Hawkesbury Homestead Vacation
Submitted: April 27, 2013
Stayed: March 2013
During our recent New Zealand vacation, three couples, all from the US, stayed at the Hawkesbury Homestead for a few days. Hawkesbury is an old farmhouse that has been updated and is located among vineyards in the Marlborough wine region of New Zealand. The 3 bedroom, 3-1/2 baths were more than adequate for the 6 of us, and the kitchen and dining area are quite spacious. We enjoyed the large sitting area also. Hawkesbury comes with a very good WiFi system at no extra cost, and there is also a desktop computer that is hardwired with broadband, and internet speed was excellent.
The house was clean, well stocked with cooking utensils, and the kitchen pantry contained adequate supplies of spices, salt, pepper, etc. There is a small supermarket less than 5 minutes away in Renwick, and a larger supermarket and many other amenities in Blenheim, approximately 10 km away. There was a Gala apple tree loaded with apples in the back yard for our enjoyment, and we picked several to take with us upon our departure for the North Island. There was also a grapefruit tree and lots of walnuts for our use. The owners met us upon our arrival with a delicious cheese board and their private label Sauvignon Blanc, and gave us a good tour of the house. The Hawkesbury and First Landing Sauvignon Blanc that they provided (rent for a week and you get 6 bottles) was as good if not better than any other Sauvignon Blanc that we found.
The location is wonderful. There is one winery within easy walking distance, and numerous wineries, some with outstanding restaurants (the restaurants at Brancott and Rock Ferry were particularly good), within a few minutes by car or bicycle (four bicycles are available at Hawkesbury). The Marlborough area reminded us of the Napa Valley in the US with the outstanding wineries and beautiful vineyards.
Hawkesbury's location is convenient for day trips to nearby attractions such as Picton, Queen Charlotte Trace, Nelson, and others.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Hawkesbury and recommend it to anyone planning a New Zealand vacation. If we are fortunate enough to vacation again in New Zealand, we will certainly include a few days at Hawkesbury in our plans.
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Sightseeing,
Families with Teenagers,
Families with Young Children
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