Riccarton House (The Quarters at Riccarton House)

About this place

The Quarters is the restaurant and event operation based inside Riccarton House, 16 Kahu Road, Riccarton, Christchurch. The house stands within the Riccarton House and Pūtaringamotu Riccarton Bush heritage reserve – historic buildings, parkland and formal gardens set against an ancient podocarp forest with kahikatea up to 600 years old. The site is about 3.5 km from the Christchurch city centre and, per the venue, roughly ten minutes from Christchurch Airport, with ample on-site parking.

### Heritage context

The reserve was home to the Deans family, Canterbury's pioneering European settlers. Deans Cottage, on the same site, was built in 1843 by Samuel Manson for William and John Deans. Riccarton House itself was built in stages during the 19th century and is interpreted on guided tours as a house and family of 1881. Guided heritage tours can be added to an event, and for larger cocktail functions the venue opens the second floor so guests can see through the period rooms – a genuinely distinctive incentive or client-hosting element rather than a marketing flourish.

### Spaces and capacities

Fine Dining Room – the blue room, originally added to the house to celebrate the owners' son's 21st birthday. Board room style seating for up to 24 for meetings; private lunches and dinners for up to 24–26 guests over the formal table. Features include an open fire in winter, air conditioning, side French doors giving private room access, unlimited WiFi, a 65-inch screen and a whiteboard.

Drawing Room – lunch or dinner for up to 60, and corporate dining quoted at up to 64.

Whole house – exclusive booking is available for evening events, with whole-house cocktail parties for up to 150 guests. For numbers over 100 the second floor is opened up.

Outdoor – a rose courtyard with views over the Avon River, used for summer receptions and canape events.

### Meetings and events capability

The Quarters runs an in-house events team that plans, sets, services and packs down the event, and handles all food and beverage. A full-day corporate delegate package covering arrival refreshments, lunch from the cafe menu, afternoon tea and organic coffee has been published, along with a minimum spend for exclusive daytime use of the Fine Dining Room; confirm current rates and package inclusions directly, as the published figures relate to an earlier season.

The venue is also used for weddings, milestone birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, high teas, long lunches, memorials and product or brand launches, and has run whisky tasting evenings with Whisky Galore. Event enquiry office hours are Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.30pm. The venue trades Monday to Friday 9.00am to 3.30pm and Sunday 9.00am to 4.00pm, closed Saturdays and public holidays, and is available for private events outside those hours.

A practical planning note: delegates can break out into the surrounding native bush and gardens between sessions, which is a real advantage for full-day meetings and offsites.

### Suitability

Excellent for offsite board meetings and small executive workshops to 24, corporate and client dinners to around 60, and cocktail receptions, launches and incentive functions to 150 in a heritage setting close to both the Christchurch CBD and the airport. Browse more Christchurch venues.