Menteith Country House, 961 Springs Road, R.D. 6, 7676 Christchurch, Christchurch Canterbury, New Zealand
Menteith Country House
961 Springs Road, R.D. 6, 7676 Christchurch, Christchurch Canterbury, New Zealand
961 Springs Road, R.D. 6, 7676 Christchurch, Christchurch Canterbury, New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 3252395, +64 21 1315523 Innkeeper: Fay and Stephen Graham Website: http://www.menteith.co.nz Rates per room start from: 135 NZD Breakfast type: home-cooked breakfast Breakfast time: 07:00 - 09:00 Breakfast is served: in the dining room Check-in from: 14:00Menteith Country House is a first-class bed and breakfast in Christchurch, which offers the best of both worlds - countryside peacefulness with easy access to the city facilities. It features three delightfully appointed rooms with large en-suite bathrooms. Their facilities include TV, telephone, heating, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryer, bath robes, slippers and toiletries in the bathrooms. Guests may enjoy an invigorating swim in the heated indoor pool or just relax in the lovely garden. Hearty home-cooked breakfast is served in the sunny dining room and is a perfect start of a day in Christchurch full of new sights and experiences.
General amenities
common dining room barbecue/BBQ summer garden summer terrace/patio Wi-Fi internet indoor swimming pool living room conservatory smoking is allowed only outside off-street parking quiet surroundingsRoom amenities
television set telephone heating tea and coffee making facilities refrigerator en-suite bathroom hairdryer toiletries bath robes slippersNearby amenities/activities
skiing walking fishing swimming sun bathing trekking boating biking hiking sailing photography bird watching whale watching picnic areas mountains river ocean historic sites cultural events museums/galleries wine tasting fine dining shoppingPayment types
Cash Master Card VISALocation map
An interview with the innkeeper(s) of Menteith Country House (24th of July 2011)
What is(are) your name(s)?
Fay and Stephen Graham
For how long have you been running a B&B?
30 years
Please share something about the history of your present bed and breakfast.
Fay and Stephen Graham moved to Christchurch from Franz Josef Glacier in South Westland in 1981 after selling their tourist accommodation business. During his teenage years, Stephen, a third generation West Coaster, followed in the footsteps of his father Peter Graham, a well known mountain guide until rheumatic fever curtailed this activity. Alongside a love of the mountains was a love for the taste of honey, so encouraged by his mother to provide for this longing, he bought his first hives producing honey sourced from the surrounding native bush. Beekeeping took him through the next 13 years when he then branched out into the tourist industry owning the local store and tearooms just as the Haast Pass was being completed to connect the West Coast to Canterbury and Otago. It was at this stage that Fay arrived at Franz Josef Glacier as Head receptionist for the newly built hotel having previously spent 2.5 years at Mount Cook where an appreciation for the mountains and the outdoors had developed. Together after their marriage, they built a 110 bed Motor Inn with licensed restaurant while enjoying a busy life with their 2 children. We say it was because 'we suffered withdrawal symptoms from meeting interesting people' that we returned to the tourist industry offering bed and breakfast accommodation in our country home on the outskirts of Christchurch. Now more than 30 years later, we still derive great pleasure from meeting new faces and ensuring that their experience of New Zealand hospitality is top quality.
What are the unique characteristics of your B&B?
Our 8 year old home is built from macrocarpa wood with schist stone pillars and includes a heated pool and spa conservatory where many functions have been held, especially for bridal parties. In the summer our swimming pool offers the opportunity for exercise or a refreshing swim to cool down. In spring and autumnthe spa pool is a welcome place to soak, perhaps with a glass of wine after a busy day sight-seeing. Our inquisitive friendly alpacas love being fed with nuts and their fibre produces wonderful products. Fay will show you how! Join us for 'happy hour' each evening and plan your activities - we have lots of helpful suggestions to offer.
Based on your guests' opinions, what feature of your B&B has made their stay special?
Beautiful spacious home - lots of extras and detail - interesting conversation with hosts - great honey to taste and great conversation on bees and their products - delicious breakfast with mostly homemade produce - warm hospitality. Complimentary laundry facilities and Wifi internet.
Please describe in short your bed and breakfast and its general services and amenities.
Central heating is a luxury we enjoy and our guests often remark on it. Walking into a warm house invites a welcoming feeling. Our location is rural with magical views of mountains and hills yet no distance from airport and city on easy routes. The peacefulness and lack of noise is something often remarked on. All of our property is there for guests to enjoy and the only private area is our bedroom. We share our home with our guests but as it is very spacious we are never under each others feet. Our lounge has a large TV with Sky facilities, lots of DVD's available and CDs to play but we find guests don't usually have time for this however they are very welcome to use it. We are keen sports people and love to share watching a game with guests.
How many rooms are offered at your B&B and what is its maximum capacity?
We offer 3 ensuite rooms, two with king or twin beds looking into the garden and 1 with a queen bed which attracts the morning sun. We can accommodate 6 people.
What kinds of rooms do you offer?
Elie de Beaumont, named after a favourite mountain at Franz Josef Glacier, is a fresh blend of lilac and white. Our king or single beds always attract very favourable comments for their firm but soft-top feeling, together with the provision of electric blankets and down and feather blankets for the cooler weather. Central heating is a luxury we enjoy and our guests often remark on it. A shower with a movable head caters for guests of all heights and a good supply of hot water provides for a great shower. The TV, refrigerator and tea-making unit fit neatly into the wardrobe beside your robes and slippers. Your cases can be conveniently housed on sturdy luggage racks. The Copland room, named after a pass joining the Mount Cook area with the Wet Coast, also offers a king or twin beds and the same quality amenities as the Elie Room. The Port Hills room faces our hills which surround the Port of Lyttleton. The queen bed with its quality gold tonings, looks out into the larger garden area and gathers the morning sun. It also offers tea and coffee making facilities, refrigerator, and TV conveniently placed for viewing from the bed. Slippers and robes are a welcome addition for use in the pool or room.
Please describe the in-room facilities for each type of room in your B&B.
All bathrooms have a fan for extracting the steam from the shower, a heat lamp to provide warmth, well lit large mirror, a heated towel rail, and especially selected toiletries. Windows are screened to avoid flies, particularly in the evening light. Each room has its own hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities with plunger coffee, refrigerator and complimentary drinks, a torch, and conveniently placed bedside lights. Central heating is a welcome feature for the cooler weather.
Which room is your personal favorite?
Elie de Beaumont is very popular with wedding couples - perhaps the colour of lilac appeals to many people and creates a real freshness with white accessories. The Port Hills room with the morning sun is also very popular.
What do the room rates include?
We have no additional charges. Taxes, Wi-Fi, laundry, full cooked breakfast, parking are all included.
Do you offer any special packages?
We offer special packages for weddings and tailor them to each brides requests.
What may guests expect from a typical breakfast at your property?
Choices from 3 cereals one is gluten free, one homemade. Choices from 3 fruit juices. Choices from a fresh fruit platter, and 2 types of stewed fruit. A different cooked hot dish is offered each day. Home made bread, family produced honey, homemade jam and marmalade. Choices from plain tea, herbal tea, plunger coffee and decaffeinated coffee.
When and where is breakfast served?
The time is the guests choice between 7am and 9am. It is served in the dining room usually but could be in the pool conservatory. We like to join our gusts for breakfast and find the conversation most interesting.
Are dietary needs accommodated?
We do like notice of special dietary requests and are happy to accommodate gluten free, vegetarian.
Do you serve other meals?
On arrival we offer drinks and cookies if the time is suitable for this. If not we offer a glass of wine and nibbles to all guests around 6pm each evening before they go out for dinner.
Are there cooking facilities, which guests may use?
Each room has its own tea and coffee making facilities, wine glasses and a refrigerator. A BBQ is available in the pool conservatory.
Is your bed and breakfast suitable for children?
As we have a pool and animal troughs on our land, it is not suitable for small children. Young people of 12 years or more can be accommodated
Do you accept pets?
No we do not as we have a cat, calves and alpacas. We do have 2 small paddocks which could accommodate horses.
What is your smoking policy?
Smokers are welcome to smoke outside.
Is there a parking facility on premises or nearby?
Plenty of free parking.
Is your B&B suitable for disabled guests?
Not really suitable.
What safety precautions are provided at your B&B?
All guests are given room and house entry keys. We have a hard-wired smoke alarm system and a burglar system
What is your check-in/check-out policy?
We do not have rigid rules on departure unless there are other guests arriving early in the day but we can make arrangements to store luggage. Arrival time can be flexible on application, but generally any time after 2pm is fine.
Are there a minimum number of nights for staying at your B&B?
No minimum.
How can guests check availability and make a reservation?
Our new website will contain an availability calender. Email is good as I can build up a rapour with guests. Phone is also fine.
What is you cancellation policy?
A cancellation less than 48 hours before the day of arrival, requires a cancellation fee of 1 nights accommodation.
What types of payment do you accept?
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, wire transfers.
Is there a special etiquette that guests should know about and comply with?
We like guests to feel comfortable. As we have wooden floors we encourage guests to remove, stiletto heels, and shoes with soles that collect stones,.
Please tell us what things guests might enjoy visiting, seeing, doing, etc. in your area.
Keen walkers will enjoy the Halswell quarry walk. Roads are suitable for jogging or bike riding. French flavoured Akaroa is a 1 hour drive where a very enjoyable day can be spent including seeing dolphins, penguins and seals. The thermal area of Hanmer Springs is 1.75 hours away and also offers golf, rock-climbing, horse riding, mountain biking, jet-boating. Around Christchurch there are animal parks, a renowned Antarctic centre, hot air balloons, jet-boatng, golf.
Where is your B&B located and how it may be reached?
GPS coordinates: Longitude 172.48812 Latitude -43.6083. We are 20km from the CBD of Christchurch taking 15 minutes on easy route - 16km from airport and railway station on very easy route. Maps on our website www.menteith.co.nz
What would you say to people who have never stayed in a bed and breakfast?
A bed and breakfast experience is often described as like staying with family or friends and the statement often made 'arrive as a guest and leave as friends'. If the guests are relaxed then they will enjoy the experience to the full. On arrival we escort the guests around the home and explain the facilities, inviting them to come to the lounge for a cuppa. Guests may choose whether they dine with other guests or alone, but if they have met other guests during our 'happy hour' then they are usually relaxed about dining with others. We try to build up a relationship with our guests before they even arrive so they will feel relaxed and love the experience that being with 'Kiwi's brings. they can have as much or a little privacy as they wish.
Is there something more that you want to share about your property?
We are happy to answer any questions guests might have, help them to have a wonderful experience in our country.
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