The Peppertree Luxury Accommodation

The Peppertree is a small luxury lodge in an Edwardian villa on State Highway 1 south of Blenheim, in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. The house was built in 1901 and is surrounded by roughly 10 acres of farmland, vineyard, olive grove and established gardens. It is Qualmark 5 Star rated and is a member of Boutique Travel New Zealand.

Accommodation

There are five guest suites, each individually decorated with a mix of contemporary and antique furnishings, and each with a fireplace and a verandah or balcony. All have private bathrooms. Shared spaces include an elegant dining room, a guest lounge and the wisteria-clad verandah. The scale is deliberately intimate; total capacity is a handful of couples rather than a delegate list.

Dining and grounds

Breakfast is served in the dining room or on the verandah. Guests may also order the lodge's platter for two by prior arrangement, using local produce alongside walnuts, olives, chutneys and relishes made on the property. Espresso coffee and complimentary port or sherry are available in the lounge. Werner tends the property's organically farmed vineyard and makes The Peppertree Chardonnay, and guests can walk the olive grove and vineyard with him. Petanque and croquet are set up in the garden, and the front garden has hosted community functions including a Marlborough Hospice fundraiser luncheon.

Ownership

Hosts Heidi and Werner Pluss came from Switzerland and bought The Peppertree around 28 years ago. Heidi's background is in Swiss hotel management and catering; Werner learned viticulture after moving to New Zealand.

MICE suitability

The Peppertree does not publish conference rooms, delegate capacities or function catering, so it should not be sold as a meeting venue. Its MICE use is narrower and clear: exclusive-use buyout of all five suites for a board-level retreat, an incentive reward stay for top performers, or VIP and speaker accommodation attached to a larger Marlborough programme. Wine-region touring, the Marlborough Sounds and Blenheim's restaurants are all within easy reach, and Marlborough Airport is a short drive away. Confirm any meeting or private-dining arrangement directly with the hosts.