Brinkley Resort

Brinkley Resort is a self-contained accommodation and conference complex in Methven, the alpine village at the foot of Mt Hutt in Mid Canterbury. It sits a two to three minute walk from the village centre, roughly one hour's drive from Christchurch International Airport, and on the main route to the Mt Hutt ski area. The resort is Qualmark 4 Star rated and displays a Qualmark Bronze Sustainable Tourism Business award.

Accommodation

The resort operates 74 self-contained apartments: 37 studio rooms and 37 two-bedroom apartments. Studios are 18sqm with a queen bed (or two singles on request), kitchenette and ensuite. Two-bedroom apartments have a queen plus two singles, an open-plan lounge, dining and full kitchen, a full bathroom, and either a balcony or a small patio. Three-bedroom configurations are created by interconnecting a studio with a two-bedroom apartment, sleeping six. Complimentary fibre wifi is provided throughout. Servicing is light-touch by design: a full service once during stays of seven nights or more, with extra servicing available on request.

Conference and meeting capability

Brinkley runs a purpose-built conference centre that handles 10 to 150 delegates depending on configuration: up to 80 boardroom style, up to 100 theatre style and up to 150 cocktail style. The room subdivides into three separate spaces using sound-proof partitions, which gives planners plenary plus breakouts in one footprint. The space has underfloor heating and an on-site AV inventory including an electronic whiteboard, sound system with wireless microphone, data, slide and overhead projectors, a lectern, whiteboards and flipcharts, and a smart TV with HDMI connection; photocopying and printing are available at additional charge. In-house conference support and on-site catering are provided.

Dining, grounds and incentive add-ons

Shackleton's Bar & Grill is the resort's restaurant and licensed bar, used for event dining; the website lists it as open in winter. The grounds include landscaped gardens, two outdoor spa pools with mountain views, a floodlit tennis court with two complimentary Weber barbecues, two golf chip-and-putt greens, a children's playground, an on-site Tesla charger and a helipad for transfers or scenic flights. A ski shuttle picks up outside reception during the season. The resort packages local activity for incentive programmes, including Ōpuke thermal pools, Mt Hutt skiing, jet boating, hot air ballooning, helicopter scenics and golf.

For MICE buyers, Brinkley's value is that plenary, breakouts, catering, accommodation and recreation sit on one site within walking distance of a village, an hour from a major airport. It suits mid-sized conferences, training programmes, product launches and residential incentives up to around 150 people, with the winter ski season and the thermal pools giving a genuine reward-travel hook.