In the Hotel of Curiosities! - Arthur's Pass

11/11 - 13/11

We had one last destination in the New Zealand Alps. Christchurch on the east coast and Greymouth on the west coast are connected by a road that cuts through the alpine landscape. In the middle is the Arthur's Pass National Park, which was our goal. Arthur's Pass is also the name of a small town, which was completely booked. Therefore, we were accommodated 12 km further in the village of Otira.

The drive there was very winding and partly very steep, but the scenery was worth it. Along the road, there are several ski resorts, so you can also enjoy winter here. However, we somehow didn't see any ski lifts...

When we arrived, we were in the middle of nowhere at an accommodation that we booked based on availability without really looking at it in detail. So our astonishment was even greater when we realized that this hotel is not ordinary. The building itself is from the year 1865 and it looks exactly the same on the outside and inside.







There are old things everywhere, from stuffed animals in strange poses, old bicycles (the really old ones with a very large wheel and a small support wheel at the back), old furniture, to a part of the first telephone cable between Australia and New Zealand.







The whole building was covered with old carpet and since there is not much else nearby, the owners also operate the kitchen and a bar. In the bar, there are of course various entertainment media from times long past: an old pool table, a jukebox, an Indiana Jones pinball machine, a kind of piano, and a hunting simulator slot machine. There was an extensive collection of books about trains as reading material.



We weren't sure if the hotel just had a lot of junk lying around or if we had checked into a museum/antique shop/flea market...

The highlight was next to our room in the 'lounge', which actually looks like a normal living room. There is a massage chair there. After never being sure if the other oddities in the hotel still work or are just decorations, the chair had to be tested right away... and it worked perfectly! So you can imagine how we spent our evening...:)



Surprisingly, Emi felt very comfortable in the hotel. I wasn't so sure what to make of it. It looked like a junk or antique shop, but it could also have been the starting set of a horror film or a perfect location for a Tarantino film...

The actual reason why we settled in this area was, of course, the landscape. We took a leisurely two-hour hike in one direction to Bealy Spur Hut. Along the way, we had a beautiful view of the valley.



Unfortunately, it was very cloudy that day. The mentioned hut was extremely rustic and I'm not sure if it is actually still used for overnight stays.





After a short snack break, I passed the time with a quick workout. There was an axe in the hut that had to be tried out, of course. In the meantime, Emi busied herself with sweeping the hut (questions regarding the sense of her action should be directed to her!).



When hiking trails in New Zealand, I have often thought that they could also be covered in a brisk run. This time, Emi suggested that we run back on the way back. After 30 minutes, I reached the bottom and was already looking forward to the evening session in the massage chair...:)

Conclusion:

We have now spent quite a few days in the New Zealand Alps. It is time to say goodbye to this environment. The seclusion and the surrounding landscape were, as expected, rewarding and impressive in the Arthur's Pass National Park as well.

In combination with the two nights in the quirky accommodation, this excursion was a truly unique experience.

Hasta pronto!

E&L

>> Next stop: Kaikoura <<