About the Fern & Thistle
Lesmahagow is the magnificent villa built by Peter McSkimming in 1914 and now lovingly restored to its former glory. Named after his wife’s home town in Scotland, Lesmahagow sits on 6,000m2 of private landscaped gardens and surveys the local surrounds of Benhar, which the McSkimming’s built as NZ’s first feudal town. Reopened to the public in 2020, the property is now equipped with many modern conveniences such as central heating, a commercial kitchen, superior WIFI, cafe quality coffee and a fresh water hot pool to relax in after a day exploring the Clutha area.
For those looking to escape from the world or host a special event, the grounds provide a perfect back drop for events such as parties, weddings, meditation and ample photo opportunities. With room rates starting at just $125 a night, why not book The Fern & Thistle for your next Balclutha getaway
Luxury Suites
The McSkimmings Suite
The historical master suite, this room provides optimal comfort and escape
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The O’Malley Suite
A superior room situated overlooking the gardens, the O'Malley suite oozes charm
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The Iwikatea Room
Our standard option, but still offers superior comfort for the budget conscious
View DetailsAvailable for Events
Our beautiful grounds provide the perfect back drop for your next event. Whether you need a private space, a lot of space or just someone to take care of the food and drinks, our staff will make your next event a memorable one without breaking the budget
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Clients Reviews
Here a just a few of the things people are saying about their experience at 'The Fern & Thistle'
A beautiful house with an incredible history – it’s not often you get to stay in somewhere like this in Aotearoa! We felt really spoiled on our stay, Matt preempted all our requests and gave us some great insight into the area. Highlight for us were the very comfortable room, the hot tub in the well-kept garden and waking up...
Bethany
Sept 2020
Highly highly recommend booking yourself a night or two (or ten) at Matt’s place! The house itself is gorgeous - beautiful gardens, beautiful rooms and excellent amenities. The bed itself is 10/10 luxury, there’s a complimentary fridge full of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and chocolates stationed all over the house. The hot pool under the pergola surrounded by fairy lights...
Catriona
Sept 2020
Beautiful house set on the hilltop with lovely views. We had a wander down the hill to the old mill and around the small settlement. We only stayed one night and left early in the morning but would have loved to stay more and explore the area. Matt very quick to respond online and gave us suggestions for eating. We...
Gia
May 2020
We stayed with Matt and Brooke for four nights and had a wonderful stay. They are both the loveliest, generous hosts and made us feel very comfortable and welcome. They opened up their kitchen to us and allowed us to cook our own meals. There is an excellent coffee machine and they generously provide soft drinks, beer, tea, chocolates etc....
Tessa
May 2020
