This was so much fun. We surprised a group of friends going to the Marlborough wine region by pre-arranging a surprise diversion for a night at Tophouse B and B, which is a magnificent, historic homestead with big mud brick fireplace and a quaint tiny bar (the smallest in NZ).

When we flew into Nelson at dusk, we drove our 5 friends south an hour to St Arnaud without them noticing instead of east to Blenheim.

When they thought we were lost, Nigel the owner was magnificent when he came out and told them it was too late to drive anywhere else and there may be a few mattresses to spare!
The surprise was complete when our friends went inside to find a welcoming sign saying "Surprise" and dinner laid out for all of us in front of the historic big old fireplace.
And what a stay it was. Dinner was magnficent and the wild venison was so tender that I wished we had all ordered it.

The rooms were spacious and charming...they had their own heaters and the warmth of the fireplace filtered through the homestead.

Nigel was most entertaining as a raconteur, describing the murderous history of Tophouse from more than 100 years ago over the love of a woman. You can still see the shotgun pellets on the underside of an external roof near the cute little bar.

As another reviewer has mentioned, the small bar has an honour system and you can even pull your own delicious draught beers as well as enjoy the quality NZ wines waiting for you.

Tophouse B and B is history with a capital H and a reminder of days gone by when everything was uncomplicated and fresh.

A really lovely experience only an hour south of Nelson and 3 hours north of Christchurch.

We can't comment on the dinners or accommodation (the rooms looked clean and olde-world but comfortable), but we did enjoy a lunch and two morning teas on three separate visits, and a couple of beers in the ultra-small bar (beers on tap, serve yourself). Sitting in front of the open fireplace and listening to the story of the on-site murders many, many years ago made for an enjoyable break between Nelson and Murchison. Very genial host. Take the time to try it.