WAIRARAPA · EST. 1906
WAIRARAPA · EST. 1906
A Heritage Country Estate · The Wairarapa
An English country house set in vast park-like grounds — a rare and romantic setting for weddings, celebrations and private gatherings.
Welcome to Longwood
Reputedly New Zealand’s largest private home, Longwood welcomes you in the finest English country-house tradition — grand rooms, open fires and gracious hospitality, wrapped in gardens a century in the making.
The House
Built in 1906 by architect William Gray Young and named after Napoleon’s house of exile on St Helena, Longwood is English-asymmetrical in the manner of Lutyens, with a gracious neo-Georgian interior of grand staircases, ornate ceilings and fine wood panelling.
Four large ensuite bedrooms wait upstairs with canopied beds, antique furnishings and open fires. By evening, savour dinner in the glorious dining room, the library, or the loggia.
The Grounds
Wander park-like grounds shaded by venerable English trees, retire to the Sunken Garden with a book, or take to the lawn for tennis, croquet and boules. A swimming pool, tennis court and the estate’s historic stables sit among grounds and outbuildings that carry Heritage New Zealand’s highest status.
Weddings & Functions
Exchange vows on the lawn beneath century-old trees, dine under ornate ceilings, and host your guests across the estate’s rooms and cottages. Every gathering at Longwood is arranged with care and a little old-world grace.
Meetings & Retreats
Trade the boardroom for a heritage country house an hour from Wellington. Longwood lends itself to board meetings, strategy days and creative retreats — the panelled rooms make for focused sessions, while the gardens, loggia and open fires draw people together between them.
Take the estate exclusively for the day or stay the night: with on-site accommodation, catering by arrangement and Martinborough’s wineries at the gate, a small conference here feels a world away from the office.
The Region
Longwood lies a little over an hour from Wellington and minutes from Martinborough — a region renowned for world-class Pinot Noir, boutique wineries, gourmet food and a vibrant arts scene. Beyond the vines are wild coastlines, the Putangirua Pinnacles and the Cape Palliser seal colony.
Gallery
Enquire
We would love to hear about your wedding, function or stay. Longwood is open to visitors by appointment, and tariffs are available on request.
Visitors by appointment only
