WHAT WE OFFER
Rooms
We have four king rooms with en suite bathrooms, each with their own individual style. One of our rooms can be made up as a twin should the need arise.
Maps & Info
We are more than happy to help you discover the hidden gems and best kept secrets of our little town and the Banks Peninsula. Please feel free to ask if you would like any assistance with local bookings or reservations. We can also help with information for your ongoing travel in the area and around New Zealand.
Breakfast
We offer a cooked or continental breakfast every day. We are passionate about food and use fresh local or home-made produce, including eggs from our own hens. We are also more than happy to cater for special dietary requirements.
Facilities
There is unlimited free Wi-Fi throughout the house. We have a pair of bikes to help get you around town and if you want to spend some time indoors we have board games and books for you to enjoy on the verandah or in our cosy sitting room. Just ask to borrow an iron, phone charger or anything else you might need.
Garden
Relax and enjoy a glass of wine in our beautiful garden in the shade of a tree, on the verandah swing seat or with your feet in the stream, and listen to the many native New Zealand birds singing in the branches.
Gourmet Picnic Basket
Do you want to enjoy the day away with a picnic adventure? We are happy to pack a gourmet selection of Banks Peninsula sourced treats complete with local wine and Barry's Bay cheeses for a truly special lunch. We will also provide a Kiwi wool blanket, binoculars and can suggest the best spot to enjoy your picnic.
LIFE IN AKAROA
JACQUI & TIM
Jacqui and Tim are a young couple who have recently returned to Akaroa after a busy few years travelling the world. When she wasn't travelling, Jacqui worked in London and Hong Kong. She also ran a chalet in the French Alps, completed a diploma at The Edinburgh School of Food and Wine and worked in a hotel on the west coast of Scotland, The Torridon Hotel. Tim worked as an expedition leader for a luxury travel company, Butterfield and Robinson. This position took him to all corners of the globe on camel, Land Rover, bike and foot.
Jacqui and Tim's flair in the kitchen and background in luxury hospitality make them a great team to help you have an enjoyable and unforgettable stay in one of New Zealand's greatest treasures.
French Bay House dates back to 1874. It's built in the Carpenter Gothic style popular at the time, where builders working in wood recreated Gothic architectural features more usually found carved on stone cathedrals in Europe. French Bay House is one of the best examples in the area with lovingly carved fretwork adorning its roof and windows.
The house was the town doctor's residence, complete with surgery, throughout the 1890's. Known to everyone as 'The Doctor's House', became French Bay House when Jacqui and Tim took over in 2017.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
The Sullivan Family
Just a fabulous weekend away in this dream of a historic house! Loved sitting enjoying our wine in the evenings on the swing bench on the verandah! Thank you for an unforgettable time....we love Akaroa!
Highly recommended!
Áine & Frank Sanderson
Loved it so much we extended our stay!
We had the most amazing time in Akaroa staying with Jacqui and Tim in French Bay House. We booked to stay for one night and ended up extending as were looked after so well.
Suzy and Murray Anderton
Expectations met and exceeded from the time we arrived!
Amazing hosts, beautiful character property, in top condition. Close to restaurants, waterfront, etc. Superb cooked breakfast with other guests set us up for the day.
Pretty hard to find faults when it's a really nice young couple keen to please.
CONTACT US
French Bay House
Address
113 Rue Jolie
Akaroa 7520
South Island
New Zealand
Phone
00 64 27 473 9562 Rhonda
00 64 21 082 07167 Wal