On-site, the wood-fired pizza oven is the headline act. We grabbed a gourmet pizza, then carried it back to our cabin for a fireside dinner. The barista coffee available from Reception in the mornings is huge bonus.

Just a five minute stroll into the village, Hanmer Bakery Cafe became our breakfast go-to. Their pies and freshly baked sweet treats fly out the door by mid-morning, so we learned to head down early and order an extra custard square for later. It is the kind of unfussy small-town bakery you keep coming back to.

For something a bit more polished, The Powerhouse Cafe sits inside the old hydro-electric station two minutes from the thermal pools and serves a nice breakfast and lunch menu from 7.30am to 2pm daily. We loved the eggs Benedict after a soak, and the building itself is worth the visit for the architecture enthusiasts.

For dinner, head to No.31 on Amuri Ave, where modern European plates featuring wild hare, venison and quail get the chef-hat reviews they deserve. Book ahead in winter, when the dining room hums with skiers swapping stories from Hanmer Springs Ski Area.

For relaxed evenings with kids in tow, Fire & Ice Cafe Restaurant & Bar on Amuri Avenue does generous wood-fired pizzas and a handy kids menu, and Saints Cafe Restaurant & Bar is our pick for a casual steak and a pint with the occasional live band on weekends.

The kids will likely sprint straight to the jumping pillow the moment you arrive, with the basketball half-court and playground close behind. We loved booking a wood-fired hot tub in the evening, a brilliant way to wind down without leaving the park, and the on-site bike hire makes it easy to roll out onto the forest trails after breakfast.

The headline attraction is, of course, Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa, a five minute walk from your cabin. With 22 outdoor pools ranging from 34 to 42 degrees, plus AquaTherapy and private hot pools, it is the kind of place we ended up visiting twice. Sunset soaks in winter steam are unforgettable.

Lace up for Conical Hill Walk, a one hour return climb through pine forest to a panoramic lookout over the Hurunui basin. For something gentler with little ones, the Forest Amble Walk is a 30 minute loop with carved wooden creatures and fairy doors tucked along the path. Walking among the towering pines feels quietly cinematic, with filtered light, cool alpine air and a stillness that invites you to slow right down.

Families should set aside an afternoon for Hanmer Springs Animal Park, a 15 minute walk from town where kids can hand-feed wallabies and meet baby farm animals, with pony rides on offer for the under-fives.

For adrenaline, Hanmer Springs Attractions bundles jet boating on the Waiau Gorge, bungy jumping, quad biking and clay target shooting into one easy booking. In winter, the small but charming Hanmer Springs Ski Area is a 40 minute drive into the ranges, and the village hosts cosy seasonal events through July and August.

We found the park has its own little microclimate of birdsong and tall pines that softens any village noise, and locking in a wood-fired hot tub slot a day ahead is well worth the small spend.