I visited Merivale Manor prior to joining a hiking tour with Active Adventures. We arrived a day before the tour began so we only stayed for one night. I booked the entry level room, a studio spa. Had I been staying longer I may have upgraded the room.
We found the proprietors to be very friendly and helpful. The room was nicely sized with a small kitchen area and a very modern bathroom. The shower had great water pressure.
Merivale is an area just north of Christchurch proper, about a 30 minute walk to the Riverside Market. For dinner we walked to Tutto Bene, a very nice Italian restaurant about 5 minutes north of the hotel. Also nearby is the Mevimale Mall. There is a very upscale grocery store inside the mall that has just about everything. From their deli area I purchased two meat pies for breakfast the next morning.
Overall, this was a great introduction to Christchurch.