by Elizabeth Coughlan

Created on: August 29, 2010

Two unique accomodations in New Zealand are The Great Beach House at Tauranga Bay, and Larnach Castle in Dunedin. They offer very different experiences, but both give a unique perspective on life in New Zealand, together with amazing views, the warmest of welcomes, and wonderful hospitality.

The Great Beach House at Tuaranga Bay, on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, is a B&B owned by the proprietors, Michael and Yvonne. The setting is stunning. Their house is on a promontory between two beaches and the view from both sides is spectacular! The bedrooms are fairly small, but guests have a sitting room for their own use, complete with a baby grand piano, a didgeridoo, and a guitar to play on, plus a library, beautiful paintings to browse, and a balcony overlooking the sea.

Michael and Yvonne always invite their guests to take a glass of wine with them before dinner, it really is a home from home. As this is a B&B they don't provide dinner themselves, but the Bay House Restaurant, serving top-class gourmet meals, is only a few steps away.

Breakfast at the Great Beach House is a delight, and Michael's delicious home-baked bread is the crowning achievement. To work off the excesses of the wonderful breakfast provided by these two outstanding hosts, guests can follow the Cape Foulwind track to see the seal colony, watched over by an awesome "Beach Master".  The Great Beach House at Tauranga Bay doesn't feel like a B&B at all, it's rather like visiting long lost friends.

Another place in New Zealand with unique accommodations is Larnach Castle, overlooking Dunedin on the east coast of South Island. This, New Zealand's only castle, isn't really a castle at all, but a magnificent mansion, built in 1871 by merchant baron and politician, William Larnach, for his adored first wife, Eliza.

In 1898, William committed suicide, resulting in endless legal battles by family members, as he died intestate. Larnach Castle was eventually sold by the family in 1906. Over the years, the castle was neglected, until Michael and Barry Barker bought it in 1967. It took the Barkers more than 40 years to restore the castle to its former glory. Along with the restoration of the castle, Margaret Barker, a passionate gardener, has created a series of unique themed gardens. They are so beautiful that the New Zealand Gardens Trust has collectively named them a "Garden of National Significance".

Guests are not accommodated in the castle itself, but rather in the nearby 4-star Larnach Lodge, or in the 135-year old historic stables, for the more budget conscious. A relaxed breakfast is served in the stables, while dinner is served in the Castle Dining Room. There is also a café in the Castle Ballroom for lunch, morning and afternoon tea, and occasional snacks.

Larnach Castle, only 20 minutes drive from Dunedin city, sits in its own 14 hectares (35 acres), on a hilltop on the Otago Peninsula. It commands spectacular views of the estuary and surrounding countryside, and out into the Pacific Ocean. Larnach Castle, by its very existence as the only castle in New Zealand, provides unique accommodations for the visitor, and it even has its very own ghost.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Coughlan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.