This review is from the point of view of a long-term stay. I can't say enough about Rachel's place. It is fairly compact, but every piece of space is so well utilized that we never felt cramped. It stays warm on the coldest days; I think we had to turn the heat on twice during our entire stay, and both times it was only briefly.
Because of the double-glazed windows, the sun porch is usable year round, and we spent a lot of time on it looking out at Hagley Park. You can listen to birds chirping and the occasional netball tournament; it's very pleasant.
The living room is a very comfortable place to sit and the TV is great with lots of streaming services. The kitchen is extremely well thought out and was easier to cook in than many kitchens we've used that are three times its size.
The bathroom is incredibly comfortable – gotta love that heated toilet seat in the middle of the night! The shower is spacious with great water pressure and comes to temperature very quickly.
The bed is very comfortable. There is a bit of road noise in the bedroom from Moorhouse, but the other building buffers it somewhat. Note: if you are extremely light-sensitive you may want to wear an eyemask at night because the security lights outside are somewhat bright.
Rachel was an amazing and responsive host who gave us tons of tips for things to do in Christchurch and all over the South Island. Get her restaurant recommendations because she has great taste.
The location is fantastic. It is close enough to Riverside Market, High Street, the cinemas and the Arts Center to be an easy walk but just far enough away that you don't have to deal with the noise. The most direct way to get many places is to either walk along the river or through the Botanic Gardens, which are pretty and scenic. New World, Countdown and Pak 'n Save are all within walking distance...although that walk is a bit less scenic! If we had gone through another lockdown (which thankfully didn't happen) we would have been really happy to be in such a convenient spot which was so close to places where we could be outdoors with social distancing. If you are working from home and would like a change of scene, the central library is a great place to go.
If we wind up long-term in Christchurch again we will return!