Dear Elizabeth

As I move into my second year as owner manager at Grasmere I am delighted to announce a few exciting improvements being undertaken at Grasmere Lodge.

This winter we began a soft refurbishment of the property. The ambience of Grasmere has always been one of its key features, a feature we will continue to uphold as we move in to our thirteenth year. This year has seen the introduction of more leather bound sofas and comfortable chairs to relax in, in both the Library and Lounge.

Our Lodge Rooms will have an injection of modern colors throughout, lifting the rooms significantly. Oli and Vicki have moved permanently into Christchurch and this summer we will introduce their cottage as another two bedroom suite, with a configuration very similar to the River View Cottage, great for couples traveling together and small families.

The Lodge lounge has seen a large improvement to it’s guest internet facilities. We now boast 4 guest computers each with its own card reader so guests are now able to burn their digital photos to CD and take more photos! Complimentary Wi-fi internet access will now be available in all guest rooms and public areas.

This summer we welcome Dan Urquhart and his dog Tot who will be performing sheep dog and shearing demonstrations. Dan and his family have been farming Grasmere and the neighboring Station for three generations, so know a thing or two about the area. We will be able to work in with itineraries of two to three nights ensuring guests have the opportunity to attend a demonstration. A fee of $65 per person will apply.

Our girls at Mountain Spa have taken time over the winter to up-skill, and this summer will be spoiling guests with a hot stone massage by Sothys. This hot stone massage is unique to Sothys (as the person the girls did their training on I can’t explain how relaxing this treatment is). Joanna now indulges the guys with a great mens facial…. again I can vouch for this treatment!

Steve our resident nature guide, has beaten in a new mountain bike track which unlike most at Grasmere is flat! So we now cater for all levels of fitness and skill with our complimentary suspension bikes. We have introduced new trips this season combining fishing, kayaking, hiking which are great for those who want to do it all. For guests on a tight schedule, our day trip to the Westcoast now includes a complimentary bottle of bubbles for the beach, and again this trip includes more than just a drive in the Landrover, with hiking, kayaking and even fishing adventures being combined into custom trips.

Spring has set in here at Grasmere now, which has heralded the return of Heather and her horses for another season of natural horsemanship. Until the end of December we have hundreds of baby lambs running around which are fun to watch frolic from the comfortable saddle.