Entire home

Idyllic river side retreat

Photo gallery for Idyllic river side retreat

Outdoor dining
TV, fireplace, DVD player, books
1 bedroom, iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets
Property grounds
Exterior

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

1 bedroom1 bathroom

Popular amenities

  • Washer
  • Parking available
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

Map
Parapara, Takaka
  • Parapara Beach
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Milnthorpe Park
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Golden Bay
    ‪12 min drive‬

Room options

Similar properties

About the area

Parapara

Located in Parapara, this cottage is by the sea, a 2-minute drive from Kahurangi National Park and 6 minutes from Parapara Beach. .This cottage is 21.7 mi (34.9 km) from Abel Tasman National Park and 2 mi (3.2 km) from Tukurua Bay.

What's nearby

  • Parapara Beach - 6 min drive - 3.0 km
  • Milnthorpe Park - 7 min drive - 4.8 km
  • Golden Bay - 12 min drive - 8.6 km
  • Te Anaroa Caves - 19 min drive - 11.8 km
  • Abel Tasman National Park - 39 min drive - 35.0 km

Restaurants

  • ‪The Mussel Inn - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Collingwood Tavern - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪The Naked Possum - ‬30 min drive
  • ‪Mussel Inn Bush Cafe - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Mad Cafe - ‬11 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Idyllic river side retreat

The cottage is warm and well appointed, built in uncut river stone to high specs
The dwelling is private and quiet, with no other houses in sight, and is set in it's own large garden area
Insect screens allow the sliding windows to be open on hot nights without moths , mosquitos etc swarming in
Bird life abounds, and the unspoiled ParaPara river ,glimpsed through the trees is 20 steps away.Old gold workings from the 19th century are still visible, and the track up the river follows the water race that provided power for the historic paint factory working in the early days of the colony.There is a network of tracks developed by the host's partner over the last 9 years
5 minutes from marvellous Milnthorpe Park with its bush walks and beach, 10 minutes from the town of Collingwood, and further afield spectacular Wharariki beach and the Westhaven inlet
Or if you're in the mood for perusing arts and crafts, many artisan galleries are nearby, potters, jewellers and glass workers
For a fee of $30.00 I will provide a fire bath for you, good for relaxation and star gazing ! from May to October .Outside of that time we don't light outdoor fires.


In winter months from June to August the sun sets early in the valley
There is a good efficient fire, plenty of dry wood and a heater,and with double glazing the cottage is really cosy.
Special conditions:
Most suitable for couples, but a day bed in the living room can also be used for another person

Smoking outside only
No tents
quiet enjoyment (no parties or loud music)
.
Extras: Cleaning (included); Linen (included);
Make yourself comfortable in this cottage, which features a fireplace. There's a private patio. A kitchen is outfitted with a refrigerator, an oven, and a stovetop. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and a DVD player is provided for your entertainment.
Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as barbecue grills.
Guests will find features like internet access and onsite parking.

Property manager

Reen_Mcmillan

Languages

English

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach towels

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • Bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Wood stove

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Stereo
  • TV with cable/satellite channels
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property
  • Note from host: smoking permitted outside

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • Near a hospital
  • Near an outlet shopping centre
  • Near the bay
  • Near the sea
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Boat
  • Kayak
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit

General

  • At least 80% lighting from LEDs
  • Composting
  • Comprehensive recycling policy
  • Double-glazed windows
  • Eco-friendly cleaning products used
  • Eco-friendly toiletries
  • Garden
  • Water-efficient showers
  • Water-efficient toilets

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 2:00 PM
Contactless check-in available

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

Idyllic River Side Retreat Cottage
Idyllic River Side Retreat Parapara
Idyllic River Side Retreat Cottage Parapara

Idyllic river side retreat Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 177 out of 180 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 180 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 180 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 180 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 180 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca T.

Liked: Cleanliness

Another Idyllic stay

2nd time staying, just as good as the first. Lovely and quiet, beautiful bird song.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

iain c., Fort Collins, CO, United States

Liked: Cleanliness

A little peace of heaven

Hard to put into words how perfect the stone house was. The gardens and privacy the property offered made it a hard place to leave for the day. The dip in the river behind the house made our list of the best things we did while staying in the Golden Bay Area. Sitting outside in the morning and evening taking in the sounds of nature all around as was magical.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Anna M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Faultless

Fabulous; quiet; beautiful; great history books on the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Phillip V.

Liked: Cleanliness

Peace of paradise

Great to be welcomed by the host.The property was excellent it had everything you could want and was very central.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Peter G.

Liked: Cleanliness

Tranquil riverside and bush setting

Everything about Reens cottage is outstanding. Extremely peaceful and comfortable, in a great location to explore Golden Bay. Great swimming and bush tracks nearby with abundant birdsong.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

John C.

Liked: Cleanliness

Our 2nd ‘Idyllic’ stay here….!!!

This is the 2nd time we have stayed in this lovely retreat (last time was Nov 2022) and is definitely on our list if/when we return to NZ. So relaxing listening to the birdsong and babbling river, sitting in the beautiful garden. Idyllic - no other word for it. Thank you Reen and Dick.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Hamish F.

Liked: Cleanliness

Very nice stay

The location was really nice, very secluded and peaceful, all the facilities were nice, but I did notice the fire alarms had been taken out while I was staying there.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Peter and henny V., Christchurch

Liked: Cleanliness

As always a pleasure to stay. Amazing property

Cosy warm and well equipped holiday home
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Catherine Jane W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Gorgeous

This property is situated in a perfect location. Peaceful and beautiful. The property is clean and well- equipped and we enjoyed a wonderful break here.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rankeilor A.

Liked: Cleanliness

A wonderful and peaceful stay.

A week of beautiful bird song, the river bubbling peacefully along beside the cottage and every need catered for indoors. Thank you Reen and Dick.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris C.

Liked: Cleanliness

Retreat Review

Just wow from the moment we arrived. The stunning chalet retreat with beautiful garden and natural bush along side the river. Loved the sounds of the native birds almost like they were singing for us. So handy to many spectacular sights but still isolated enough to have your own private getaway. Would definitely recommend it!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tim B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great place,quality build

Quite lovely setting
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael M.

Liked: Cleanliness

River side retreat

Awesome spot. Quiet tidy. Really enjoyed out stay. Perfect night for an outdoor bath.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicole P.

Liked: Cleanliness

Hidden Gem

Thsi place absolutely wonderful. So tranquil and private you not regret booking. We had a lovely quiet weekend away and enjoyed exploring the walking tracks around the property along the river. The little house was cosy and mordern with a rustic feel. Not one complaint. The outdoor bath was very realxing and well worth getting. We would love to stay again one day, theres so much to see in this beautiful part of New Zealand. Thank you. Nicole & Jason
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ian F.

Liked: Cleanliness

The Perfect Spot

The cottage met all our expectations and more! Clean, comfortable and equipped with all the basics that you need. Great to know Reen was available if needed but nice to have such a private spot with a beautiful garden and with a river and tracks on your doorstep. Location for all the other scenic spots and activities was another highlight. One of our best holidays!!
Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

remmelt d.

Liked: Cleanliness

Very nice

Best place what we have in New Sealand only the chairs in the living room sit not so good but perhaps for other people they sit ok
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Larrissa S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Little peice of paradise

Absolutely loved our stay! We will be back 💕
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Vicki H.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great stay

Really nice Bach in lovely area
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Chris d.

Liked: Cleanliness

Beautiful getaway

We had a great and relaxing time at this beautiful and cozy little bach. The location is great and the hosts are friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Richard J., Ohariu - Wellington

Liked: Cleanliness

Just delightful

Just what we wanted. Better than imagined.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sheehy G.

Liked: Cleanliness

Parapara

Ideal location to explore Golden bay
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Peter and henny V., Christchurch

Liked: Cleanliness

Second time we stayed here and just like the first time it was amazing. Great batch ,great hosts.

Amazing!
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca T.

Liked: Cleanliness

Peaceful & Private

Great property, had everything we needed. Very peaceful, nice place to relax. Would stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alan M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cottage Parapara

We enjoyed 2 weeks in this special place. Such a joy. Perfect private location, words can’t describe how beautiful it is. Fabulous accommodation with everything you need. Maureen is an excellent host. This feels like our second home and we were so sad to move on. Could not recommend it highly enough and we look forward to the next time
Stayed 13 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Richard C.

Liked: Cleanliness

Just great

Ideal place to unwind relax and just listen to the bird song, the river, the cottage has everything you need, just bring along the food for the BBQ, GnT, and a few bottles of wine and relax. Hope to return when we next visit NZ from U.K.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023