Nearly $100 for a family swim: Is Hanmer Springs' hot pools worth the money?

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

From reporter Carly Gooch:

A visit to one of Canterbury’s soaking attractions is nearly $100 for a family – so is this too much for a dip, or value for money?

The South Island could be home to the most expensive place to experience hydroslides, hot pools and swimming at the same facility – but there’s more than meets the eye at the publicly-owned complex.

Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa, one of South Island’s popular tourist attractions, increased its admission prices in November, raising single entry prices for adults and senior citizens by $3 to $38 and $25 respectively, and prices for children by $2 to $22.

The single entry price of a family has risen from $89 to $98.

Locals and Hurunui ratepayers are entitled to half-price entry – and for internet savvy visitors, a PoolPlus member can receive a 20% discount by sharing their name and email address, bringing the cost down to $78.40 for a family.


The Hurunui District Council-owned facility, nestled in the township of Hanmer Springs, is about a 90-minute drive from Christchurch. It has a variety of hot pools, freshwater pools and two hydroslides, all included in the price.

It had held steady on entry fees for three years before upping the price in November, but while the cost may have some thinking twice about getting the togs and towel out, general manager Graeme Abbot said the pricing was “fair and reasonable”.

There had been several cost increases for running the facility over the past three years, including wage increases every year, power and pool chemicals, he said.


Abbot said the pools opened throughout the last year of Covid restrictions despite losing “a substantial amount of money”.

Closing the complex down would have affected staff and the greater Hurunui district, “and we went ahead even though we knew we were going to lose money”.

A dividend of $2 million is given back to the council annually and spent on Hurunui reserves, parks, gardens, libraries and public amenities, also supporting the local fire crew, ambulance and primary school.


Any money surplus to the $2m is used to repay debt or invest in new products, Abbot said.


Until 2019, access to the hydroslide was separate from general admission, but since combining the fees, the positive feedback had outweighed the bad, he said.

It made it a “far more affordable price” for families, simplified the pricing and cut down on queues during peak times.


There was more family interaction in the pool too, with parents joining their children on the hydroslide, he said, and even an 84-year-old took a ride on the slide.

“Would he have bought a pass? Probably not. Did he have a great experience on that slide? Absolutely.”

Abbot said people might think Hanmer’s admission was “pricey, but the true question is, did they enjoy their day and would they go back?”.


“Price is about expectation and delivery of the product. The feedback we get from customers is fantastic.”