Lyttelton - A port town set on the edge of an ancient volcano crater, a place steeped in maritime history and natural beauty. The streets are lined with old buildings, their facades bearing scars of use, weather, and past tectonic activity. The waterfront docks bustle with activity, as cargo and cruise ships and their passengers and seamen come and go. Mystery and intrigue abound, as stories of expeditions, smugglers and seafarers, hidden treasure and lost love are woven into its unique fabric.
The space
The Daughter's Anchorage is a timeless 1800s cottage overlooking central Lyttelton. Originally built by a wharf labourer who arrived in the 1850s, the cottage has been lovingly restored to capture the characteristics of the early port settler’s working life in a comfortable and elegant style.
Lyttelton's many assets including its culinary outlets, vintage boutiques, network of hiking trails, and nightlife venues are all within easy walking distance. Wander the quaint streets taking in the town’s maritime history – mingle with visitors and residents alike in the many unique cafes and bars – or seek solitude and a view of the settlement from the cottage or by way of several crater rim hiking trails.
The variety of Lyttelton’s restaurants and cafes may keep you out of the kitchen, but if you love to cook, the kitchen is well-equipped with everything one needs to make the most of the Saturday farmers market’s produce and products. Flip through the provided cookbooks for inspiration. Tea and coffee making essentials are on-hand, as are basics such as olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar – and a few special treats to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
The wood burner ensures the cottage is warm and cosy on the cold winter days and nights – but the cottage also caters to those that prefer complete climate control. The deck and veranda are airy places to gather in all but the most inclement weather.
The Daughter’s Anchorage is equipped with everything to make your stay not only comfortable – but memorable after immersing yourself in the unique local scene that defines Lyttelton, New Zealand.
Guest access
The cottage and its outdoor green spaces, deck, and veranda are there for your complete enjoyment. Access to the cottage is easy. We have a lock box for the key and will provide you with a code before your arrival. Free on-street parking can be found directly in front of the cottage.
Other things to note
The cottage is equipped with high-speed fibre Wi-Fi and a modern Hi-Fi to connect to your phone.
Kitchen amenities include a stovetop, oven, bar fridge and freezer, kettle, and toaster. For making coffee we have a plunger (French press), a stovetop, as well as a Creatista Nescafe that delivers a flat white in no time — your choice! There is ground coffee as well as pods from NZ coffee houses – just bring the milk to suit your taste.
We don't have a conventional TV on the wall, instead we have a Samsung 'Freestyle' projector, designed to run anywhere. Tucked away until you want it, it works in the lounge or bedrooms, and has Netflix, Disney, Stan, TVNZ, or connect it to your laptop.
We also have the All Blacks games, European Summer Rugby, and the 2023 Rugby World Cup, all live. Select the Stan app on the Samsung projector.
The main bedroom has a king bed and the second bedroom has a king single bed, with a single bed trundler underneath it that pulls out. The second bedroom has a large sliding door that seals if off when desired. We have a Phil & Teds portacot with mattress, sheet, & blanket for littler kiddies.
The house has a log burner fire. Note that the fire does not have a child guard around it. If you have smaller children, you may choose to just use the climate control for heating.
Our house is pet friendly, small - medium dogs preferred but will accept large dog for one night stays. Doggies are limited to the floor and it's requested that they don't jump up on to the furniture or sleep with their humans in the bed.
Feel free to use the house picnic set, blanket, and cooler bag to make the most of one of the many harbour overlooks, explore the coastal walking track to a nearby cove, or venture into the hills for a bird’s eye view of the harbour and surrounding hills.
For an adventure on a dark evening – walk a few metres up to the Lyttelton Cemetery and look for the gravestone of the original cottage couple – July 1885 “Peace Perfect”.
As would be expected – fresh linens are included as part of every stay.
Longer stays with a flexible rate are possible. Just enquire.
Christchurch Central is just 15 minutes drive from Lyttelton, or 25 minutes on the public bus. The Christchurch airport to the house is a 30 minute drive.
