This tiny alpine town has been a favourite weekend getaway for Christchurch residents for decades, but it's becoming more popular with visitors from the rest of the country, and overseas.
They're drawn by the town's picture-perfect setting, amid the redwood trees and against the mountains, and its micro-climate of extremes. Like Central Otago, Hanmer has crisp, clear, freezing cold winters and dry, cloudless, sweltering summers.
Surrounded by rivers and forests, the town is a mecca for fishermen, mountain bikers and hikers, but at the heart of it is the hot springs. European visitors and locals, fit and ailing, have been making use of the thermal springs at Hanmer for more than 125 years - although Maori knew of them long before that. Early development of the facility was hindered by the springs' inaccessibility but by the early 1880s the first pool complex was built - consisting of one tin bathing shed.
Things are a little different now. The pool complex includes three open-air sulphur pools (ranging in temperature from the pleasantly toasty to the seriously cooking), nine open-air thermal pools, six private thermal pools, two private saunas and two steam rooms, a lap pool and a large family activity pool with two waterslides. There's also a picnic area and a cafe.
In winter, it would be hard to imagine anything better than steaming away in one of the sulphur pools on an icy-cold night, and in summer, huge crowds flock to the cooler family pool.
The hot springs keep Hanmer alive with visitors looking for a little fun and relaxation, but they're also associated with healing and health.
Even today when you mention you're off to Hanmer Springs there are some raised eyebrows and muttered comments on one's drinking habits - until four years ago, the town was host to one of the country's major drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities.
The sprawling Queen Mary Hospital is now vacant, but the grounds and buildings have been beautifully maintained.
If you find yourself in Hanmer on a Sunday, take the guided tour. It's a fascinating, sometimes chilling, insight into healthcare immediately post-World War I. Queen Mary was built to house wounded returned servicemen, giving them easy access to the restorative waters of the hot springs. The hospital grounds stretch over several hectares and are in pristine condition.
While much of the charm of Hanmer Springs comes from its focus on relaxation, there's also adrenalin-based fun to be had. Just up the road from the town lies Thrillseekers Canyon, offering anyone with a hankering for action everything from river rafting, bungy jumping, off-roading, paint ball and jet boating. But if you want to give yourself a shake-up without risking life and limb, try a Hot Tracks ride.
The 30-minute trip through the hilly forests around Hanmer is done in a Hagglunds Bv206 all-terrain personnel carrier which rollercoasters over sheer drops with ease, causing all within to squeal and groan with fear.
It's a much wilder ride than you would get in any four-wheel drive, while still being steady enough to stop the kids from getting too freaked out. After being shaken around the back of an all-terrain vehicle there's really only one option... the hot pools.
IF YOU GO
Where to stay: Hanmer Springs has a huge variety of accommodation available, from homestays and house rentals to camping grounds and high-end hotels. One of the features of the town, however, is the Heritage Hanmer Springs, located in the heart of the village. It occupies the site of an earlier 18-room lodge built in 1897, which was used as a Red Cross hospital after World War I. It was returned to civilian life after the Queen Mary Hospital was built in 1916. In 1932 the current Spanish-style hotel was built on the site. The Heritage Hanmer Springs has 64 rooms, including several three-bedroom self-contained villas, all situated on beautiful grounds.
What to do:
• Although Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura and Waipara Valley are known individually to many, they are now being marketed as the Alpine Pacific Triangle. With each point on the triangle not more than a 90-minute drive from the others, the circuit makes an appealing self-drive holiday, taking in the pools, spa and adventure attractions of Hanmer, the food, wine and walkways of Waipara, and the sealife and seafood of Kaikoura.
• A spectacular spot to stop for a tasting or lunch is Pegasus Bay winery. Built and owned by the Donaldson family, it offers stunning views, a world-class restaurant, and a large tasting room where the pinot noir is particularly delicious.
• A little further up the road at Waipara Springs Winery, you can sit in the sun at a quaint eating area and taste-test their excellent riesling.
• The latest addition to Hanmer Springs' many delights is The Spa at Hanmer Springs. Attached to the pools area, The Spa, is a world-class, multi-million dollar establishment offering a full range of relaxation and beauty treatments - including Vichy showers, hot-stone massages, facials, wraps and pedicures - as well as saunas and private thermal pools. Visitors can buy passes which allow them to use both The Spa and the adjoining hot pools. Officially opened earlier this month, The Spa is popular so book in advance.
Kerri Jackson travelled to Hanmer Springs as a guest of Heritage Hotels.
