About Us

Established in 2009

Ribbonwood Country House is located in the Cheviot district of New Zealand. We are approximately 120km north of Christchurch International Airport with a driving time of 1 hour and 20 minutes. Or, if you’re driving south from Kaikoura, it is 70km, taking 60 minutes.

The house is set on 7.5 hectares of prime countryside. We purchased the land in late 2009, and have since built a home and venue and established expansive gardens which we look forward to sharing with you.

Ribbonwood Country House encapsulates luxury, relaxation, elegance and indulgence. It offers a place to escape from everyday pressures - come and relax for a week or a weekend and explore this delightful region of New Zealand.

About Gary & Robert

Gary is a hospitality professional who draws on many years’ experience working in top hotels, restaurants and cafés, leading department stores, tourist organisations and his own hospitality training business.

Robert takes the front of house role at Ribbonwood Country House, drawing on his many years of experience as respected maître d’ and sommelier, and as a five star hotel duty manager. He’s also a knowledgeable gardener with a keen eye for creating the visual pleasures possible from a well-planned garden and a green thumb among the fruit and vegetables which thrive here. Ensuring our guests’ enjoyment of the whole Ribbonwood Country House experience – the property, wines and activities – is what Robert does best.

Together we have owned and operated a thriving and popular country hotel with eight motel units for five years, then ran a very successful B&B from our home in Christchurch before selling and moving to Cheviot to set up Ribbonwood Country House. The process – from the initial site plans and our early tree planting through to the building process and finishing the interiors with the sense of style and luxury we wanted our guests to enjoy – has been the best, most challenging project we have ever completed.

Working to each other’s strengths, we feel we create an ideal team – passionate about our beautiful property, knowledgeable about the region and New Zealand’s fine wines and produce, and proud to ensure you receive world-class customer service from the moment you step through the front door until the time you leave.

We feel sure Ribbonwood Country House is a unique and delightful accommodation option and we look forward to welcoming you here.