix for me, as I could not eat nut based cereals. Gone the extra, nice grounds and the guys were great hosts. Safe location as well. Some features a bit dated though, no USB points in the building and the bed was wire sprung and quite uncomfortable. But these are minor affluenza based complaints. Room size was really generous and private, sunny and nice couches and sitting area. The price was attractive too and nice grounds, a lot of friendly felines drop by too. Great for solo travellers, couples and tourists. However if you have tech savvy types, probably not the best place.

My New Zealand trip was largely 1 night stays and a mix of B&Bs and motels. But I had 3 nights here in Christchurch. Great welcome from the host with loads of tips on what to do and where to go. Breakfast was another highlight with plentiful amounts of food and drink and the chance to chat with other guests. Plus a lift to the Tranzalpine train on my departure day. It was busy and my room only had a shared bathroom, a rare choice for me, but I coped and never had to wait more than a few minutes.

This is one of the loveliest places I have ever stayed - it represents everything about the legendary New Zealand Hospitality that you have ever imagined. Run by the owner, Chet, who delivers a truly personal and welcoming experience for every guest. I stayed for four nights and every morning there was a breakfast banquet of fresh fruits, cereals, milks for everyone ( soy, oat , dairy) , freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly made coffee, hot toast and so many condiments to chose from . You sit round a large table which is social and interesting to find out what others are planning. On the one morning when I had a very early start, a breakfast was placed carefully outside my room for me to enjoy before setting off at 5.30am - such thoughtful service. My room was the little ‘sleep out’ which is a super cosy ensuite room with a lovely bed and excellent shower as well - set in the carefully designed courtyard, which has a lovely small pond and flowers and plants that clearly the local birds and bees really enjoy too. A very relaxing place to sit and unwind in after a busy day . In terms of location, when you arrive Chet takes you through a carefully, prepared map and gives you a link to a web page he has created full of useful tips and hints . The public bus system in Christchurch makes it very easy and cheap to get all over the place . Chet also offers a laundry service, but please remember this is not a laundromat, so you if you need something urgently then look for that, but if you have a day or two then your laundry is done and returned all very efficiently. So in summary, if you want to experience real New Zealand hospitality, look no further than Designer Cottage !