A weekend in Little River
Little River is a quaint township that lies in the valley at the head of Lake Wairewa, it was a thriving coach and railway stop in its hay day, today, it's known for being on the rail trail cycle route, its heritage, the art gallery and the quirky Silo Stay accommodation.
Georgia and I have always driven through Little River en route to Akaroa and wondered what the Silo Stay would be like, the concept of 9 eco-friendly apartments, inside a Silo, really intrigued us so we were so excited when we were invited to spend a night in one
Silo Stay
On arrival, you're greeted by a dropbox that you use a pre received code to access the keys for your Silo. You walk into the village of Silos and were like school kids finding their bunks on school camp, eager to see which one was ours. Entering the bottom floor of the Silo you're acquainted with a mechanics toolbox style Kitchen with industrial fittings, a steel spiral staircase and can instantly feel the quality of the award-winning architectural design. The warmth from the heating is like a cabin that had the fire roaring for hours as it's heated by a gravity-fed pellet-boiler that also provides hot water for the units.
The top floor fits so much into one space, a comfortable bed with word-class views of the mountains and overhead you can pop the top up and stargaze as you fall asleep. We enjoyed a bottle of champagne on the private balcony as we listened to music played through a car stereo that's connected to built-in speakers. Your bedroom shares the shower and basin in the same area. Oddly, the concept works, it's something you never see but makes total sense for the space.
Sounds good? Use our code for $40 off with booking.com shayde35
The Little River Gallery
It's hard to miss the Little River Gallery when you're driving through town. The unique design of the building stands out and what's inside is just as much of a treat on the eye. The gallery that's been owned by the same owner for 20 years is situated on the same site as a sculpture garden, gift store and Little River Cafe that always hums like it's in the heart of a city.
When we visited we sat down for the best eggs bennie and coffee we've had in a while and had the time to relax outside as the town woke up, then head in to take a look around the gallery.
The Little River Gallery is the home for New Zealand's talent to showcase their masterpiece and creation. Jewelry, canvas, prints and everything in between can be found here. The Gallery has monthly rotations exhibiting all levels of artists, while we were visiting the talented Lisa Grenell was launching her 'Fantastic Beasts' exhibition so we went along for a look. Lisa, for example, lives a humble life on a lifestyle block in Nelson and draws inspiration for her artwork from her animals, creating unique perspex reverse-painted masterpieces!
After admiring/browsing for half an hour, Georgia and I went home with a print by Amber Smith and can't wait to have it framed and up on our wall! We were pleasantly surprised by the two places we visited in Little River and found it to be a place where we can unwind and relax, enjoy each other’s company and embrace the slower-paced atmosphere.
Little River Art Gallery - http://www.littlerivergallery.com
Silo Stay - https://www.silostay.kiwi.nz
Discount code for Silo stay through booking.com - "shayde35"