Wagon Stays offers guests the opportunity to stay in a covered
wagon that has been specially crafted to give you and your partner
a uniquely designed, eco-friendly, luxury accommodation
experience.
Located on a beautiful, elevated rural setting with deer, sheep
and cattle grazing nearby. Soak under the stars in an outdoor
heated bath. Delicious continental breakfast. Just 15 mins from
central Christchurch and 20 mins from Christchurch International
Airport.
Your wagon has been specially designed to offer accommodation
for two in the atmosphere of the early settlers wagon, while
discreetly maintaining all the modern comforts you would expect in
luxury accommodation.
Wagons are always situated in rural environments which offer
stunning views of our beautiful country while still being close to
towns, restaurants and shops etc.
Room Types Available
Twin Share Ensuite
Queen Ensuite
Facilities
Coffee/Tea Facilities
Bath Tub
Hair Drier
Laundry
Stereo/CD Player
TV
Satellite TV
Air Conditioning
Selection of CDs and DVDs
Farm style evening meals available
Kitchen Facilities
Hours of Operation
0700 - 2200
Directions
From Christchurch airport turn right into
Russley Road continuing down Carmen Road, through Hornby and then turn
left into Halswell Junction Road at the roundabout.Travel to the end of
this road and then cross the intersection into Sparks Road. Turn right
into Sutherlands Road, go to the end of the road and turn left into
Cashmere Road. Wagonstays is on the lefthand side of the Road. From the
city take Lincoln Road then Halswell Road until Sparks Road, then follow
the end of the instructions above.
White Cliffs has to be one of the 'must-see' destinations in Outback
NSW. Imagine a township in the middle of the desert where the best
accommodation is underground, a township full of interesting and unusual
characters, where everything you need to know can be found out by
visiting the general store and where thousands of people hoping to make
their fortunes over the last century, have turned the surrounding hills
into a lunar landscape pock-marked with mines.
Like all opal mining towns there is a definite last frontier sense about the place.
White
Cliffs came into existence in 1889 during a year of drought when four
kangaroo shooters were hired to reduce their numbers on the Station. The
roo shooters found opals and realising their possible value, sent them
to Adelaide for appraisal by Tullie Cornthwaite Wollaston.
The
stones interested him so much that he decided to make the journey into
the Outback to investigate further and subsequently purchased the first
White Cliffs opal, thus starting the field.
White Cliffs came by its name as a description of the white rock which every miner had to dig through to get to the opals.
William
Johnstone arrived in 1892 to set up the first store and hotel but the
town didn't really grow until 1893 when news of some good finds drew
miners to the area, which began the development of the town's
infrastructure. By 1897 White Cliffs had about 1,000 people.
Building
materials were scarce and expensive and the heat in summer was extreme
resulting in miners converting their old shafts into homes. The hills
were made of solid sandstone rather than earth so the dugouts were in no
danger of collapsing and the temperature was constant.
By 1900
there was an underground bar at the Centennial Hall and today there are
around 140 dugout dwellings dotted around the town
Mining reached
its peak in 1902 when about £140,000 of opals were found and large
numbers of miners were still here until about 1914 when declining opal
deposits and the beginning of WWI saw the town reduced to its present
day size.
Today the permanent population is around 200, rising to
about 500 in winter with the arrival of gem seekers. In 1987 the total
production of opals from the White Cliffs fields was estimated to be
AU$150 million.
Over the years there have been remarkable opals found in White Cliffs such as opal 'pineapples' and opalised shells.
The
most unusual find was the opalised remains of plesiosaur found in 1976.
It is nearly 2 metres long and believed to be around 100 million years
old. For years it was on display in White Cliffs until being removed to
Sydney.
Jules’ Undersea Lodge, named after the author of the famed maritime tale
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, is the world’s first underwater hotel.
Originally built in the early 1970s as a groundbreaking research lab off
the coast of Puerto Rico, the Lodge has been in business in Key Largo,
Florida since relocating there and opening its hatch to the public in
1986.
Truly an innovative concept, Jules’ Undersea Lodge
claimed status as the world’s only underwater lodging available to the
public until recent years when ecotourism has become all the rage. Many
celebrities have enjoyed a stay including Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, John
Fishman of Phish (of course) and former Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre
Trudeau.
Visitors to Jules who are not certified divers will go through a 3-hour
crash course in scuba diving before shacking up in their room for the
night. After all, the entrance to the hotel is 21 feet underwater on the
sea floor. If you are a diving enthusiast, the Undersea Park is your
Mecca. In addition to the scuba crash course, the staff of Jules’
Undersea Lodge offers extensive scuba certification courses and diving
excursions.
After diving down and resurfacing through the wet room entrance,
residents can doff their scuba garb and enjoy all the conveniences of
modern life 21 feet below the surface. Patrons marvel at unobstructed
views sea life in their natural settings through 42 inch windows.
Completely stocked with modern conveniences like air-conditioning, hot
showers, a stereo and a DVD player this hotel is perfect for the
romantic getaway or the adventurer who truly desires a unique experience
(and, yes, the Lodge is fully stocked with compressed air). Once
underwater, visitors do not have to resurface until they desire. Dinner
and breakfast are provided by the world’s only “mer-chef” and delivered
promptly at 6:00PM (dinner) and 8:00AM (breakfast). I would recommend a
stay at the Undersea Lodge to anyone with an adventurous spirit. For
those seeking a truly unique wedding experience, why not take advantage
of the wedding package? Utter Inn
Underwater hotels are still largely a product of a vivid imagination.
Several are in the planning stage or are currently under construction. A
man named Mikael Genberg definitely had a vivid imagination when he
constructed his Utter (Otter) Inn in Vasteras, Sweden in 2000. An artist
and sculptor, Mr. Genberg chose to focus on “making art for the public”
when he built the Utter Inn.
This one-room inn offers guests the chance to sleep 3m below the
surface of Lake Mälaren about 1km from shore. The Inn resembles a large
buoy with the appearance of a Swedish red house with white gables. For
an extra charge Mr. Genberg will deliver dinner to tenants, otherwise,
guests are on their own.
The room offers panoramic views of the lake and an old switcheroo
with the fishes. Instead of looking at fish in an aquarium, guest of the
Utter are in the aquarium with the fish looking in. The Utter is truly a
singular experience that few have known. However, it is a wildly
popular destination during the summer months. Reservations well in
advance are recommended. Hydropolis
One of the underwater hotels currently under construction is the Crescent Hydropolis
of Dubai. Dubai has become notorious in recent years for its fabulously
modern architecture. It seems the wildest architectural dreams become
reality here. The Hydropolis furthers this notion. At a cost of some
$550 million, the luxury resort is being built on the Persian Gulf floor
– 66 feet below the surface. When completed, the project will cover 27
acres and compose of an above ground “land station” connected by a 1700
foot transparent train tunnel to the undersea hotel which resembles the
shape of a jellyfish. The 220 suites will be bubble-shaped, with clear
glass comprising both the sleeping area walls and the bathtubs. I
suppose modesty must be checked at the front desk also. Anxious
sea-dwellers will have to wait until 2009 before making a reservation.
You may even want to have a look at some existing Dubai hotels before diving into the ocean for Hydropolis.
Poseidon Undersea Resort
Another underwater hotel set to open in 2009 is the Poseidon of Fiji.
This resort is being built 40 feet underwater. Another 5-star resort,
the Poseidon is the brainchild of American submarine engineer Bruce
Jones. Mr. Jones was heavily influenced by the novels of Jules Verne and
movies like “The Amphibia Man” (obviously).
Each guest will have a personal Triton submarine at their disposal
for exploring within the lagoon. For excursions to the area’s depths,
tours on a 16-passenger luxury submarine will be provided. Activities
are also available on Poseidon Mystery Island which has been
artificially constructed for the resort’s purposes. Though still under
construction, room rates have been set. A standard 550 sq. foot suite
can be had for about $1500 a night. But why stop there when you can
reserve the whole of Poseidon Mystery Island for a mere $3,000,000?
Visitors will be able to see everything from their rooms through
transparent acrylic walls and even feed fish swimming by. The luxery
hotel is set to open by the end of 2008.
"Imagine a hotel built among Amazon treetops: catwalks 70 feet up
leading from a great circular dining room of polished tropical woods, a
bar like an eagle's nest, a honeymoon suite built 110 feet up a mahogany
tree, and friendly monkeys, macaws, sloths, and parrots scampering,
fluttering, and dangling all over the place." Conde Nast Traveler Magazine"25 Extraordinary Places Worth That Extra Mile"
Ariau Newsletter, Jill Siegel
"After lunch our little international group pile into a motorized
canoe with Ricardo our guide and we're off for the afternoon to explore
the flooded forest. As we leave Ariau Creek and approach the Rio Negro,
an indescribable feeling of vastness fills me with wonder as we approach
the mouth of the Anavilhanas Archipelago, largest fresh water grouping
of islands in the world. Here the river becomes an ocean at 17 miles
from shore to shore. Pink dolphins splashing from the water create a
magical landscape only equaled by a Peter Max painting. The sky seems to
go on and on forever. We enter the flooded forest or igapo and the
motor is turned off, and then the wonder of the rainforest explodes
around us as we navigate the backwaters. The primordial forest, vines,
lianas, bromeliads, butterflies. "This is why I came, it is all right in
front of me. I have returned to the place I love."
History of Ariau Amazon Tours Hotel
"The war of the future will be between those who defend nature and
those who destroy it. The Amazon will be in the eye of the hurricane.
Scientists, politicians, and artists will land here to see what is being
done to the forest". Jacques Cousteau's prophetic words to Ariau's
founder Dr. Francisco Ritta Bernardino inspired the dream of Ariau into
reality in 1986. He basically said "Build it and they will come!" and so
he did. Dr. Ritta started building Ariau Amazon Towers in 1986 on the
banks of the Rio Negro. From it's humble beginnings of just one tower
and four suites, it has since become one of the most sought out
destinations on the planet. Its guests have included luminaries as
diverse as Prince Charles, Bill Gates, Susan Sarandon, and the Great
Great Grandson of Charles Darwin. It's historic roots came full circle
recently when Jean Michel Cousteau, son of the great Jacques Cousteau
returned to Ariau to commemorate his father's earlier expedition in the
Amazon.
Standard Rooms: Single, Double and Triple Rooms.
Air Conditioned, Queen or Double Beds, Balcony, mini-bar, private bathroom.
Suites
Higher up and affording spectacular views Ariau's Suites offer a
spacious alternative for a more luxurious and comfortable stay in the
rainforest. Private balconies with breathtaking panoramic views of the
rainforest and river. Air Conditioned, mini-bar, dining table, Queen
Beds.
Tree Houses & Tarzan Suites
Get up close and personal with the lush flora and fauna of the
Amazon Rainforest in a canopy level private tree house. Tree Houses
feature private balconies, Queen Beds, living rooms, and spacious
bathrooms.
Restaurants
Two restaurants featuring Brazilian and regional specialties
served buffet style including local Amazonian catch of the day, meat,
chicken, pasta, fresh vegetables and salads, homemade bread, fresh
Amazonian fruit juices and fruit, desserts. Four tree top bars.
Ahh Africa. So wild, so beautiful, so cultural; it’s an experience as soon as you get off the plane! East Africa is known for its wildlife, stunning scenery, Mount Kilimanjaro and safaris on the savannah, but where could be better to sleep than a place that is both luxurious in comfort with the added factor of beautiful animals in their natural environments? Only Giraffe Manor. And they do it damn well.
Giraffe Manor is merely 20 kilometres from Kenya’s bustling capital city, Nairobi,
making it an easily accessible haven from Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport, and once you get there; it will be a struggle to leave. Yes,
the stunning décor, the bedrooms and the roaring fireplaces will take
your breath away, but let’s face it. The Manor’s main attraction is the
fact that it has a resident herd of Rothschild Giraffes that roam the
grounds, frequently poking their spotted faces in through the windows!
Talk about wildlife at your doorstep.
The small five-star hotel is set in 12 acres of private land amongst acres of indigenous forest where a Giraffe Centre
was set-up for the endangered species. It began as a breeding centre
to boost their population but has now expanded into conservation and
educational programs for Kenyan school children, and they include
warthogs, hyenas and the odd leopard to maintain the Giraffe’s natural
habitat. An amazing project for African wildlife, especially as all the
profits of the hotel go towards the African Fund for Endangered
Wildlife. It’s also a freaking out-of-this-world experience for animal
lovers who get to pass through the area.
Apparently, the Manor houses one of
Nairobi’s finest restaurants, as guests argue that the meals defeat
anything New York or L.A. has to offer. But they might be a tad biased
since the fantastic breakfast spread has the bonus of giraffes popping
in to say ‘howdy’ through the open windows. They’ll innocently mooch
about the property peering through doorways and windows in natural
curiosity and friendliness. It is the only place in the world where you
can feed a giraffe from your second-floor bedroom window, at the lunch
table or literally at your front door.
Nature nature nature is the attraction of
Giraffe Manor, plus the exquisite bedrooms to snooze in… but its close
proximity to Nairobi make it a great place to base yourself to explore
the city.
Of course the catch is its price, which can be up to $500 per night
(eek.). Superstars like Mick Jagger, Ewan McGregor and Richard Branson
have famously kipped there. Yeah, I definitely cannot afford even one
night there, unless I save for a hell of a long time, but if you do have
the pleasure and privilege of scoring a stay at the Giraffe Manor, get a
second floor room with a balcony. You can’t be grumpy in the morning
with a giraffe greeting.
Among New York's December rituals, the arrival from the frozen north
of the tree sellers from Quebec upon Manhattan's pavements is one of
Christmas's harbingers. Mostly college kids and musicians who possess
not much beyond their furs and boots, they tumble out of battered vans
and erect enormous Christmas-tree stalls.
They have an easy Gallic charm and hanker less for the
wattage of New York than to return home to Montreal, just across the
US's northern border or elsewhere into Quebec's mysterious villages,
prompting some of those who've not been to the Canadian province to want
to follow.
Our plan to travel to Quebec in mid-winter meets with
unease from friends in New York; to travel in winter is one thing but to
choose to go beyond the 45th parallel north into Quebec, to a hotel
constructed from ice, seems to them the whim of a masochist.
Quebec's Hotel de Glace is Canada's retort to Sweden's
famous Icehotel near Jukkasjarvi in the far north. While Sweden's ice
hotel has the advantage of being within the auroral oval, the area
around the Earth's magnetic North Pole where the northern lights mainly
appear, Hotel de Glace is on the doorstep of one of the far north's most
exquisite destinations, old Quebec City. Founded in 1608 by French
explorer Samuel de Champlain, it was destined to become the hub of New
France.
Sculpted from 16,000 tonnes of snow and 508 tonnes of
ice, the Hotel de Glace has, for the past 10 winters, been erected each
January in the grounds of the eco resort of Duchesnay, about 50
kilometres north of Quebec City. This season, however, the ice hotel
opens in a new location, 10 minutes' drive from downtown on the site of
the old zoo. The change makes the ice hotel a much more convenient
location for those wanting to explore the beguiling old city's twisting
cobblestone streets, then retire to arctic sleeping bags and doonas made
of reindeer skins.
The relocated ice hotel opened on January 7 and will
operate until late March, when the northern thaw draws close. Larger and
warmer than its predecessors, this year's ice hotel has bigger lobbies,
extra heated pavilions and a theme of celebrating biodiversity. It will
house 88 people a night and expects to welcome its 30,000th guest this
season.
We travelled to Quebec last February and joined one of
the daily tours through the ice hotel. This allows visitors to see all
the rooms and suites and linger in the lobbies and bars until late
afternoon. The late check-in time (8pm) isn't ideal for two young
children, so we stay a few minutes' walk from the ice hotel at its
neighbouring winter resort, the Station Touristique Duchesnay -
recommended as a back-up for ice-hotel guests lest they find the
temperatures unbearable.
The ice hotel assures guests that the overnight room
temperatures will not drop below a chilly but definitely survivable
minus 5 degrees. While all rooms are moderately heated, guests are urged
to take a hot-tub plunge before retiring in order to elevate body
temperature, layer up and crawl snugly into the hotel's sleeping bags.
Work begins on building the ice hotel's 36 rooms and
themed suites in early December each year. The interiors are vast, with
ceilings 5.4 metres high, lending the ambience of gigantic ice caves. In
the hotel's ice bars, drinkers wear gloves to hold their glasses, made
of ice, of course. The hotel has an ice cafe, hot tubs, saunas, working
fireplaces, a room for receptions and even an elaborate chapel with pews
and an altar carved from ice. Wintry weddings are frequent.
Of course, children love the fairyland enchantment of the
place. The hotel's many interior statues, columns and engraved ice
walls are works of art. The lighting is equally elaborate and gives the
appearance of flooding from deep within the hotel's shell. Just try
wrestling children off the 20-metre interior ice slide or away from the
large ice statues of bears, mermaids and penguins.
The ice hotel's builders are a mix of tradesmen and
artists. They take five weeks to build the 1.2-metre-thick walls and
roof, starting with large wooden moulds. Once the structure is set, the
craftsmen and artists sculpt huge blocks of ice into beds, tables, bars
and stools.
An ideal time to visit is during Quebec City's fabulous
winter carnival, from January 28 until February 17. The city fills with
snow sculptures, music, dog-sled races, ice skating and late-night dance
parties, where hundreds of people dance through the night in the
snowfields, in front of a castle made of ice. Later, everything melts
into the ground, leaving only cool memories.
The Hotel de Glace in Quebec City is open until
March 27 and has rooms from $C235.50 ($237) a person and suites from
$C599.50 a person. See icehotel-canada.com.
Hot Air Balloon Flight
A hot air balloon flight is different from all other experiences of
flight. Traveling at heights up to 1500 feet you feel peaceful and
tranquil, with no sensation of motion. Within moments after lifting
off, you become at ease while you effortlessly drift over the treetops
and the spectacular Cappadocian landscapes.
The deep canyons, lush fertile valleys and fairy chimneys of
Cappadocia provide balloons with an ideal playground for a unique and
memorable flight. Gentle winds carry you over places that could never
be viewed except by balloon. Ballooning can be such fun! In season,
you can even pick apricots from the trees.
Horseback Riding
Experience the incredible and unusual beauty of the Cappadocian
region on horseback. A cross between the Grand Canyon and a moonscape,
Cappadocia boasts some of the world?s most unusual and spectacular
landscapes, and brings riders in touch with the area?s breathtaking
beauty. Forget the tour buses or even the rental cars ? this
astonishing region of Central Anatolia can best be explored in the way
of its historical inhabitants, on horseback.
Trekking
A ?Walking Tour? takes you into traditional village life of Central
Cappadocia. Visiting local homes, engraved rock villages and exploring
many spectacular unknown valleys will truly leave a lasting
impression. You can walk through many valleys of Cappadocia that offer a
variety of hiking experiences from one to four hours or more. Paths
lead through vineyards and past streams, and all paths and hikes are
accessible within five minutes? walk of Cappadocia Cave Suites.
Cycling
If you are in the mood for an adventurous excursion, Cappadocia
offers exciting and scenic cycling tours. This is a wonderful outing
for those of all cycling abilities to enjoy. Do not forget that you
don?t have to cycle for kilometers to visit a sight or museum. All of
these important sites are very close to each other.
Jeep Safari
Explore the exotic surroundings of mystical Cappadocia by Jeep.After
leaving Goreme, you arrive at old Cavusin Village, crossing between
Kizilcukur and Gulludere Valleys. Then drive from Cavusin Village to
Pasabag, which has fairy chimneys, and make one of many photo stops at
Deverent Valley, where natural tufa formations resemble human and
animal figures. Also, visit wineries in Urgup.
Local tours
Rent a car service
Find a professional guide for your local tours
Organization and reservations for a local Turkish night
Reservations for these activities may be made at the reception desk. Special discounts are available.
Prepared in our own kitchen, breakfast and dinner buffets include a
rich variety of local delicacies and traditional items. Breakfast is
served from 7:00 A.M. until 10:00 A.M. Dinner is served from 7:00 P.M.
until 9:00 P.M. Lunch is available upon request.
The Historia Restaurant : The main restaurant
reflects our interest in local foods and traditions. All products are
carefully selected for their freshness. Recipes are selected for their
authenticity. Menus are also available for individual selections.
Sunset Café : Wonderful valley and sunset views are visible from this terrace. Here, you can enjoy light menu choices and hors d?oeuvres.
Dionysos Wine Fountain: Chat with your friends while you drink from the delicious grapes of the Cappadocia region.
Sultan Bar : Accompanying our rich selection of music,
you may find selective Cappadocian wines and domestic and
international spirits and cocktails.
