Welcome to Whakahā
Where peace and play coexist and nothing rests on you.
An all-inclusive luxury holiday home on twelve private hectares in Peel Forest, New Zealand.
Whakahā gives you the freedom and privacy of your own home, with everything you'd wish for already taken care of. Everything is shaped around the people coming, so everyone gets to enjoy being here. Including the person who brought everyone together.
The house at a glance
A space to tune out the noise and truly be together
With generous living spaces, a kitchen made for gathering and a separate media room for when the kids take over, the house is set up to give everyone room to come together and enough space to disappear for a while.
Outside, there's a wood-fired hot tub, an outdoor bath and a fire to gather around. Somewhere for morning coffee, an afternoon doing very little or an evening under the stars.
Whether you want to lock the world away, explore the region or have the details arranged for you, your stay can be as quiet, adventurous or independent as you choose, with your concierge on call whenever you need them.
The Whakahā Table
A culinary experience, curated around you.
Whether you want to cook together, have someone cook for you, or explore the restaurants, producers and food experiences of South Canterbury, how you dine at Whakahā is entirely up to you.
Food for your whole stay is included and can be shaped around the way your group wants to eat. You might cook together with quality local ingredients from the stocked kitchen, head out for meals at our favourite local restaurants, or do a bit of both. For a special evening, a private chef can be your included experience. Alcohol isn't included, but our sommelier can arrange wine and spirits for your group.
With dinner ready when you arrive and the details organised before your stay, there's no need to spend your holiday shopping, planning meals or making reservations.
Near yet far
A rural retreat in South Canterbury
An hour and forty-five minutes from Christchurch and four and a half hours from Queenstown, Whakahā sits at the foot of Tarahaoa (Mt Peel), in Peel Forest, on twelve private hectares above the braided Rangitata River.
Surrounded by mountains, farmland and native bush, and just 15 minutes from the small-town charm of Geraldine, you're close enough to explore the region, yet far enough away to feel like you've left the rest of the world behind.
Gather together
Made for the trips that matter
Some trips are planned around a milestone. Others begin with a conversation about getting everyone together, finding time for something you've always wanted to do, or making the most of the time you have with the people who matter.
Whatever brings you together, Whakahā gives you the space, privacy and freedom to make the occasion your own, with the details taken care of so everyone can enjoy being there.
Something worth celebrating
A milestone birthday. An anniversary. A special occasion that deserves more than a dinner out.
Bring everyone together for a few days, rather than a few hours. Gather around the table, share the stories, and make the most of having everyone in one place.
Time you've been meaning to make
The family reunion you've talked about for years. Friends who haven't all been together in far too long. Children and grandchildren coming home from overseas.
Sometimes the occasion is simply having everyone together, with enough time to properly enjoy each other's company.
An experience worth sharing
The fishing trip you've always wanted to take. A few days riding in the high country. Hunting, rafting or exploring somewhere new with people who love the same things you do.
Spend your days doing what brought you here, knowing everything is taken care of when you return.
Beyond the house
A region worth exploring
From the braided rivers of the Rangitata to the remote high country of Mesopotamia, Whakahā is surrounded by some of South Canterbury's most remarkable landscapes and experiences.
Spend your days fly fishing, hunting, horse riding, white-water rafting or exploring the mountains, valleys, tracks and trails. Take a helicopter into the high country, discover the local food and producers, or venture further afield to experience more of the South Island.
Whether you're coming for a particular adventure or simply want to see what's out there, your concierge can arrange it, and one experience for your whole group is included in every stay.
The meaning behind the name
Whakahā means to breathe out
You arrive at the end of the drive, put your bags down and realise there's nothing you need to do next.
The house is ready. The food is there. The details have been taken care of. And for the first time in a while, you don't have to think about what everyone else needs.
Whether you spend your days exploring the region, gathering around the table or doing very little at all, there's space to enjoy being here, with the people you've come to spend time with.
That's what Whakahā was created for.
