Quick Tips:

Many international flights leave Christchurch Airport at very early hours so stay the last night at a hotel near the airport. Some have 24-hour courtesy transfers.

Best Way To Get Around:

We had a rental car and were concerned about parking but the hotel has a free valet arrangement with the adjacent parking garage and we were able to leave the vehicle there for up to 30-hours for NZ$5. That was a great arrangement.

The staff was very friendly and no tips were sought by anyone. The room was large and well equipped. As well as the usual facilities, my wife appreciated the hair dryer, and iron and ironing board. There was a business centre, a large lobby with a restaurant to one side, and a bar. Reception and room service operated 24 hours.

Food facilities were good. In-room dining offered dishes such as Greek salad (NZ$11), lamb fillet souvlaki (NZ$15), and char kway teow (NZ$14) from 10.30am-10.30pm. From 5pm, standard restaurant dishes such as fish (NZ$22), salmon (NZ$24.50), venison (NZ$26.50) and lamb (NZ$25.50) are added. The express breakfast in the restaurant, consisting of juice, eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, steak or pancakes, toast and tea/coffee, was good. If it is not served to you within 15 minutes, it’s free. Unfortunately they made it with time to spare.

We made the most of the location by walking to the tourist information office, Cathedral Square, the Mall, the Arts Centre, the beautiful gardens along the Avon River, and the Oxford Terrace restaurants. We took the restored tramway to the Museum and Botanic Gardens. We decided it was a great location and good value for money.

Price: Standard rate around NZ$115 but special rates around NZ$80 often available.

email: res@grandc.co.nz

The casino is heavily advertised and discount dining vouchers are available from many outlets in the city. Free casino shuttles operate to and from local hotels and motels each evening from 6pm to 2am. We could have made arrangements with our hotel concierge but we phoned the 0800 227 466 number instead. The minibus arrived exactly on time – we were the only passengers.

Compared to the large Las Vegas casinos, this one is minute but it has a nice atmosphere. An interesting feature is the free demonstration table where you can learn how to play any of the table games, machines or Keno. Games on offer include blackjack, poker, American roulette, baccarat, money wheel, Caribbean stud poker, pontoon and tai sai. The main floor was fairly quiet when we arrived but was bustling when we left. There was live entertainment in the Valley of Pleasures Bar the night we visited, but I believe this only happens on Friday and Saturday nights. It was an added bonus.

We had planned to eat in the Grand Café so using a discount docket we found a seat near the buffet. The drinks service initially was slick but then it went quiet. The buffet offerings were extensive and there were different Asian and Western tables available to everyone. I believe buffet food is never as nice as a la carte but the wide choice should satisfy just about everyone. We finished with a delightful dessert and coffee. I was particularly impressed to see a staff member checking the holding temperature of all the food on offer. Apparently this is done during all meal periods. In all my years of travelling, I have never seen this done before and it was very reassuring.

After a couple of drinks we caught the shuttle back to our hotel, very satisfied with an enjoyable evening at reasonable cost.

Open: 24 hours
Cost: Entry free; Buffet meals in Grand Café - breakfast (NZ$18), lunch (NZ$20), dinner (NZ$34)

I am not big on museums but I enjoyed this one because of its size and variety of displays. You can see the major exhibits in one hour then spend much longer if you have special interests.

The main exhibitions are on two levels and there is a natural route through them. You start with several Maori galleries then move through to an interesting transport gallery. I was very impressed with the recreated Christchurch Street from the Victorian era. It was a great way of displaying both the architecture and the artifacts from this era. Top marks!

The Antarctic Gallery on the upper floor is also very interesting. You come face to face (literally) with many of the heroes and artifacts of Antarctic discovery and exploration. They were certainly tough characters! Also on this floor is the bird hall with many New Zealand birds on display. If you are planning to visit the albatross or penguin colonies later in your New Zealand tour, this is a ‘must’. Time did not permit us to visit the discovery gallery but a quick peak showed us that kids would just love this.

The museum has a café, up one further flight of steps, that opens for coffee, snacks and lunch. It overlooks the Botanic Gardens and has a nice atmosphere. The ground floor shop has some excellent publications and a range of locally crafted art, jewellery, crafts and gifts.

You can reach the museum by taking the fun trip on the restored Christchurch Tramway. We went by rental car and discovered there was 120-minute free kerb-side parking available close to the museum. What a bonus!

It is said that these gardens have the finest collection of exotic and indigenous plants in New Zealand. I do not doubt it!

The gardens are next to the Canterbury Museum and are part of Hagley Park, a huge slice of green within walking distance of downtown Christchurch. The massive trees set in fine lawn areas impressed me. So too did the rose garden, the herb garden, and the tropical plant hot houses. There were shades of London’s Kew Gardens here and the comparison did not reflect poorly on Christchurch.

The information centre and garden café are close to a delightful lake almost over-run with ducks. We sat here in the sun for 15 minutes just reflecting on nature and the beautiful weather. Afterwards we walked back towards the city along the banks of the small but cute Avon River. We watched out for people punting on the water but there were none about that day.

The gardens also have a children’s playground and the Robert McDougall Art Gallery which offers free guided tours 11am-3pm and is generally open to the public from 10am-5.30pm daily.

40 or so art galleries, craft studios, speciality shops, cafes, restaurants and bars occupy this group of Gothic revival buildings that were once part of the University of Canterbury.

We turned up early one morning and found it bare and almost deserted but we went by later in the day and there was more activity. We were told that on Saturday and Sunday, the place really bustles with artists, craftspeople, musicians, buskers and food vendors. There is also a market. Unfortunately we were long-gone by then.

As this place is heavily advertised we were somewhat disappointed by our visit and would probably only go back again on a weekend or during the recognized tourist season.

The beautifully restored trams now follow a 2.5 kilometre loop around central Christchurch, taking in many of the historic city sights. It proved to be a fun, safe and easy way of seeing many of the interesting places in the central city. The live commentary added a lot to our enjoyment.

Tickets are purchased on board from the conductor and you can chose between a one-hour or all-day pass. You can hop on and off at any of 9 official stops. We took the one-hour ticket and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was a great orientation for further visits to particular places we wanted to see.

There is also a restaurant tram which operates for dinner all year round and for lunch during peak periods. We had previously experienced something similar in Melbourne, Australia (and in fact the restaurant tram is an ex-Melbourne tram) so we did not try it in Christchurch but can imagine that it would be the same fun experience.

Times: April-October 9am-6pm; November-March 9am-9pm
Telephone: (03) 366 7511

Car rental outlets are numerous and there is considerable difference in rates between operators. To some extent you get what you pay for but there are some operators with reasonable rates and good vehicles, service and backup. We did some investigation and chose to use Maui, a large New Zealand operator with depots in both the North and South island.

You need to decide if you want a regular car or a motorhome. Both have certain advantages. We opted for a sedan as we planned to stay in accommodation and needed to travel large distances in a short time. We were happy with our decision.

You need to be 21 to hire a rental car and show a current driving licence and/or an international licence. Australians just need their local licence. Seat belts must be worn by all passengers. Traffic rules are based on international standards but you need to remember to keep left at all times, including roundabouts. You cannot turn left on red lights. Speed limits are 100 kph on the open road and 50 kph in built up areas.

This is definately an option for most people. The cost is reasonable and the flexibility you get from your own wheels is great. We strongly recommend it.