Indulge in Canterbury's healing havens

When the network of thermal pools at Hanmer Springs was in use in the mid-19th century, Victorian morality called for segregated nude bathing. Trousers or skirts were hoist up a pole to indicate the gender of bathers using the hot pools.

The pools soon became a popular alpine destination and a sanatorium and hotel were built. Fast forward to the 21st-century and Hanmer Springs, about a 90-minute drive north-west of Christchurch, is an outstanding destination. Facilities include a massage and beauty centre, waterslide and children's play area and a luxurious day spa, The Spa at Hanmer Springs.

The Springs' centrepiece is 12 open-air pools fed by geothermal water drawn from a nearby bore. Each pool ranges in temperature from 33- to 42 degrees. Guests also have access to three sulphur pools, six private indoor thermal pools, a sauna and a freshwater, heated swimming pool.

Hardly surprising, then, that the muscle-weary Wallabies rugby squad based themselves at Hanmer Springs for several days during their 2011 World Cup campaign.

Hanmer Springs Village accommodation includes luxe apartments and boutique hotels, B&Bs and holiday parks. A popular ski destination, the Springs region also hosts hiking, kayaking and mountain biking in the warmer months, so travellers can combine outdoor adventure with pampering.

About a 10-minute drive from the village is Select Braemer Lodge and Spa, which started life as a hunting and fishing lodge but has since cemented its place in the wellness stakes, offering spacious suites, world-class facilities and impeccable mountain views.

South of Christchurch, Tekapo Springs has a purpose-built adventure complex with hot pools, a winter ice-skating rink, snow tube, giant water slide, cafe and day spa.

It's a perfect place to stop en route to Aoraki Mount Cook, but Tekapo Springs is also fast becoming a destination in its own right with year-round outdoor adventure options, excellent dining and - supported by the region's Dark Sky Reserve status - the nearby Mount John Observatory.

Spas, meditation centres and spiritual retreats feature across the Canterbury region. In the coastal town of Akaroa, the Lumière Well-Being Centre has established a reputation for its beauty therapies and infra-red sauna sessions; try the invigorating kelp and salt exfoliation and massage.

Annandale Homestead, a restored farming property on the nearby Banks Peninsula, has a heated swimming pool, spa pool, fully-equipped gym and an all-weather tennis court.

Annandale's chef, Bradley Hornby, creates menus to suit the needs of guests using ingredients sourced from the homestead and nearby.

New Zealand excels at providing luxury and elegance in the wilderness, with a national portfolio of luxury lodges now famous across the world.

Otahuna Lodge, at Tai Tapu, a 20-minute drive from Christchurch, is a magnificent two-storey Queen Anne house filled with antiques and paintings and surrounded by 115-year old gardens. Facilities include a swimming pool, spa pool, gym, tennis court and massage centre. Wellness extends to Otahuna's hands-on cooking lessons, too, in which guests join executive chef Jimmy McIntyre to discuss the lodge's food and wine philosophies, choose ingredients from the organic working gardens and learn the arts of the kitchen first-hand.

Grasmere Lodge, a historic retreat in the Southern Alps near Arthur's Pass, combines luxury, adventure and exclusivity in equal measure. All Grasmere guestrooms have a jacuzzi and original artworks. The tariff includes pre-dinner drinks, canapes and a four-course meal with wine pairings. There's also a superb wine cellar, swimming pool and stables. After a day spent hiking, fly fishing, clay bird shooting or horse riding, guests retreat to the lodge's Mountain Spa for hot stone massages and treatments. For the less active, the lodge lawn hosts petanque and croquet, and of course, there's the library and billiard table should the weather keep guests indoors.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Lovers of luxury and soothing cures are spoilt for choice at Canterbury's healing havens.

When the network of thermal pools at Hanmer Springs was in use in the mid-19th century, Victorian morality called for segregated nude bathing. Trousers or skirts were hoist up a pole to indicate the gender of bathers using the hot pools.

The pools soon became a popular alpine destination and a sanatorium and hotel were built. Fast forward to the 21st-century and Hanmer Springs, about a 90-minute drive north-west of Christchurch, is an outstanding destination.

Facilities include a massage and beauty centre, waterslide and children's play area and a luxurious day spa, The Spa at Hanmer Springs.

The Springs' centrepiece is open-air pools fed by geothermal water drawn from a nearby bore. Each pool ranges in temperature from 33- to 42 degrees. Guests also have access to three sulphur pools, six private indoor thermal pools, a sauna and a freshwater, heated swimming pool.