Self Catering Farm Stays: Canterbury (2023)

A couple of hours outside Christchurch on New Zealand‘s South Island this homely and very friendly farm stay offers B&B beside Peel Forest, a large reserve park with a huge range of New Zealand’s native flora and fauna; birds such as karearea, kereru, robins and warblers, and plants such as totara, matai and kahikatea. The owners will be very happy to advise you about local hiking and to show you around their sheep farm. They have three choices of comfortable and clean rooms with shared bathroom, a sociable shared lounge and kitchen where guests can come together and cook, and all with free WiFi throughout. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “We really enjoyed our stay at Peel Forest Farm! It’s a working cattle and sheep farm and we loved the atmosphere there! Quiet, calm, perfect place to relax and enjoy nature, do some hikes or just chill on the terrace. We just loved it!…” “The peace and quiet of a real country farm…I couldn’t have ask for more. It was exactly what I was hoping to find!…” >> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT PEEL FOREST FARM:   READ MORE

For a beautifully peaceful farm stay retreat near Christchurch, NZ, Eyre View Retreat is an excellent, and highly rated, choice. The farm sits on the Canterbury plains just west of the city, has lovely, clear, mountain views, and a slow, relaxed atmosphere that is infectious to the visitor. THE ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation on the farm is a cosy cottage/chalet, near the main farmhouse, with two bedrooms (one with queen size bed, the other with two singles), a lounge, kitchenette, dining room and bathroom. Outside the door there is a nice veranda area with seating and views over the fields and the distant mountains. There is also WiFi at the cottage plus a flat screen satellite TV, mini HiFi & DVD player. You’ll find the owners very friendly and helpful without being intrusive. Though the accommodation is self catering they also provide a very good continental breakfast in the morning which includes some of their very own fresh home baked bread. THE FARM: The farm has a number of animals; alpacas, cattle, horses and ponies, all of which are pretty friendly and well used to strangers. You can take the alpacas and ponies for a walk around the farm if you wish, and you can arrange horse riding lessons in the local area, as well as guided horse treks. THE LOCATION: Though near to the charming city of Canterbury, the South Island’s largest city, Eyre Retreat and its surroundings are a rural idyll where the stars shine brightly at night and there is barely a sound to be heard.  You can wander the farm then maybe take a walk through the Eyrewell Forest just behind, and there are also lots of tours and trips that you can organize from the farm: Horse riding treks, as mentioned above or wine tasting tours of the nearby Waipara vineyards for example. There are a few nice historic villages around too, with the nearby village of Cust being a good place for a leisurely day out. There are beaches too, ski resorts and some fabulous hiking towards the Southern Alps; places like the Korowai-Torlesse Tussocklands Park, Cragieburn and, slightly farther afield, the very spectacular Arthur’s READ MORE

Wacky Stays is just outside Kaikoura on New Zealand’s South Island and has a range of cute glamping accommodation on a working farm which guests are very welcome to explore and get to know some of the animals. You can choose from a colonial wagon, a yurt, a house truck/caravan, a tipi tent, a train carriage and a conventional, less ‘wacky’, two-bedroom farmer’s cottage. THE ACCOMMODATION: The Wagon: It can can sleep up to four, with two single beds and one double which can also be converted into two singles. It also has a small kitchen with a fridge, a microwave, toaster, kettle, etc. There is a small lounge area with a comfortable sofa, a widescreen TV and Blu-Ray/DVD player, air conditioning/ heater and the canvas roof is insulated with sheep’s wool. The Yurt: The 7 meter yurt is the real thing, imported all the way from Mongolia. It sits on a raised and insulated wooden floor and the walls, if that is the right word, are insulated with thick camel hair, which makes it wonderfully cool in summer, and warm in winter. It can sleep four, with one king size bed and two single beds, and separate to the unit, its own private bathroom and shower. The House Truck: The hand-crafted house truck  has a double bed (above the drivers cab),  a compact, well equipped kitchen, a lounge area with flat-screen TV & DVD player and traditional pot bellied stove (and electric heating too), and a toilet & separate shower. The Teepee: The large, 7-metre wide, teepee has, like the yurt, one king size bed and two singles and it too sits on a raised and insulated wooden floor. The walls are made from poly-cotton, waterproof, canvas with a semi insulated second layer. It has a separate bathroom with a shower and toilet. The Carriage: The carriage is a fully restored 1889 train carriage with two bedrooms; one with a double bed and the other with two bunk beds. There is a cute, compact bathroom there too with an antique toilet, sink and shower. The lounge area and kitchen are open plan and come with a TV and DVD player. The Farmer’s Cottage: READ MORE

This friendly B&B farm stay is on a busy, working sheep farm in Hawarden, South Island, New Zealand, about 50 miles from Christchurch airport. They have a very spacious and comfortable suite with double bed, separate seating area plus veranda, en-suite bathroom and flat screen TV with satellite channels, and another self-catering cottage with equal facilities plus more space and a kitchen adjoining the farmhouse. There is free WiFi almost throughout, and they serve a hearty cooked breakfast or a continental option if you prefer, and they can offer other good home cooked meals for an extra charge throughout the rest of the day, even arranging packed lunches for hiking trips. The area is rightly well known for the outdoors and the friendly farm owners can advise you on hikes and cycle routes, and you can borrow their own bikes for free! There is plenty of fishing around and winter sports too, and you are of course welcome to store your ski equipment at the farm. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “A homely farm stay with touches of luxury not normally provided by a B&B….” “What a special experience. We felt like part of the family…we went on a great hike through the sheep ranch. We felt like we had our own 5000 acre ranch. Outstanding hospitality and the rooms were both uniquely great. Don’t miss this place. We are coming back!!..” >> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT KARETU DOWNS:     READ MORE