The George

This review is long overdue. Of all the hotels I’ve ever stayed in around the world, I still remember my time at THE GEORGE hotel the best. Phenomenal service and incredible food. Try both of the in house restaurants there as they are superb. By far the best meals I had in New Zealand and Australia. The most incredible part of my experience was that I complimented the waiter on the desert and told him it was amazing. The next day, the concierge informed me when I was heading out on a hike that they had arranged for the pastry chef to give me a private lesson in the kitchen so that I could learn how to make it myself. I have never had an experience like this before or since. I highly recommend THE GEORGE as a must stay if you are in Christchurch, New Zealand.

After a long 24+ hours of flights and layovers to get to New Zealand, the first place we were staying at was The George. We arrived a bit later in the day — around 7:30 in the evening or so — and checking in was easy enough. There’s not really a formal check-​in desk as you would see at a bigger hotel, but rather a small desk where you sit down and get the keys and the run-​through. We ended up having a room in The Residence, which appears to be a house-​like structure that was recently renovated. As such, all of the appliances are brand-​new and can even be technologically a tad confusing for even those familiar with the latest and greatest (the short version: there’s a tablet on the wall that controls just about everything). That said, it really has a homey feel to it and was a great place to unwind for a night before we headed out on our South Island road trip. Being right next to Hagley Park, there was not much traffic, and the view looked out to the small courtyard below and then the park — a very tranquil setting. The amenities were top-​notch having been renovated; you could control the level of the blinds and shades, as well as the lighting. The bathroom is in great shape as well, although you need to be careful with the shower head… it seems like most hotels in NZ I have been at have a predilection for rather flat shower floors and drainage systems; as a result, if you angle the shower head too much, you will end up with a soaked bathroom. The room also feels a bit on the bigger side, with a mini-​hallway from the door to the main room, and it also has space for a closet to store bags in, along with a mini-​fridge.
The service here is fantastic as well — our bags were brought up free of charge, and the porter had some useful tips and advice for us as we were seeking to go out for dinner that night. Complimentary tea was delivered after a phone call was made to us after our bags were brought, and there is also milk on the house in the fridge, not to mention the delicious peppermint bark squares that were placed on the nightstand on each side of the bed. To top it off, there was a little stuffed bear with a humorous little poem — so we have a tiny companion to bring with us around the islands on our trip!
Although we did not get a chance to sample the food here, based on the hospitality alone, I would definitely recommend the George to anyone staying in Christchurch. While it is not directly in the center of the city, the accessibility to the park across the street and being a little bit removed gives it an aura of calm and peace in the South Island’s largest city. If I make it back to Christchurch, this is the place I will be staying at!

I love little boutique hotels! And The George is just that type of a place!
My room was lovely, with a VERY comfortable bed, nice sized bathroom with heated floors to warm your toes, free internet that actually works and is fast and even a «george» teddy bear to take along with me when I left the hotel (need to take his picture and post to his FB page so others can see where my bear has been! They put this on your bed during turn down service. A great way to build brand equity as people leave the hotel and through social media keep, the brand alive.
My room rate came with breakfast included which was quite tasty and the service was also very good. I also liked that the windows in the room actually opened to let in the fesh air which is always a bonus for me.
The front desk staff was accommodating, finding me a last minute dinner reservation that was within walking distance of the hotel.
If there was a down side, I had a little trouble checking in. Know before you go that there is no counter to check in at, rather the desk by the front door serves to check you in. That probably works fine in most instances, but when I arrived, there was only one person at the desk who was giving directions to a tourist, and three more people sitting in the chairs and standing waiting to be checked in. Obviously something wasn’t working right that day.
I felt like I was checked in by the bellman as he finally took pity on me standing there and went behind the desk to pull my room information. Didn’t speed things up as my credit card and info had to be taken by the guy at the desk, but at least I was acknowledged!
All in all a great place to stay while in Christchurch. The location is very walkable to most things (or you can grab the tram a few blocks down) and the rooms are comfortable and have all the amenities you need.
Now if they could get that check in process under control, I probably would give them 5 stars!

Review for their restaurant.
Great service, fresh food, gluten free options for a lot of the food choices (even if not marked GF).
Terrine and beef tartare — amazing
Fish of the day Groper — heaven
Tiger prawns with garlic sauce — just so fresh and delicious
Eggnog pannacotta (seasonal) — YUM
Black rice pudding — yum yum yum
I’m sorry for the lack of description but all I can say is the food is sensational here I was there for lunch and dinner.
As for the rooms, they were spacious and very clean, but the bed was too soft and body-​molding for my liking and the pillows too flat, one pillow too little two pillows too much. I much prefer firm bed (not hard or feeling springs, not spongy soft) and higher pillows. Anyway, sleeping for me is always horrible in NZ due to strange amounts of jetlag from Australia (East is a beast?) so I always spend so much more time in bed there than anywhere else in the world.
I love the complimentary and so cute George the Bear :-)
Bath products could be better — great sized bottles but contents need to be sans SL Sulphates in the soaps and sans Mineral Oils for the moisturisers. I always bring my own just in case of this.

Staying at «The George», in ChCh. I have to say, they do everything really well. I was greeted with a smile, and a room upgrade to a suite.
A phone call to check on how my room was, followed by a complimentary juice sent up on room service was a nice touch. Then chocolates and bottles of water at turn down with a «George Teddy bear» to take home with me!
Internet is wireless, free, and the quickest I have seen on the South Island.
Room service dinner was excellent — with some really good choices. Next time, I will try the seafood restaurant Pescatore.
Hard to fault The George! Fanatically good service, great space in the rooms, and beautiful food! This is now my choice for ChCh!

No one does understated elegance like these guys. The George Hotel is what a boutique hotel should be: stylish, imaginative, memorable and warm, personalized service. I have stayed here twice and wouldn’t stay anywhere else in Christchurch. What else can I say about this property? On my last trip, Christchurch was my first stop and my stay at The George effectively ruined all other hotel stays for me on the rest of the trip.
None of the other hotels I stayed at, while nice, could compare to my experience at The George. The staff really treat all guests like royalty. They make for a comfortable stay and provide luxury and comfort without being the least bit gaudy or pretentious. I had the privilege of staying in one of the Executive suites. Amazing room with a nice, comfortable sitting area with a view of the river, along with a fireplace and OUTSTANDING sound system. The bathroom with double shower and tub is awesome. I have to say, living in Phoenix, I was a bit puzzled when they described the heated bathroom floors. But winter came early and my little feet were in for a treat when I had to use the toilet in the middle of the night. I will never question heated floors again.
The restaurants offer outstanding, modern cuisine with only the freshest ingredients. The location is on a small street, and is about a 10 – 15 minute walk from the city center but don’t left that put you off. Both of my stays here were magical. If you want to feel pampered an treat yourself to a one-​of-​a-​kind experience that you won’t get anywhere else in the world, The George is definitely for you!
I’m just sad that I never got a teddy bear to take home… either time! :(
Maybe next time!

I agree with everything the previous reviewer Ben K wrote. This hotel is amazingly good and the service is outstanding. The rooms are made for international travelers as you can use any electrical plug appliance (I got American chargers.) And so quiet. It’s as if you are in a farm cabin!

Amazing Service and amazing rooms.
This hotel is beautiful. First they helped us plan our whole day in Christchurch and the best way to get between of all of the locations. It was extremely helpful. Second the rooms were great, way above our expectations before arriving. Third the bar and restaurant had amazing service.
Our service all around was truly 5 star and I would recommend The George 100% for your next trip to Christchurch.