Featherston Historic Stables

The Headmaster's Stables

In the south of the Wairarapa is Featherston - a small town, quiet except for the rumble of a train from time to time. In Featherston the cafes come and go, the shops shy away from mainstream and lean further towards the niche market. Crafts, crystals and quality cheeses can be found. 

The Headmaster's House in Featherston is a grand old house, two storied and dignified, as befits a headmaster who would in those days have been a recognized pillar of the community. This house was built in the 1880s and would certainly have been a very grand family home at that time. Today it has a category II heritage listing in place.

Behind the Headmaster's House stands a building which was once the stable for the grand house in front. This old stable has been subject to much loving care and is now converted into charming cottage accommodation. The cottage is ivy clad and appealing. It is compact yet not crowded. Its loft-bedroom sits under a steep gable roof and the bedroom is all the more attractive with its complex folded ceiling lines. 

Downstairs the bright Mexican- inspired colours make the decor warm and inviting. Small ball-lights decorate the steep stairs. An eye catching original painting picks up the colours of the settees and the rug. There is no kitchen but breakfast provisions are there for you, and so too, is an excellent bottle of local sparkling wine. Much appreciated!

Wrapped around one side of the cottage is a sheltered porch, a chimenea, and mountains of wood ready to use. This is a cottage with lots of charm and heaps of personality in its quirky ornaments and eclectic style, - even  a horse shoe found from the original stable decorates one wall. A good place to spend a night.

http://www.unusualstays.com/

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Waipara Sleepers

A Night at Waipara Sleepers

Pippy McCurdy: 
 http://www.unusualstays.com/
http://www.stumbleuponcroatiaslovenia.com/

Waipara is just a little town not too far north of Christchurch - maybe three quarters of an hour as a leisurely drive. Once it was little more than a railway town but the railway died and the life blood was sucked out of Waipara ... that is, until they discovered that the region had an undiscovered talent; -  it was very, very good at growing wine. This has been the saviour of the Waipara region, and some very good New Zealand wines now come from this locality.

Another plus with the retrenchment of the railways, was the fact that New Zealand Rail began to have a surplus of rolling stock. Take one enterprising Waipara resident, and in 1990 Waipara Sleepers was born.

Three ex-NZR guard vans are now settled comfortably into the grounds of this small but popular camping ground. (Mid winter it may be at present, but the camping ground was easily half full when I visited.) The three vans still rest on rails but this is just to ensure the vans feel at home. The truth is they are no longer going anywhere any more. Nearby the familiar form of the New Zealand railway station can be seen on its platform. The station too has found an alternate use - it is now the camp kitchen.

The transformation of each guards-van  into overnight accommodation has been skilfully and intelligently accomplished. One part of the van is now the sitting room, the second half is the bedroom. With a shiny polished brass double bed for the night, and traditional red leather New Zealand Railways issue seats still in place in the sitting room, the whole conversion has been cleverly managed to achieve maximum usability and comfort.

Add  really attractive tree filled grounds to this, and a particularly reasonable price for a bed for the night and all in all Waipara Sleepers adds up to an excellent place to stay.

Websites: http://www.unusualstays.com/
http://www.stumbleuponcroatiaslovenia.com/