Luxury Accommodation Franz Josef and the West Coast
Properties within the Franz Josef and the West Coast area
Properties outside the Franz Josef and the West Coast area
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Rimu Lodge
- Hokitika, Westland. Guest and Hosted - 5 Star
Imagine a place so pristine, beautiful and peaceful that you will be struck by the absolute silence and sheer majesty of your surroundings. A land that time has forgotten, where you can truly relax and take in the splendour of native New Zealand bush, snow clad mountains and the Hokitika River running through fertile farmlands. Rimu Lodge is this place.
Rimu Lodge is a purpose built luxury lodge accommodation. Taking maximum advantage of the wonderful views, rooms are casually elegant, tastefully decorated, with central heating, double glazed windows, ensuite bathrooms with heated towel rails, demisting mirrors and hair dryers. All rooms have refrigerators and tea and coffee making facilities.
As the perfect retreat, you will be able to take time out and go at your own pace, surrounded by warmth, beauty and in winter the ambience of a roaring open fire.
Nearby activities: Flightseeing, Arts & Crafts, Galleries, Museums, Scenic Attractions, Caving, Boat Cruises, Fresh Water Canoeing & Kayaking, Fresh Water Fishing, Bird Watching
Nearby popular destinations: Nelson, Hanmer Springs, Christchurch/Akaroa, Franz Josef, Wanaka, Queenstown, Fiordland/Milford Sound, West Coast, Paparoa National Park, Westland/Tai Poutini National Park, Arthurs Pass National Park
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Holly Homestead
- Franz Josef Glacier Guest and Hosted - 4 Star Plus
The rimu timbers of this colonial homestead seem to whisper history. Built in 1926 for the Paganini family you can sense that the people who lived here lived well.
Your NZ born hosts Bernadine and Gerard have tenderly refurbished and extended the original farmhouse, staying true to the Arts & Crafts architecture while creating a boutique B&B.
Start your day early with a panoramic view of the Franz Josef neve from the breakfast table. Go exploring at your own pace and come home to a glacial sunset. Enjoy the guest lounge and a glass of port before retiring to your welcoming bed.
1 Deluxe Suite with super king bed
2 Superior rooms with super king/twin bed/s
1 Standard room with queen sized bed
all with private ensuite bathroom facilities.
1 downstairs room is wheelchair accessible.
Children 12+ welcome.
Nearby activities: Flightseeing, Scenic Attractions, Horse Treks, Walking/Trekking, Fresh Water Canoeing & Kayaking, Bird Watching
Nearby popular destinations: Franz Josef, West Coast
West Coast
Location
In New Zealand, the "West Coast" generally refers to the narrow strip of land between the South Island's Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea.
General
The West Coast is a wild and sparsely populated region with some of the most dramatic scenery in New Zealand. It is an area of soaring mountain peaks, impressive glaciers, tranquil lakes and raging rivers, lush rainforest and a magnificent coastline that stretches for 600km. Most of its natural environment is still intact and preserved in national parks designated as World Heritage Areas.
The Coast's reputation for hospitality is legendary - "Coasters" display a sincere friendliness and strength of character as unique as their surroundings.
Main Attractions / Activities
The West Coast region offers a variety of short scenic walks and hiking opportunities, as well as exciting adventure activities for all ages and levels of competence. Anglers will find they are in paradise anywhere on the coast, and you’re never far from a country b&b farmstay.
Try rafting a subterranean stream through a weird world of stalactites, stalagmites and glow-worms. Between Westport and Greymouth is a wild, ruggedly beautiful coastline that features the unique Pancake Rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki.
Near Whataroa, on the shores of the Okarito Lagoon, is New Zealand's only nesting colony of the white heron (kotuku). Boat trips on this primeval swamp reveal these elegant birds in their natural glory.
Graded glacier trips at both Fox and Franz Josef accommodate every level of fitness and experience, and there are scenic flights and helicopter excursions for those who wish to view the glaciers from the air.
The coast is also strewn with relics of the heady goldrush days of the 1860s, and tracks and walks explore many of the old workings. You can try your hand at gold panning at Shantytown, a replica goldfield town of last century, near Greymouth, staying in b&b accommodation.
Don't Miss
Oparara arches and honeycomb caves, Karamea
Cape Foulwind seal colony
Coal Town Museum, Westport
Paparoa National Park and Punakaiki pancake rocks and blowholes
Shantytown, Greymouth
Jade Boulder Gallery, Greymouth
Lake Brunner/Moana
Hokitika working artisans and craft galleries
Hokitika West Coast Historical Museum
Lake Kaniere and Hokitika Gorge
White heron sanctuary, Whataroa
Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers
Lake Matheson
Main Centres
Westport - the main town in the north with nearby fur seal colony and in the north the Oparara Caves
Greymouth - the largest town on the Coast for jade crafts and Shantytown
Hokitika - main town in the south for the West Coast Museum, craft galleries and many historic buildings
Franz Josef - glacier hiking and tramping centre
Video Clip
View a short video clip of the Central South Island, (WMV file, 935KB)
Courtesy of www.newzealand.com.
Explore the comprehensive range of luxury b&b accommodation NZ has to offer while exploring Franz Josef and the West Coast in style, comfort and elegance.
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