The Peppertree Luxury Accommodation

This was the most disappointing experience of our trip so far in New Zealand. Because we had paid a lot of money for the room and it was advertised as ‘luxury 5 star accommodation’ we were expecting the luxury that was promised. Unfortunately the bed in the faded bedroom was old and uncomfortable and the shower in the faded bathroom had no pressure and no hot water. We spoke to Heidi the host about our concerns but all she could do was apologise and offer us a bottle of wine. When we explained that we didn’t drink she offered us a cup of tea. She seemed concerned and knew that we were unhappy but wasn’t prepared to do anything about it. Other reviews suggest that people were happy with this accommodation but if they’re travelling with a tour company perhaps they don’t realise how much they are paying for the room or perhaps the rooms vary in quality. I saw one room which was definitely more luxurious than ours. All our accommodation in New Zealand has been better than this and have cost substantially less. The Pepper Tree either needs to upgrade their out dated rooms or reduce the cost of those not up to standard. The Pepper Tree states that it is rated five star by Qualmark but we have been unable to find it registered on The Qualmark website.

What a stellar place on the outskirts of the town. A lovingly restored heritage house with authentic furnishings made possible by the great eye for detail by the owners Heidi and Werner. The hostess exudes warmth and could not do enough to make our stay more pleasurable. Heidi’s recommendations for restaurants and wineries were perfect and she was happy to accommodate dietary requests. The surrounding gardens are beautiful and gave a sense of tranquility to our stay.

If we could give this more than 5 stars we would, it was just amazing. It was like being at an up market old -fashioned house party, we were invited guests. From the moment we arrived, Heidi could not do enough for us. We had the beautiful William Morris room, it had everything we could want, with a HUGE bathroom featuring a standalone bath and bidet as well as a lovely modern shower. Heidi had thought of everything, including a torch to help with nocturnal loo trips. Sadly the weather didn't allow us to sit in our very own verandah. Particularly nice touches included complementary soft drinks in the in-room fridge and fresh fruit. Also there was complementary port in the lounge in the evening. Heidi also lit the fire in the lounge on a chilly afternoon and provided tea for us. Breakfast was a complete treat with so many home made items, including fresh pressed grapefruit juice, Bircher muesli that was amazing, fresh cooked muffins and home baked bread. Heidi cooked eggs, bacon tomatoes etc to order and the presentation was immaculate. All in all, cannot recommend highly enough.