Further Information for your holiday in New Zealand

About our neighbourhood:
  • Restaurants, shops and cafes are in abundance in North Canterbury with the closest supermarket and restaurants a mere 5 minutes drive from Seatonwood Villas.
  • Larger shops and restaurants within 15 minutes: north in the local town of Rangiora & or east to Kaiapoi.
  • Travel a little bit further north and we have the small township of Amberley; the starting point for our North Canterbury wineries.
  • Each Friday from 9am until 12.30pm at the Ohoka Domain (just a 10 minute drive from here) is the very popular Ohoka Famers market.
  • Tramping, golfing, fishing, wine tasting and shopping are among the many activities that can be experienced in North Canterbury.

Recommended 3 night stay

Our overseas travelers have found that a first night in such peaceful surroundings allows them time to adjust to a different time zone before venturing out on some of the many exciting and diverse experiences we are so fortunate to have on our doorstep and as there is so much to see in the area, we recommend a 3 night stay. While many journeys in the South Island of NZ start from Christchurch, there are also plenty of things to see and do while you are in the Waimakariri region of Canterbury. Many of our guests have already found out that Seatonwood Villas is a very convenient base for day trips to.........
  • Christchurch - activities too many to list ... 
  • Local towns: Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Cust, Oxford ...
  • Pegasus Bay and the beaches along our east coast - swimming (seasonal) & walking (all year round)
  • Waipara wine area - producers of wonderful Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and much more
  • Hanmer Springs - for the hot pools, walking/ tramping, golf, restaurants, shopping;
  • Oxford, Castle Hill & Arthur's Pass; walks and scenery
  • Akaroa - a scenic drive to Akaroa where you find a beautiful  “French flavoured” seaside town, restaurants, shopping and walks. 
  • Kaikoura - another scenic drive- this time to see seals and maybe dolphins and whales

Dinner options

While breakfast comes as part of the package, we can also provide evening meals. These can be booked at the time of making your reservation and sometimes, by arrangement, when you are here.
Holidays in NZ in Summer are superb but equally so, during our shoulder seasons of Spring & Autumn. And in Winter at Seatonwood Villas, we are well positioned to be used as a base for skiing holidays. The access road to Mt Hutt is a comfortable 70 minute drive and Porter Heights even less. There is nothing like coming back to a roaring open fire and home cooked meal at the end of a day and that’s exactly what we offer through the winter. Some days the weather just doesn’t allow skiing, so it makes sense to stay closer to other areas where there are plenty of other activities, not weather affected.
So spend some time at Seatonwood Villas and we will do our very best to make it the highlight of your trip.