It was a last-minute booking at the only available place we could find within a couple of hours of Christchurch, the first public holiday weekend post-COVID-19 lockdown. We were simply desperate to get away from home, so were not being fussy, but this property was so wonderful we're definitely adding it to our getaway list! We particularly enjoyed the home-made mini-golf course in the garden. I had expected it to be freezing, but the house was well equipped with a wood fire (plenty of wood), lots of heaters and blankets as well if required (which we didn't) and not nearly as cold or draughty as I thought it might be. We enjoyed walking up to a frozen-over Crystal lake too. The whole Mt Lyford area is a welcome alternative to Hanmer Springs or Kaikoura, and I expect we'll be back one day.