FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes, we regularly welcome exclusive use bookings of Otahuna Lodge. Please enquire directly for your preferred dates and exclusive use tariffs.

Otahuna Lodge is located at 224 Rhodes Road in Tai Tapu, Christchurch, New Zealand and is approximately 20-25 minutes’ drive to Christchurch city centre and approximately 35 minutes’ drive to CHC.

No, we do not offer a complimentary transport service. We are delighted however to book private transfers or a taxi on your behalf, or you can often book Uber to collect you in Tai Tapu during daytime hours. (Uber is not fully reliable overnight or if you need to depart very early in the morning to the airport.)

Our normal check-in and check-out times are 2:00PM and 11:00AM respectively. Should you arrive early or wish to leave later, we are happy to store your luggage whilst you enjoy the public areas of either the Lodge or gardens.

Yes, several of our rooms can accommodate a third guest on a pull-out sofa with double-size mattress or a king-single mattress depending on the Suite. Please let us know by phone or email if you would like to book for three guests, and we will advise if it is possible for your desired dates. (Charges do apply for any additional guests.)

At Otahuna we are pleased to offer a curated collection of special offers, each designed to help you enjoy the very best of our extraordinary home and the amazing region that surrounds it, including exclusive use packages, elopement packages and multi-night stays deals. Click here to view our current packages.

We want every guest to feel fully welcome at Otahuna. Our Botanical Suite, located on the Lodge’s ground level, is disability compliant.

Please note as a historic homestead, some areas of the property do have steps, narrow doorways or uneven surfaces. If you have specific accessibility needs or questions, please contact our team, and we will do everything we can to best accommodate you.

We regret that we are unable to accommodate children under 12 years of age without exclusive use booking of the Lodge.

To preserve the comfort of all guests and the grounds of our historic property, we are unable to accommodate pets. Assistance animals are welcome by prior arrangement.

A deposit in the amount of 1 night's tariff per room booked is required to confirm your reservation.

Due to our intimate size, cancellations affect us greatly. As a result, we adhere to a strict cancellation policy. If your reservation is cancelled fewer than thirty days before your visit, your deposit will be forfeited.

Should we receive less than fourteen days notice of cancellation we will charge for the total accommodation amount. We will endeavour to re-book your suite and will refund your deposit if we are successful. We strongly advise guests to take out travel insurance to protect themselves against unexpected changes to their travel plans. For groups (4 rooms or more) a charge of 25% of the accommodation booked will be incurred if the reservation is cancelled fewer than 120 days prior to arrival. All group reservations cancelled fewer than 60 days prior to arrival incur charges for the total accommodation amount.

Bookings for the festive season period of 20 December – 5 January have special cancellation policy requirements.

Yes, our nightly tariff includes a four-course dinner with matched wine pairings, gourmet breakfast, laundry (requires 24 hours notice) and a complimentary garden tour. Lunch service, including beverages, is offered on stayover days and is served in the Lodge between the hours of 12:00pm and 2:00pm.

Most Otahuna Lodge guests choose to stay for three to four nights to fully discover the breadth of offerings available both on the Estate and across the wider Canterbury region.

No, there is no specific dress code for guests at Otahuna Lodge, with most choosing to wear smart casual attire in the evenings.

Yes, Otahuna Lodge provides complimentary parking and has one standard charging port for an electric car which we offer with our compliments.

The well-being and comfort of all guests at Otahuna Lodge is important to us, therefore we have a non-smoking policy that applies to all buildings on the estate.

All overnight reservations include a reservation for Dinner. If you are not staying overnight but wish to dine at Otahuna Lodge, please note we take reservations a maximum of 30 days in advance of the reservation date. (For example, if you wish to dine with us on 15 October, we will only accept your reservation on or after 15 September.) 

No, we regret that we are not open for lunch to non-resident guests.

Yes, vouchers for accommodation and dining can be purchased online via our website at:  https://otahuna.co.nz/collections/gift-vouchers.

Each year Otahuna hosts a variety of events which have limited numbers and sell out quickly. Signup to our newsletter to get priority access to all events and special offers at Otahuna. 

 Yes, non-resident guests can book private guided garden tours of the Otahuna estate, by prior reservation only, for 40NZD per person (minimum charge of 400NZD) year-round.

No, cooking lessons are reserved exclusively for Otahuna Lodge guests staying in residence.

This depends on the activities you’re seeking and whether you will be travelling via rental car. Certain activities such as on-site cooking lessons, the TranzAlpine train, and private yacht charters in Akaroa Harbour often sell out weeks and sometimes months in advance of the day in question. 

If you are staying during our high season (Christmas – Easter), and you plan not to rent a car, you are encouraged to book any guided activities well in advance of your arrival. If you have a rental car and enjoy self-guided exploration, many of the scenic highlights of Canterbury can be visited on your own.