Located just minutes from downtown Franz Josef, Holly Homestead is a cozy, charming B&B. Although…read morethe structure dates back to the 1920's, it's been restored with all the modern amenities - no need to trudge out back to the outhouse in the middle of the night. Bernie & Gerard were on a well deserved holiday when my wife and I visited but we were dutifully welcomed by Sharon and her friendly dog, Jack. Sharon didn't have as good of knowledge of the immediate area, as she's not a local resident, but she did provide a few restaurant recommendations that turned out to be excellent. Breakfasts both of the mornings we were at Holly Homestead were very good. We very much enjoyed the open, "country kitchen". We also really enjoyed our evenings sipping a glass of complimentary Port in the front reading room - a very nice touch.

This review is a bit delayed following our trip to NZ earlier this year, however before anymore…read moretime went by, I needed to make sure I wrote something up regarding this phenomenal B&B. My wife and I were in Franz Josef in March, and we are still talking about the Holly Homestead experience to this day. Bernie was so welcoming, and even though we arrived a bit later in the day (well after the daily happy hour), she still rolled out the red carpet for us. If ever you are in the glaciers region, be sure to check in with Holly Homestead for availability. Arrival - Bernie welcomed us warmly and invited us in to the dining room for a glass of wine and and friendly conversation. She provided us with suggested destinations in the area and along the coastal highway (also included as part of her reservation confirmation email, which enhanced our enjoyment of the drive from Queenstown), and also offered a few suggestions for dinner in town. The lovely conversation was followed by a tour of the house, including a thorough overview of our room. It was such a wonderful surprise to have been offered an upgrade to the suite, and we thoroughly enjoyed the decor and comfort of that room. Our room and the house were so comfortable, it was almost a shame to have to leave for a short time for dinner in town. The Room - Again, it was such a nice surprise to have been offered the upgrade. The suite featured ample space, and was quite the haven for a little R&R after a day of driving. The custom decor was very nice, and we even took a few ideas away for our own home. We were particularly fond of the classic-yet-modern design of the bathroom. The living room was surrounded by windows, all of which offer beautiful views to the surrounding area and mountains. There was also french door access to the upper patio directly from the room. Two sofas, several tables, a wet bar area, and countless fine touches complete the amenities of the main area. The bedroom featured a plush bed, more beautiful windows, and a dresser. Amenities - Aside from Bernie's over and above efforts to ensure all are welcome and comfortable, she also offers: a lounge room with evening beverages, happy hour, customized hot breakfast based on timing of your choosing, the upper patio for sunshine and relaxation, free wifi, a nice book within the room featuring a history of the home and the family, and fragrant toiletries within the room (we loved them so much, we asked Bernie for a sample and we have since ordered our own direct from her supplier). Departure - The only sour point is that we had to leave. We hope that we'll get a chance to return sometime in the future.

Just amazing- Breakers Boutique will be a memory for a lifetime. Beyond the fact the B&B is…read moreimmaculately clean. Jan supports total attention to detail and is a first class host and simply a wonderful person. When was the last time you saw the sky full of stars and a private beach reach out to you? At the Breakers Boutique you can. Jan also cooks a great made to order breakfast and can guide you towards near by attractions. I suggest sitting back with a glass of wine and simply enjoying this piece of paradise. We will never forget our stay. Ron and Racine

Amazing B&B between Greymouth and the Pancake Rocks. Jan sent some great road trip suggestions in…read moreadvance when she found out we were driving from Marlborough and was incredibly helpful. The beach is right outside the back door and the rooms are beautiful.

Our visit was pleasant. We didn't get to see that many stars because of the clouds, but it was…read morestill a unique get away experience for our honeymoon. For those who never heard of SkyScape, it's a small family owned bed and breakfast with a focus on star gazing and being off the grid (getting away). The building you sleep at is enclosed with mostly glass walls and glass roof so that you can watch the stars at night in the comfort of your own bed. You are surrounded just by nature. In fact, the closest living creature we saw where cows off in the distance and two bunnies running around next to our room. As of now, you won't have any neighbors because there is only one building. The business is however, expanding so you might lose some of that privacy later. The next building isn't in view from your room, but is just a short walk away. Just remember, the building has nothing but glass walls and are equipped with binoculars. Just adds a little paranoia. They are also building a hydro-electric generator for clean renewable power, but adds a humming noise in the distance. Luckily, our host offered to turn it off during our stay. It didn't bother us at all. The room and amenities are nice. They have an outdoor bath tub, gas stoves (mostly for heating water in the kettle), and refrigerator. We felt quite at home during our stay. Our hosts were very nice and polite. You'll be meeting them at the check in office before you head to your building. We ordered the cheese and deli meet platter for dinner. We actually didn't know what we were ordering at first, but glad we did. It came with lots of high quality cheeses, meats, pickles, and bread. It was delicious! A tad expensive, but perfect for honeymoon or nice occasion. No regrets! Breakfast was very nice. It's all pre-made continental style such as cereal, juice, milk, fruits, tea, and coffee but hit the spot. You'll have to drive a bit far away for food, so I recommend stopping by somewhere before coming if you don't buy the dinner option. Check out the local salmon farm after your stay! It's fun and you get to try fresh salmon!

We had a positive experience staying at this bed and breakfast near Fox Glacier run by a friendly…read morecouple, Raelene and Colin. The home was clean, well-decorated, and had lovely mountain views. We were greeted with hot tea and cookies upon our arrival, which was nice. We stayed in a bedroom with a queen-size bed and a private but detached bathroom. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was spacious, very clean, and well stocked with towels. The shower's water pressure was a bit low and the water took a while to warm up, but that is fairly common. Breakfast was pleasant - we had fruit, cereal and yogurt, toast with butter and jam, coffee and orange juice. Having the option of eggs would have been nice. The property's gardens and pond were lovely, but we didn't really get a chance to enjoy the grounds, since we arrived around 9:00pm at night and left around 10:00am the next morning. It was unfortunate that checkout was around 10:00am - if it had been at noon, we would probably have had coffee on our room's back patio, read in bed for a bit, and walked around the yard. Also, I wish they took credit card, since paying in cash is always a pain. Overall, this was a pleasant experience and I'd recommend Reflection Lodge to those looking for a comfortable place to stay near Fox Glacier!