The tiny Taranaki town of Eltham has been a force in the dairy industry for more than a hundred years. New Zealand’s first export of butter to the UK left the village in 1884, with one of the country’s first dairy factories built just a few years later.
The boom led to a flourishing town being established – it was even home to the country’s first tar-sealed road. By 1905, a grand post office was opened, and almost 120 years later, it’s now one of the town’s top attractions. It’s been transformed into an extraordinary bed and breakfast.
The place
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The Helena Suite is adults-only.
Eltham is today home to 11 heritage buildings, with The Old Eltham Post Office being one of the best.
David and Maria Hancock moved from Byron Bay to Eltham in February 2020 after falling in love with the building, which was then in a state of disrepair.
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The building is more than 100 years old.
Maria’s incredible eye for detail drove the vision, and the refit was completed just over a year later. The couple live in an immaculate apartment upstairs, and the ground floor is home to the private Helena Suite, which is open for guests.
The space
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One of the major features of the room is an elegant freestanding bath.
Walking inside the suite is a sensory experience; every little detail has been thought through – right down to the scent you’ll experience, which is matched to the elegant feel of the room.
The suite is palatial. It comes complete with grand chandeliers, a freestanding spa bath, an enormous shower, and one of the comfiest beds you’ll find. The design effortlessly mixing the building’s character features with European decadence. For example, a former corner telephone booth once used by the post office to allow customers to ring around the world is now a coatroom.
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The room is designed for couples.
The 100m2 suite also has enormous Apple TV-enabled screen, a sound system, a stylish kitchenette including coffee machine, and a courtyard with mountain views on a clear day.
The food
The best dining option in Eltham is right in your room. On arrival, you can order a platter of rosemary-infused Eltham camembert with sea salt, olive oil and chilly. It comes melted, with local sourdough to dip. Don’t miss it; it’s a delicious start to your trip.
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Home-cooked dinner is available to order.
Maria and David can also prepare a homemade dinner, with options including Eltham lamb and pan-fried snapper. Dessert is a homemade Italian trifle with icecream.
After dinner, run a hot bath and retire early. Next morning, a homemade breakfast is also available – meaning you don’t even need to get out of your dressing gown for your first meal of the day.
Worth stepping out for
Eltham is ideally suited to explore the South Taranaki region and even Egmont National Park/Te Papakura o Taranaki.
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The post office sits next the town’s beautiful old bank, which is now an eclectic design store.
Next door is another meticulously restored building known as The Bank, home to a store with an eclectic mix of art, furniture and homewares.
The town is also home to the Eltham Cheese Bar, with plenty of options to sample and buy.
Tawhiti Museum is well worth a visit. One of the main attractions is a ride similar to the ‘log flume’ at Rainbow’s End – just without the slides – and takes you on a journey through Taranaki’s history.
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One of the major expenses in renovating the building was installing heating throughout.
The highlight
Opening the door and walking inside for a first glimpse at the suite. Small town New Zealand has never looked so good.
The lowlight
Only staying one night. Two is what you really need to enjoy the suite and region.
The verdict
One of the best bed and breakfast experiences in the country.
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The luxury touches continue into the bathroom.
Essentials:
Getting there: Eltham is a 40-minute drive from New Plymouth, or four hours from Wellington.
Staying there: Prices from $305 a night. For best rates, go direct. See: theoldelthampostoffice.co.nz
Carbon footprint: Flying generates carbon emissions. To reduce your impact, consider other ways of travelling, amalgamate your trips, and when you need to fly, consider offsetting emissions. To offset your carbon emissions, head to airnewzealand.co.nz/sustainability-customer-carbon-offset.
Staying safe: New Zealand is currently under Covid-19 restrictions. Follow the instructions at covid19.govt.nz.
The author’s trip was supported by Venture Taranaki. See: taranaki.co.nz.
This story was originally published in May 2022 and has been updated.
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