Facing brain surgery at St George’s hospital in Christchurch, my husband and I looked for housing that would be comfortable and within easy walking distance of the hospital and various clinics and labs that we’d frequent before hospitalization. Merivale Manor turned out to be the perfect selection.

We stayed for 3 entire weeks and, during that time, the proprietors were kind enough to let us move within the facility so that we could sample 3 different types of rooms before selecting the one that would be best for my post surgery recovery.

We selected, in the end, the apartments, mainly because we felt that 3 weeks would be a bit long for 2 older people to be in a studio. Plus the apartments have washing and drying machines within each unit and fully equipped kitchens. The facility is in pristine condition and very actively maintained by Matt and Kate.

For a shorter trip, the studio spa would be our choice. It may not look unusual from outside, but it is laid out in a clever way that gives the spacious feeling of a one bedroom unit. The kitchenette is completely adequate, although there are many terrific restaurants close by so you may cook less often than you anticipate. That was our case. Nonetheless, it’s nice to cook up some eggs and toast before a busy day of activity. And the spa bath is a real luxury after day of brain scans, blood draws, doctors’ visits and city walking.

Only five minutes from the Manor is the Merivale Mall which houses an excellent Fresh Choice supermarket and a surprisingly good sushi restaurant. The sushi was a notch above what you might expect in a mall restaurant.

Also just a few minutes away is Indian Zaika, the best Indian restaurant we have visited in years, including a bunch of Michelin-starred ones in London. Try their outstanding chicken tikka (basically boneless skinless chicken tandoori, on the appetizer menu), along with some naan and their chicken biryani. The samosas were also delicious and fun to eat.

Hagley Park and the botanical garden is also within easy walking distance, as is the CBD, plus museums and other attractions.

Bottom line: the cliché, “location, location, location” absolutely applies here. Not only is St. George’s Hospital just a 10 minute walk away, so is Southern Cross Hospital, two branches of Pacific Radiology, and numerous other medical facilities. Being able to walk up and down the street was infinitely less stressful than having to drive through congested traffic.