The area of Waipara is awesome and to top it off Paula’s place is fantastic. We stayed there on the way up and back from Marlborough. Paula recommended Hanmer Springs and it was one of the highlights and she was right about how long to get there and the peacefulness it has. I would recommend Paulas. If you live in Christchurch and want a short get away, go for it. If you are from further afield, its a definite for the South Island.