Luxury Bed & Breakfast Accommodation

The house began life as a substantial family home, built in 1893 for Albert Everett. He was born in Nelson in 1859, one of nine children. His father was Edward Everett and his mother Hannah Maria Everett. Edward was born in England. As a young man, he travelled to Nelson aboard the ship 'Sir Edward Page' with Hannah Maria, a French Huguenot, from Canada. He became a prosperous merchant. Edward served a term as Mayor of Nelson. He died in 1904 aged 83. So, Albert came from an adventurous family who became quite wealthy and very well-known in the new settlement.

Albert married Ada Gordon of Melbourne, Australia in 1883. He, also, was a merchant and, with his brother, established the drapery firm, Everett Bros in Bridge Street, almost on the corner of Trafalgar Street. He sold the business in 1913. Albert and Ada had twelve children and a servant so needed a very large house. Albert wanted to live as near to the city as possible but across the river where he could have a large garden and tranquil setting. As befitted a man of such standing in the community, the house was built to showcase his wealth and had all modern amenities - even gas for the open fireplaces. (The original plans are displayed in the hall of California House Inn.) The house was the Everett's family home until 1920. Albert died in 1943 aged 85.

The Everett family name is commemorated at Founders Park as a street name.

The name California House was given in 1980 by two young Americans, Carol Glen and Al Cohen. They had been escaping the wet winter of their northern hemisphere home. They had travelled extensively in New Zealand but chose Nelson because of the hills, the bay, the sunshine, the gardens and the people.

While travelling around New Zealand, they had stayed in a number of accommodations and found many of them disappointing. Then, by chance they found this lovely old house - and a dream was born.

They wanted to create an accommodation offering an alternative to the standard hotel, motel or small basic B&B. For the style of bed & breakfast they wanted to create, a superbly restored Victorian house was essential in order to recreate the elegant, yet charming ambience of a bygone era.

The rooms had to be named, furnished in period and the owners must offer unstinting personal attention and service. Their speciality would be the lavish selection of freshly-cooked food, featuring all local ingredients and home-made dishes. They believed that all these things combined would ensure those staying would feel like guests of the family.

And the dream lives on!

More than 25 years later, we still embrace all these exacting concepts. We have restored and refurbished in meticulous detail and continue to focus on providing supreme comfort.

An historic villa, now a Nelson Bed & Breakfast offering Timeless Luxury.