A cabin built for comfort
Hidden away in the Sounds, with a perfect balance of quiet and comfort, is a crib that even offers your own ‘twin tub’, writes Josephine Franks.
Tucked at the base of the Marlborough Sounds, Queenies Crib is a perfect place to relax in secluded, understated luxury.
The place
Resplendent in wood, Queenies Crib could be perched in the reaches of Norway or the slopes of Switzerland, but it also suits a paddock in Anakiwa, the gateway to the Queen Charlotte Track in Marlborough.
Surrounded by fledgling natives, it’s hard to believe that when owners Jodie and Craig bought the land, there wasn’t a tree in it. What they’ve done since is impressive, creating a cosy but open space, sophisticated but not pretentious. The secluded cabin looks out to the Marlborough Sounds.
The space
It’s set up for you to enjoy the kinds of things holidays should revolve around. A fully equipped kitchen so you can feast, a record collection 35 years in the making, and an abundance of comfy seats so you can chase the sun or settle down in front of the fire.
Even little things, such as the wooden inlay on the couch arms, seem carefully thought through because, no, I don’t want to have to stretch from my reading nook to reach my wine.
There’s something to delight over in every corner: tiny pebbles set in resin in the counter top, a bouquet of driftwood casting shadows up to the ceiling, beautiful ceramic plates and cups, an oar fashioned into a towel rail in the bathroom.
Having double outside baths is a treat. One is spectacular enough, but two means you’re not jostling for knee room as you gaze at the Milky Way, disagreeing over the water temperature, or bumping up against the taps.
The room
The bedroom is on a mezzanine, accessed by a sturdy ladder. With the chimney for the woodburning stove running through it, it’s the cosiest spot in the house.
With views towards the Sounds, the morning light was spectacular, perfect to enjoy from the comfortable queen bed.
The food
The crib is self-catering, but the kitchen was a triumph, surpassing anything I’ve found in Airbnb-style accommodation before.
Other places will have you scrambling around for crockery or cooking in an electric frying pan stored beneath the sink, but Queenies Crib boasts a proper four-hob gas stove, plentiful pots and pans, and sharp knives.
There’s also a barbecue, and Havelock is 20 minutes away if you fancy some famed green-lipped mussels.
Stepping out
At the base of Queen Charlotte Track, Queenies Crib is a great base for heading out on a tramp, whether you choose to tackle the whole 70km track or a portion of it.
If you would prefer to paddle than step, there are two kayaks available for guests to use.
There weren’t any lowlights during the stay itself, but the extra $50 charge for a single night might put some off. With the owners having to make an hour’s round-trip to sort the place between guests, it’s easy to understand why, though.
The verdict
Queenies Crib pulls off what few baches manage: it’s not stylish to be comfortable, not too comfortable to be stylish.
Essentials The highlight
The front-row seat for shooting stars in the twin outside baths.
Queenies Crib is from $250 a night, with minimum weekend and public holiday stays. Single nights incur a $50 surcharge. Book via canopycamping.co.nz.
Getting there The lowlight
Anakiwa is 90 minutes’ drive from Nelson, or an hour from Blenheim. If you’re coming from the North Island you can get the ferry from Wellington to Picton, then water transfer to Anakiwa. The wharf is a couple of minutes’ walk from the accommodation.