Iconic Christchurch property to reopen

Five months after the February 22 earthquake that shook the Canterbury region, and following the completion of an extensive restoration project, Otahuna Lodge at Christchurch will re-open its doors on August 1.

Part of the restoration has involved seismic strengthening unparalleled for a heritage property in New Zealand.

Owners Hall Cannon and Miles Refo said they are “incredibly thankful for the outpouring of support we have received and we’re thrilled to be welcoming our first in-house guests since February”.

Tim Hunter, CEO of Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism, added, “We have made excellent recovery progress in the last five months and now have at least 98 percent of our tourism operators back in action.

“Australian holiday travellers represent our largest tourism marketing opportunity and we intend to entice more Australians across this summer with a marketing campaign that pitches New Zealand’s South Island as offering some of the best road trips in the world.”

In 1895, Sir Heaton Rhodes created Otahuna, considered New Zealand’s most important privately owned historic estate.

In 2007, more than a century later, Hall and Miles took up where Heaton left off, embarking on a complex renovation programme that would reinstate the mansion as one of the world’s premier luxury destinations.

A year later, UK society magazine Tatler named Otahuna one of the World’s 101 Best Hotels.