静かな広大なブドウ園の隠れ家。

We live next door in the original century plus old farmhouse on the estate, which we restored for modern living while keeping its history, charm and Marlborough character intact. The house is surrounded by a five acre garden recognised as a Garden of International Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust — a peaceful, biodiverse space that reflects our love of gardening and connection to nature.

Our main work is growing grapes on the vineyard that surrounds both properties, but hosting has become one of the most enjoyable parts of life here. We love the happy, positive energy that guests bring when they arrive on holiday, ready to experience the Marlborough wine region, explore Blenheim and Picton, or simply unwind in a beautiful, quiet place.

It feels like a privilege to share this farm, garden and landscape with visitors from New Zealand and around the world. We enjoy offering local recommendations, helping tailor itineraries and making sure guests experience the best of the region - the vineyards, walks, food, scenery and slower rhythm of life that makes Marlborough so special.

At heart, we are people who value beauty, sustainability, good food, good wine, animals and the simple pleasure of living close to the land. Welcoming guests into this environment feels very natural to us, and the relationships that form through hosting are something we genuinely treasure.

We chose this part of Marlborough for its sunshine, open spaces and peaceful way of life. Fifteen years ago, we purchased the neighbouring farm and the house that now forms Eliza’s. The established garden from the late 1960s and 70s, full of mature trees, flowering borders and gentle woodland paths, immediately won us over. There was also a charming pool that felt like it belonged to long, sunny Marlborough summers — and we knew instantly the property had everything needed for a beautiful holiday home.

Marlborough itself offers an extraordinary lifestyle: world-class wineries, stunning landscapes, outdoor activities, the Marlborough Sounds, and the convenience of Blenheim and Picton close by. The clarity of light, the mountain views, the vineyards and the calm pace of the wine region were a perfect match for how we like to live.

Having stayed in many holiday homes in different countries, I had become quietly opinionated about what guests really need - comfort, beauty, privacy, thoughtful design, and a genuine sense of place. Creating Eliza’s gave me the chance to bring all those ideas to life.

I designed it to be my ideal holiday home: elegant, restful, filled with sunlight and surrounded by nature. Ironically, I’ve never stayed in it myself — but watching guests fall in love with it, relax into it, and return year after year is more satisfying than anything I could have imagined.

Choosing this area was one of our best decisions. The Marlborough wine region continues to inspire us with its landscape, climate, food, wine and warm community. Sharing it with guests is an ongoing joy.

We chose Marlborough as our forever home nearly two decades ago, drawn by its climate, natural beauty and the relaxed lifestyle of the wine region. Eliza’s is unique because it captures all the qualities that make this part of New Zealand special — privacy, space, garden life, mountain and vineyard views and a deep sense of place.

The cottage is set within an acre of garden on our private vineyard estate, surrounded by vines and framed by some of the region’s most beautiful views. Guests often tell us they didn’t expect such tranquillity so close to Blenheim, Picton and the Picton Ferry Terminal. The sunsets over the Richmond Ranges are particularly memorable - light dancing across the mountains in a way that feels peaceful, grounding and awe inspiring.

Eliza’s is also part of a New Zealand Garden of National Significance, something rare for holiday accommodation. Guests have the unusual experience of staying inside a mature, intentional naturalistic garden, with a green calm woodland, a cornucopia of seasonal blooms including towering lilies in early summer and a magnificent long lawn. With plenty of fruit trees to forage It is a garden designed for wandering, pausing, reading and restoring.

Privacy is another unique element. The cottage has an exclusive-use private pool, its own garden spaces and a feeling of total seclusion — while still being minutes from wineries, restaurants, walking trails and the ferry connection between the North and South Islands.

We embrace slow travel and sustainability. Many breakfast ingredients come from the farm, the gardens are tended with environmentally conscious methods, and guests often tell us it is the slower pace of life here that stays with them long after they leave.

Eliza’s stands out because it offers something rare: a peaceful Marlborough vineyard retreat where nature, comfort and thoughtful hospitality come together effortlessly.