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Jodi Zahorodny
Stayed July 2023
Thank you for yet another beautiful stay at your beautiful home. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back again. :-)
Owner's reply
Delighted you enjoyed 'Round Two' - we look forward to welcoming you back when the weather is more settled and hopefully warmer!
Peter Preece
Stayed July 2023
My wife and I had a very comfortable stay here for eight nights. There is everything you need to live and enjoy life even when it rains every day you are there. Leaving the car on the road and walking over the very wet lawn was a nuisance but Sara's advice to do this rather than park on the lawn was very timely. We had visits from three ducks and seven quails each day' and one day there were three pheasants in the garden.
Sara was a very helpful and attentive host from a distance. Very enjoable stay. Cafe Melbourne in Thames and Waiomu Beach cafe locally do good small meals.
Owner's reply
Thanks so much for your feedback; yes, we enjoy watching the bird life - such a relaxing way to enjoy the day! Do hope you can book in again soon.
Marion
Stayed October 2022
We had an awesome time staying in your lovely home. We would highly recommend it especially for families and hope to be back sometime soon.
It was raining so we did struggle a bit getting in and out to our car on the road. But just a minor problem.
Owner's reply
Delighted to hear you had an awesome time despite the abysmal weather! Do hope we can welcome you back again soon.
rissandmark
Stayed May 2022
Our family of four stayed here, along with my parents over a long weekend. The house was bright and clean and had everything we needed. Highlights of our stay were seeing a bevy of quail hanging out on the lawn, feasting on feijoas off the tree and wandering along the stunning Kauri Grove Walk at the end of Waiomu Valley Rd. It's an easy walk (until the stairs at the very end which we didn't go up!) along a well-kept track with access to the river (rock heaving is a favourite activity in our family), multiple bridges and a wide variety of native plant life. It is also a lovely, peaceful walk up to the coffee shop and beach and an easy 10 minute drive to Thames. We would love to come back in the summer to be able to enjoy the swimming hole also! We thought the taking sheets off, putting sheets on thing was pretty weird, but it wouldn't stop us returning!
Owner's reply
Pleased to hear you took advantage of all the facilities at the bach and activities in and around Waiomu. Yes, the bush walk to the Kauri is spectacular and well worth doing. The reason for the linen is for hygiene in these challenging Covid times and also so that the bedrooms look welcoming to visitors. Do hope you find a space in your diary to book in again!
jounderwood
Stayed April 2022
We really enjoyed our stay and will return. The bach was tidy and clean and comfortable.
Owner's reply
So pleased you enjoyed your stay - we look forward to welcoming you back to our holiday home in the future.
Bruce
Stayed October 2021
Hi great kiwi holiday home
Love it big yard stream behide the house
So peaceful it was bliss great weekend to unwind great place if you have kids must book again great spot for young and old
Owner's reply
So pleased you enjoyed the peace and quiet of our holiday home. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future!
padme
Stayed May 2021
Immaculate vintage style Bach in lovely quiet location. Bring bikes for kids! The walk/bike just up the road into the park to see the kauri was amazing, highly recommend. Room for boat, big spacious section, lots of fun splashing in stream. Games, books, dvd's, well provisioned fireplace- we enjoyed our autumn holiday.
Owner's reply
We're delighted to hear you enjoyed all the pleasures of our holiday home inside and out. Do hope you can come again, maybe in Summer next time!
Jill
Stayed March 2021
Fully equipped classic bach in a beautiful setting. Perfect for our holiday with three generations of extended whanau. So close to Thames. Recommended.
Owner's reply
So glad to hear our holiday home met the needs of your three generations! We hope we can welcome you again in the future!
Jen Pulman
Stayed March 2021
The perfect location with an absolutely fabulous atmosphere!
This home had a great feel, a massive back yard for the kids and was well equipped with anything we needed.
Would happily stay again.
Owner's reply
So pleased to hear you enjoyed your stay! We look forward to welcoming you again.
Lynn and Trevor
Stayed October 2020
Ideal batch. Plenty of room for dogs. Everything u could need.Close to boat ramp ,cafe .have been twice this year and heading back in December.
Owner's reply
Glad you enjoyed your stay - look forward to welcoming you back in December.
Tania and Gregg Hughes
Stayed February 2020
What a great summer paradise! We loved the cuteness of the house and the abundance of tree coverage to sit outside and relax during the day. The fruit tress were an awesome bonus too. House was nice and clean and there was no need to bring a lot of stuff for cooking as all your needs were there (pots and pans etc). Only downfall for me was the noisy neighbour and their dog grrr.. but when sitting in the waterhole reading a book that quickly faded away... a slightly bigger freezer would be better for larger groups but we made do.. Thank you for your constant communication during the booking process and the extra little note on arrival was really appreciated..
Owner's reply
Delighted that you enjoyed your stay and had a relaxing time. We've mentioned the noise to the neighbour [not a usual occurrence] and hopefully it won't happen again. Do hope you can find a time to stay again!
Obsession
Stayed February 2019
A great NZ Bach in a lovely surround. The river is paradise and the state park up the road is worth a visit. Thank you for a lovely family weekend.
Owner's reply
A pleasure, and you had perfect weather. We look forward to sharing our holiday home with you in the future.
Gary Farrell
Stayed April 2018
Great spot would be heaven during summer. Ideal location and amenities just what we needed (4adult men) for our two night stay.
Owner's reply
Glad it met all your needs and yes, its even better in Summer!
The Duncans
Stayed April 2018
Fantastic Home to stay in. We had 3 families and there was plenty of room.
There is plenty of space outside to park and have tents etc.
The Cafe down the road is great.
Legionaire Fishing Charters is really close by too if you want a few hours out to catch some fish.

We look forward to staying at Waiomu Escape again next time we visit the area
Owner's reply
So glad our holiday home was able to accomodate all of you comfortably - we look forward to welcoming you again!
Dlite
Stayed March 2018
Lovely and clean, roomy for 3 couples. Used the creek at the back, spent a lot of time outside of the huge section. Thank you Sara. Look forward to the next time.
Owner's reply
So glad you enjoyed your stay and that you were pleased with everything inside and out! Yes, please do book in again.
Tua
Stayed December 2017
This place is absolutely amazing. A nice relaxing atmosphere we were here for Xmas and New Year's and to be honest we did not want to leave loved the river out back just A few steps away kids had A lot of fun with the local kids in the area a very friendly quiet neighborhood we were in the river every day while we were down there I recommend this awesome holiday house to who ever wants to unwind and lounge around not even the bad storm that battered the thames coast line and washed away some of the road put me off this place we also went down the road and help the locals clear rocks and debris off the road. I will definitely be back again this time with my family only 😀. The owners of this place have thought of everything to make you feel like your at home away from home. Waiomu we will be back.
Owner's reply
Hi - so pleased you had such a great time despite the weather bomb which certainly added an extra element to your stay. Yes, do book in again - you will be most welcome!
Trippers
Stayed December 2017
Had a lovely stay, Our kids especially enjoyed the river out the back.
Owner's reply
we're so pleased you enjoyed your time at our holiday home - yes, the river is a wonderful playground for kids [and adults] especially at this time of year.
Opahi
Stayed June 2017
Excellent value for money. It is a little dated but that is reflected in the price. The stream at the back of the property is lovely - I would love to return in the summer months to try it out for a wee swim.
Owner's reply
Thank you for your feedback - pleased you enjoyed your stay. We will be updating the property soon whilst still retaining the essential elements of this iconic kiwi bach.
RhianC
Stayed March 2017
We stayed here for two nights and were just amazed by the backyard & the comfortable home-away-from-home feel of the place. There is a hiking trail less than a kilometer up Waiomu Valley Road with a two hour round trip trek to a Kauri Grove, I highly recommend that to all who stay nearby. The first 50 minutes or so are fairly flat and easy, then in the last 10 minutes you will climb several staircases, although it's well worth the effort to get to the end. The house is also close (15 minute drive) to the crazy road that crosses the peninsula (watch for possums at night!!), so it's just over an hour to get to the Cathedral Cove trailhead and Hot Water Beach. If shopping is more your thing, it's only 15 minutes away from Thames. The house was great, it was bigger than we thought and had very comfortable living quarters. There's a beautiful creek that runs along the back side of the property and there are several outdoor tables to watch the stars from at night. It's also walking distance to the beach, where you can have a bottle of wine and watch the sunset. Make sure you pick up your groceries and extra drinking water in Thames as there aren't any stores nearby. Worth every penny!!
Owner's reply
Delighted you enjoyed your stay - thanks for the wonderful feedback.
Meiling Shipway
Stayed December 2016
A beautiful, quiet location. Easy to find, and the Waiomu Cafe is a great place. Everything in the house was in good condition, and the children loved the garden and the swimming hole down at the stream (which was very popular with all the neighbours as well). We found the house key after following the geocaching clues... it's possibly a bit more overgrown there than it was before which made it a bit more awkward :-)

We did not get any phone reception though (so work couldn't contact me, what a pity, ha ha), and it would have been useful to have known in advance that you recommend boiling the tap water before drinking.

- Steve & Meiling
mtcow
Stayed October 2015
Our stay at Waiomu escape was great. The house is set up very well, and we were given very good directions on everything. Lovely setting with the creek as well. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Will be back.
rosslesley126
Stayed December 2014
A lovely break in a comfortable house for us two oldies and a happy dog which slept on the porch and enjoyed the stream and scenic surroundings of a large property with mature trees and native birds. Would like to be here when the plums are ripe.
sandra.s@xtra.co.nz
Stayed March 2014
What an amazing little spot you have there. It was awesome. Our little grand daughters loved the river. The house itself was lovely and very clean. Our grand daughter loved picking the mushrooms and cooking them with poppa for breakfast the next day. Would definitely recommend this holiday home to anyone.
hemiclan
Stayed October 2013
Had a wonderful mini break at Waiomu, this house has everything it needs and is very comfortable, its so lovely with the stream down the back and loads of space for the kids to run around in! We loved our stay here and thank you very much for sharing your batch! Absolutely lovely! Thank u!
David & Pania Jarden
Stayed April 2013
Would like to let you know that we enjoyed our stay so much. Your home is so lovely and outside area is so great for the children (so good for families)
LouiseH4
Stayed January 2013
Had a great Christmas Holiday here. The river was fantastic and we spent many hours building dams and floating around in our inner tubes. Lots of native birds to enjoy along with ducks who crossed the property a couple of times a day to venture in the river. We took our dog and although gaps in the fencing he stayed put. Would HIGHLY recommend.
Ricki Griggs & family
Stayed December 2012
We had a wonderful long weekend at your bach, what a great spot you have there! I certainly came home feeling much less 'frazzled' than when we left! We found the bach clean, spacious and comfortable. The stream and sheltered section were an added bonus that kept the kids happily occupied outside when we were not at the beach. Thank you, we are certainly planning on staying again in the future.
Stanley Lowe
Stayed December 2012
Hi Sara,
The place was great. Lovely and tidy and just what we like. We had a great couple of days fishing, catching our limits each time. The weather was not as bad as had thought it might be. Ended up with only 3 of us staying at Waiomu.
Oriwa Lovett
Stayed October 2012

Hi Sara
Thank you for opening your home to my family. What an awesome place. So tranquil and we loved the stream. Husband was happy too as he managed to catch some really nice sized snapper and the weather couldn't have been better for this time of year. My five year old grandson even had some little friends from next door to play with.
Waka Gray
Stayed May 2012
thank you so much for allowing us the privilege of staying in your holiday home, we had a great time the grand children really enjoyed it, just a shame we chose this time of the year, as it was a little cool at times, but not cool enough to light the fire.
Swannie3
Stayed April 2012
Wonderful stay. We enjoyed the house, it was very clean when we arrived, and everything was exactly as we expected. The kids loved the stream - even though they were freezing. And the fruit trees look tasty. Will look forward to staying again one day. Thanks.
Natasha
Stayed September 2011
What a wonderfully delightful place to stay. Beautiful grounds with the added bonus of the creek which the kids LOVED! Very relaxing! Comfortable indoors and had everything we needed. Look forward to returning at a later date.
Sara Donaghey
Stayed August 2011
It's a bit late now, but I thought I will email you anyway. I just wanted to
say thank you so much for enabling us to have our holiday at your
bach - we had a wonderful week. We hope we have left the place as immaculate as you had left it for us. All in all we had a wonderful time - glad we had this opportunity for a last getaway.
Thank you once again!
Lyn Steven
Stayed March 2011
It is a very comfortable house and the surrounds lovely though we
weren't able to fully enjoy the ambience due to inclement weather -
didn't get to the Kauris this time either. There is plenty to do in
the area and Coromandel hills shrouded in cloud have their own beauty-
the stream livened up and was lovely to listen to in bed!

Thank you for sharing your holiday home with us
Sara Donaghey
Stayed March 2011
It is a very comfortable house and the surrounds lovely though we
weren't able to fully enjoy the ambience due to inclement weather ‑
didn't get to the Kauris this time either. There is plenty to do in
the area and Coromandel hills shrouded in cloud have their own beauty‑
the stream livened up and was lovely to listen to in bed!

Thank you for sharing your holiday home with us

Lyn Steven
wayne fafeita
Stayed December 2007
everything sara said it would be, peaceful, tranquil and a great place for kids and adults to enjoy nature whilst having a great holiday. plenty to do and explore and a healthy environment for children, would love to stay again.
Sara Donaghey
Stayed June 2007
gorgeous getaway - we loved the peace and quiet. We'll definitely book again
Ian and Leigh Manson
Stayed February 2002
Thanks for the use of your lovely quiet holiday home. We wished we had booked more time. We loved the huge yard full of fruit trees and bush, but the highlight was the fun our 5 yr old grandson had at the gorgeous swimming hole at the back of the yard and on the sandy beach you've made there. What a gorgeous asset!