The Sterling, Kaiapoi has been named Best Large Retirement Village in the South Island at the 2026 Seniors NZ “New Zealand’s Best” awards. It’s the second year in a row the village has won the title.
Seniors NZ, formerly Aged Advisor, decides the awards from reviews posted on the Aged Advisor platform. Residents, their families and village staff all write those reviews.
Suzi Cadigan, general manager of The Sterling, said the win belonged to the whole community.
“Every review behind this award comes from someone who lives here, has a loved one here or works here. These are the people who experience The Sterling, our team and our community every day,” she said.
“Winning for a second consecutive year felt like recognition of all those everyday moments: taking the time to listen, responding when someone needs help, knowing our residents by name, keeping the village looking beautiful and simply being there. It was a shared achievement that everyone could feel proud of.”
A village still growing
The Sterling is in the Silverstream subdivision of Kaiapoi, around 20 minutes’ drive from Christchurch’s city centre. It opened in late 2021 and offers independent living villas and townhouses, with residency for people aged 65 and over.
More than 100 villas are now occupied, and 180 residents call the village home. The first of its independent living townhouses is under construction, and the village expects it to be finished in early 2027. The townhouses are being sold now, and homes are subject to availability.
The village opened its Clubhouse and Wellness Centre on 28 February this year. The centre has a swimming pool, a cinema and a bowling green, along with the Three Streams Café, which is open to the public.
The village’s listing on Eldernet, the aged care and retirement directory, adds a resident-led social calendar, a putting green, a sauna and hot tub, and a community garden that has won an award of its own. Pets are welcome.
Suzi said the new building had changed how residents use the village.
“Seeing residents proudly show their friends and family around their new space reflects the sense of belonging that makes The Sterling, Kaiapoi special,” she said.
What the reviewers look for
Suzi linked the second win to the day-to-day running of the village rather than its facilities.
“Responsive management, caring and knowledgeable staff, and creating a village where people feel valued and listened to are things we work hard to achieve. To have that recognised two years running tells us that what we are doing is making a positive difference,” she said.
Because the result rests on reviews, the same comments that decided the award are there for anyone weighing up a move. Families comparing villages in Waimakariri and Christchurch can read what residents and relatives have written on the Aged Advisor platform before booking a visit.
The Sterling’s next milestone is the first townhouse, due in early 2027.
