Quirky Creeksyde Holiday Park – Unusual Accommodation in Queenstown

Curious, quirky and unusual all describe the facilities at Queenstown Top 10 Holiday Park Creeksyde. From the ‘Tapas Room’ barbecue pavilion to the trompe l’oeil (deceive the eye) murals in the communal bathrooms …..

The ‘Oast House’ communal bathrooms are built with timber recycled from an old brewery.

The trompe l’oeil (deceive the eye) murals inside ‘Oast House’ – mind the stairs in the mens room.

Girls get a Body Sanctum bathroom with the Skyline Gondola in the shower.

Creeksyde’s not only unusual in design, it has a reduce, reuse and recycle philosophy and it’s the first holiday park in … Read the rest

Curious in Kumara

I didn’t get to share my Kumara pronunciation with the locals, I heard them say it before I could call their place a vegetable. Ku-mar-a (stressing the mar) is how they say it on the West Coast of the South Island.

Kumara developed after gold was discovered in nearby Dilmanstown in 1876. According to information at Shantytown, the Kumara – Dilmanstown area is known as the place of New Zealand’s last gold rush*. The rush is said to have been started by two moonshiners who went bush to set up an illegal still.

During their preparations Cashman and Connor … Read the rest

Tophouse, St Arnaud

Tophouse near St Arnaud was established in 1887 to accommodate drovers travelling between Nelson and Canterbury. Today Tophouse operates as a guesthouse, cafe and tiny bar. The white washed walls cover a mix of cow manure, horse hair, straw and sand used in its construction.

The tiny bar at Tophouse is an addition to the building, it could squeeze in a standing dozen with the front lawn handling the over flow (insect repellent recommended). The bar started serving alcohol again in 2008 after 39 dry years. It was too early in the day to raise a glass for us so … Read the rest

No worries in Golden Bay – Sans Souci Inn

It only takes a minute or two to walk from San Souci Inn to Pohara beach, but you may find the hammock strung in the courtyard is as far as you want to go. Sans Souci translates to “no worries”, the perfect fit for this unique, eco friendly property in laid back Golden Bay (approximately 90 minutes from Nelson).

Sans Souci is unique in its construction and design, it was hand built by owners Reto and Vera Balzer from more than 9,500 mud bricks. The thick brick walls of the Inn retain the sun’s heat and release it at night. … Read the rest