Eliza’s is five minutes from Blenheim, with Picton, the ferry terminal, both airports and Marlborough’s famous cellar doors within easy reach. The Marlborough Sounds, beaches, river swimming, walking and cycling tracks are also readily accessible.
The Cottage:
Eliza’s sleeps up to six guests in three bedrooms. Two bedrooms have queen beds. The third has a king single, with a further single bed prepared on request.
There are two bathrooms. The original bathroom has a bath and separate shower, with the WC in a separate room. The new second bathroom has a shower and WC.
At the centre of the cottage is an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area that leads directly to the dining terrace, Weber BBQ, safely fenced swimming pool and garden. There is also a full laundry with a separate washing machine, dryer and laundry tub.
The cottage has been created for proper living and includes:
• Exceptionally comfortable beds with crisp white cotton sheets and quality goose-down bedding.
• White robes, locally made bathroom amenities, hair dryers and straighteners.
• A fully equipped kitchen with full-sized appliances, dishwasher, Nespresso machine, sharp chef’s knives and pantry essentials.
• Heating and cooling, a wood fire and generous supplies of firewood.
• Fast Wi-Fi, a smart TV with streaming apps, full Sky TV, chargers and a Bluetooth speaker.
• Laundry supplies, an iron and ironing board.
• New Zealand art, antiques, books and games.
• Fresh flowers throughout the cottage.
Garden and outdoor spaces:
Guests have exclusive use of the entire cottage and its acre and a half of private garden, including the safely fenced pool, hot tub, terraces, BBQ and outdoor games.
The garden includes mature woodland, a vast lawn, flowering borders and edible plantings. Figs, plums, citrus, apples, pears, nuts, vegetables and asparagus are grown here. Guests are welcome to wander, forage and experience the garden as it changes through the seasons.
The wood-fired hot tub sits within its own new garden and is heated with fallen wood gathered from the farm. White-flowering plants have been chosen to glow beneath Marlborough’s star-filled skies.
The garden and wider farm are rich in birdlife and biodiversity. Both have been cared for over decades, guided by kaitiakitanga—the responsibility to care for the land—and an ongoing commitment to regeneration.
Breakfast and generous hosting:
Your stay includes generous homemade country breakfast provisions:
• Free-range eggs from the farm.
• Seasonal fruit, vegetables and nuts.
• Freshly baked walnut bread.
• Homemade preserves.
• A chilled bottle of award-winning wine from our vineyard.
• A well-stocked pantry with the essentials needed for cooking.
Eliza’s has been professionally hosted since 2010. Cleaning, maintenance, presentation and guest comfort are taken seriously, but our hosting is never intrusive.
We live at Welton House, around 500 metres from Eliza’s. The two houses are completely separate, giving guests privacy while keeping help close at hand if needed. We are always happy to share our local knowledge and recommend cellar doors, restaurants, gardens, walks, swimming places and other Marlborough experiences.
Our team may be working elsewhere on the farm, but nobody enters the cottage or its private garden during a stay without prior notice, and then only when absolutely necessary. Garden maintenance and essential watering are arranged with guests in advance.
Wider property:
Beyond Eliza’s garden, guests are welcome to walk, run and explore the wider 100 acre working farm and vineyard.
Welton House, our family home and garden, is nearby. Its garden is also recognised by the New Zealand Gardens Trust as a Garden of National Significance and has appeared in books, magazines and international garden tours. Eliza’s guests are welcome to visit it free of charge.
The local pub and craft brewery is a short stroll from the cottage.
Pets are part of the family at Eliza’s. The secure garden gives them room to explore, listen, sniff and settle, while the wider vineyard provides space for longer walks.
Awards and recognition:
• 2025 Bookabach Bach of the Year.
• 2025 Host of the Year finalist.
• 2025 Best Nature Stay finalist.
• 2019 Bookabach Pet Friendly Bach finalist.
• 2016 Golden Piwa Award for Best Hospitality Bach of the Year.
• Featured in Garden Marlborough 2025.
• Earth Star Award, New Zealand Gardens Trust.
• Garden of National Significance, Five Star New Zealand Gardens Trust.
• Featured in Life & Leisure and NZ Gardener magazines.
A two-night minimum stay applies, season dependent. Quotes for longer stays are available on request.
Eliza’s is a small reminder of life as it should be.