In our ‘Complete Guide’ series, we’re going to be visiting some of New Zealand’s most popular tourist destinations and getting the inside track from our GO Explore followers on the best places to stay, eat, drink, sunbathe and more. Instead of just finding out what the guidebooks tell you, find out what the locals and the travellers think when it comes to the best place to get an ice cream, the best fish and chips and the best cocktail you’ll ever taste!

Known as the Garden City, Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island. It’s a great starting point for any South Island road trip whether you are heading north to Nelson or south to Queenstown and Dunedin. The city has a distinctly ‘English’ feel to it with its tree lined streets and the Avon River running through the city. Christchurch is known throughout the world following the terrible earthquake to strike the city in 2011 but the people of Canterbury are resilient and the city has been reborn over the last seven years and is now thriving again. Within a short driving distance of the city centre is the stunning Banks Peninsula and the French town of Akaroa. With so much to see an do in the city, we’ve turned to our GO Explore fans to get the lowdown on the best places to stay, where to eat and some of the best activities – let’s get GOing!

Best accommodation in Christchurch

As you would expect from the biggest city on the South Island, Christchurch has no shortage of accommodation options. All the big name chains are found here which can be great for special offers or if you have a favourite, however there are also some great independent hotels and motels in the city which have received some great recommendations from our GO Explorers. Whether you are looking for five star luxury or budget backpackers, we’ve tried to cover all the bases. We’ve also thrown in a couple of options that are located outside of the main CBD for those who are looking for something a bit more laid back.

Bella Vista Motel and Apartments Christchurch

If you are on a road trip, then motels are a great option. Bella Vista Motel and Apartments in Christchurch gives you some really great options. Newly renovated and rated as 4 star by Qualmark, Bella Vista enjoys an awesome location within easy walking distance of Christchurch city centre. They have heaps of free parking making this idea if you are road tripping around the South Island. With free Wifi and breakfast available, it ticks all the accommodation boxes. Bella Vista is also an exclusive GO Play partner so when you hire a car with GO Rentals, you will get a 10% discount at any of their 27 locations around NZ. Yes!

The George Christchurch

If you are looking for a luxurious place to stay in Christchurch, the award-winning The George is a great option. This is a luxury boutique hotel which offers a super personalised stay. With great views out over Hagley Park and close to the Avon River, The George is a great place to stay in Christchurch. With two award-winning restaurants on site, you don’t have to go far to find some great food either. The George is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and has picked up a host of awards both in New Zealand and overseas. A great place to splurge.

Heritage Christchurch

The Heritage chain of hotels is one of New Zealand’s best. The Heritage Christchurch is one of their finest hotels and recently picked up the World Luxury Hotel 2016 award in the Historical Hotel category. The building is truly spectacular and is listed as a category one building. Don’t be fooled by the stunning architecture though. This hotel is packed full of all the good things you want from a hotel; health club, lap pool, Jacuzzi, sauna…the best way to relax after a day walking the city streets. This place always scores well with GO Explore fans and is a really cool places to spend a couple of nights.

Quest Christchurch

The Quest serviced apartments have come up on quite a few of our Complete Guides. People seem to follow them round the country where they can and the Christchurch Quest is definitely a popular one with our GO Explorers. The apartments are perfect for those who want to prepare their own meals whilst you’re on the road. With a range of stylish and modern one, two and three bedroom apartments, they are also a good option for people traveling in larger groups. All the apartments have free WiFi and come with Sky TV and feel more like a home away from home.

Jailhouse

If you are looking for somewhere completely quirky to stay when you’re in Christchurch (or anywhere else for that matter!) then the Jailhouse Backpackers is your place. Located in a renovated prison, this is one of the most unique places to stay we have ever seen. Looking past the quirky prison cell rooms, Jailhouse has recently been voted as Top Backpacker Hostel in Oceania by Hostelworld – no mean feat with a lot of competition around this side of the world. Located in the cool little suburb of Addington this is a great place to stay if you’re on a budget and want a cool experience.

The Olive Grove Akaroa

This one is a bit of a hidden gem and we’ve got to give a tip of the hat to GO Explorer Katie for this one. The Olive Grove is a boutique B&B found close to Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula. Nestled above Robinsons Bay, this place is absolutely perfect if you are looking to get off the beaten track. With stunning views and wonderful hosts, the Olive Grove is just 5 minutes from the French town of Akaroa where you can head each day to get fresh baked croissants or baguettes. The Banks Peninsula is one of New Zealand’s treasures and the Olive Grove is a great place to base yourself for exploring.

Best Places to eat out in Christchurch

Always a tricky one to narrow down, we had tons of tips from our GO Explore fans on places to eat out in Christchurch. From cheap street eats to gourmet dining, the recommendations came flooding in. We’ve tried to pick out those that kept cropping up time and time again and we also put it out to our GO Rentals team in Christchurch to see if they agreed – after much debate, here are the top ten places to eat out in Christchurch according to GO Explorers!

Best things to see in Christchurch

Christchurch is a beautiful city with so much to see and do. Below we talk about some of the best activities in and around Christchurch but sometimes it’s the simple things that really make this place special. Everywhere you go it seems like there is something cool to see – whether it’s the stunning views over the Banks Peninsula, the damage caused by the earthquakes or the amazing recovery work the city has undergone since 2011. Christchurch is a photographer’s dream destination so we have picked out some of our favourite images that have been sent in by our GO Explorers and some of our favourite views of Christchurch.

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