A Golf Resort opposite Mount Hutt that captures the beauty of the scenery well
*scroll to the bottom for scoring.
623 Coleridge Road,
Canterbury 7572,
New Zealand
Dear Readers,
Looking for somewhere to stay after leaving Christchurch, we came across a place to stay away from any cities or even small towns in Canterbury. Mid-summer in New Zealand, right before the calendar shift to a New Year, is high season for tourists in the country and possibly one of the best times to visit. Amidst the pricey offerings in a popular destination, we found a place many have overlooked, and a five-star resort experience away from the crowds is a desire in such times.
The Fable Terrace Downs is a resort by M Gallery under the Accor group. It is located beside the Rakaia River on the opposite side of Mount Hutt. The activities include an 18-hole championship golf course (extra charge), two tennis courts (complimentary with equipment), archery, shooting, and more (Available through third party with extra costs).
Note: To those who may fear the label as a golf resort, everyone is welcome.
The Room
A 94 square meter villa, equipped with a kitchen, dining, living space, and three separate bedrooms with two bathrooms, and a view overlooking the mountain range, is what we settled for that night.
Decorated with a more retro feel, featuring wooden furniture and marble countertops, the hotel gave off a classic high-country vibe. Although not the modern feel of popular hotels people have fallen in love with in recent years, the classic style blends well with the surroundings and adds its own charm to the stay.
The glass doors open up to the full length of the living space, overlooking the highlight of the room, which is the view.
*Scroll down to bottom for room and breakfast image
The Experience
The resort did not add any major factor to contribute to the experience as a whole; however, the scenery shifts as the sun sets, casting a shadow on the mountain, and when it rises back up, the light dyes the mountain red; clouds roll in during the day, partially covering some parts up, adding a dramatic touch. As the scenery changes, one can enjoy the variation in peace with a glass of coffee in the morning and a glass of local wines as the sun sets, which in itself is the experience.
The Breakfast
The breakfast is served in the main clubhouse building/check-in area with a view of the golf course, around a five to ten-minute walk away from our room.
Overall, the resort offers a standard Western breakfast: fruits, yogurt, bread, croissant, and sausage pretty much summed it up. Most items are standard, the sausage was great, but the coffee is a bit sad; the Nespresso machine in the room will serve you better.
The closest place for a proper breakfast is around a 20-minute drive away, which is a little far, so do get the breakfast if a good enough deal appears upon booking, otherwise we would recommend against it, instead buy some ingredients or a premade meal and utilize the kitchen in the room.
Hotel’s Restaurant
The setting carries on the classic high-country style, giving a more retro feel; some may consider it a little outdated. The view from the window seat down to the golf course adds a touch for dinner.
The dinner was well-made, and every dish we ordered was cooked properly. The taste profile is straightforward, classic dishes done right, not an elegant, sophisticated, fine dining. The portion is on the larger side, which we appreciated. Some dishes are large enough to be shared, like the soup and the beef.
Albeit a little pricey, as expected from a hotel’s restaurant, we would recommend dining here during your stay, also taking into consideration the comfort of not having to drive out.
The Closing
Fable Terrace Downs Resort was an example of a good deal for an upscale hotel, especially for those staying in a family of 4-6 people. The view and ambience of the stay are a worthy consideration.
Review Summary:
Style of review: Rural, Peaceful
Do note that under this criterion, our evaluation will assume a personal (rental) car as the default form of transportation, considering the location. The criteria will also be set for a quiet rural area, which will not mark the lack of a convenience store or nighttime activity as a minus.
Our scoring has also taken into account the price point: 300-400 NZD per night (standard room rate for up to 6 people)
For everyday travellers
Our recommendation: A Selective Choice
A good stay, but you can still be selective and explore other options at a similar or lower price range!
For golfers or people who are looking to ski at Mount Hutt
We upgrade Our Recommendation to A Preferred Choice
*Hand-Picked → 1, Preferred Choice → 2, Selective Choice → 3, Subjective Choice → 4
The hotels that fall into these ratings are all satisfactory experiences; the categories capture how exceedingly it went over our satisfaction level, and are not a ranking that implies which hotel is good or bad. The rating is highly reliant on our preferences and personal experience.
Overall atmosphere:
Room type: Deluxe Villa 3-bedrooms
Very Clean 9/10
Location 8/10
Convenience of the stay 8/10
Ambience 8/10
Concept 7/10
Additional scoring:
In-room laundry machine/ dryer +
Full kitchen +
Bad ventilation in the bedrooms –
Special consideration
*This section does not affect the overall recommendation scoring.
A hotel from a major chain will be compared to the hotel under the same name in the chain’s house of brands portfolio in other cities/countries.
Considering the price and the experience, this hotel has a slight edge over what you can get from Veranda High Resort Chiang Mai – MGallery Collection.
Why do we take this into comparison?
So that those looking for a specific experience or hoping to experience a standard a brand has to offer for the first time, or for a more special occasion, can use it as a comparison to aid in decision making of whether this particular hotel under the name should be their choice, or they should save some money for another day.
With love for travelling,
Travel Tegami
