The house is a pole house set high off the ground so you look into the tree tops from the deck that runs along the front of the house. The house is two storied with an open plan design so has a spacious feel. Also means there are no doors on the two bedroom areas. There is a 3 minute walk up the hill from the road through native bush. There are nice views down to the beach. You can really unwind here and relax in this quiet setting. Reading or relaxing on the deck in the treetops is great for getting into 'Barrier time' (slow).Stay at home and cook, or go for a walk and see whats on offer at the great cafe down the road. If you want to meet some locals and have a drink then it's not far to walk to the Irish bar down the road.The house is comfortable and furnished with all you need for a holiday.The location in a more populated area of the island means you can stay there without having transport, to get to places you need on a holiday. It is easy enough to hire a car if you want to explore the island further. The house uses alternative power, as does all of Great Barrier Island. Solar power provides electricity for lights and appliances in the house. The power is 240 volt in the house, so all normal appliances can be plugged in and used. It is not possible to run heating appliances like hair dryers or hair straighteners etc, as it is too much of a tax on the power that is stored in the solar batteries. There is a gas heater, a gas caliphant for hot water and gas cooking. Special conditions: Limit of four people.The bach is good for a couple.There is a 3 minute walk through the bush uphill to the house and then up some stairs to the house.Not hard but, definitely can't drive to the door. Please note the cost of $170 per night is for 2 people and each extra person is $35 per night. Please enter correctly the amount of people staying
Extras: Linen (included); NOTE: Under Kiwi bach tradition you are expected to: Clean the house and do the dishes before you leave;
Property manager
Stella
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Pet-friendly
Outdoor space
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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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
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 not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
About the area
Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island is home to this holiday home. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Medlands Beach and Blind Bay. Discover the area's water adventures with scuba diving and surfing/body boarding nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with horse riding and mountain biking.
The Innkeeper's Lodge & Currach Irish Pub - 13 min walk
Wild Rose Cafe - 13 min walk
Stonewall Store & Bottle Store - 13 min walk
Barrier Social Club - 17 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Bach in quiet bush setting with sea views pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
What time is check-in at Bach in quiet bush setting with sea views?
Check-in begins at 1:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Bach in quiet bush setting with sea views?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Bach in quiet bush setting with sea views located?
Situated in Great Barrier Island, this holiday home is 4.9 mi (7.9 km) from Medlands Beach and within 12 miles (20 km) of Blind Bay and Kaitoki Beach. Awana Bay is 11.7 mi (18.9 km) away.
Reviews
8.8
Excellent
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
A wonderful locations snuggled in bush. There is a moderately steep climb up to the house. Pretty well everything you need. It is a short walk to the store, pub and social club. One thing to watch for in winter when the days are short, there is limited sunlight on the solar panels and the hot water bottles are essential.
So wonderful to come back to after a day exploring and so great to walk down to the beach for a swim first thing in the morning. Peaceful and close to shops etc. great spot.
Lovely host - answered all questions we had .
We enjoyed finally arriving after some wild weather to spend some chilled out time on Great Barrier. House was well laid out for guests and a good gas heater meant visiting in the winter was comfortable in the evenings.
Hidden in the bush amongst trees, pretty view, spacious inside, kitchen equipment well stocked, clear communication with the owner. Would rent again :-)
The property itself is nice but unfortunately there was no running water and no gas on the heater. Had these two thing been functioning or had we known we needed to bring our own water our stay would have been much nicer.
A fantastic location and setting, set in regenerating bush surrounded by tall Kanuka trees with a view down to the ocean. The area was full of Kaka, Kereru and Kingfisher to name a few. The Kaka were often within metres of the deck in the bush, a rare and wonderful sight!
The house was relatively basic, but everything you needed. Close to the beach, store and ferry! Overall, we loved our stay and the island and would definitely reccomend it!
We knew it was hard to find, so parked the car and walked until we found the small " Green retreat" sign. The fit and sure footed are fine on the entrance walk.
The solar power instructions were clear.
The cleaner could surely look and sweep under the beds occasionally.
A very short walk from the road carpark to the lovely 'kiwi cozy' pole house. Comfortable and cozy, with beautiful views through the trees to the sea. Easy to walk to the pub & shop at Tryphena for anyone with basic fitness. Stairs up to house and inside would make it tricky for anyone with mobility issues and probably not the best for toddlers! But we loved it.
Northwest facing - sun from 9ish in summer. Shady bush surrounding the house - good in summer sun. Good space - roomy for a couple, lovely balcony.
View to bay and beach -nice sound of the sea.
Some doors need work. Pathway needs attention.
Basic but comfortable accommodation, in a peaceful, native bush setting. Host was friendly and very helpful.
Regan G.
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2023
8/10 Good
Gail S.
14 December 2022
Liked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy
Escape
This property is a pole house on the side of a hill. The downside of this is a narrow steep path and 12 quite steep stairs to enter the house. The upside is fabulous views and privacy with an abundance of noisy birds.
The main bed is super comfy with crisp sheets and a snuggly duvet. Plenty of kitchen stuff available and a barbecue. We found the gas a bit slower than we are used to and would probably struggle to organise a meal but we merely snacked at our batch and mostly ate out.
This is an off the grid island operating on rain water collection and solar and we loved it!!
Gail S.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022
6/10 Okay
Leisa H.
10 September 2022
Liked: Location
Disliked: Communication
Good retreat but not value for money
Place was hard to find
Key hard to find
House cold with limited heating
No hot water all week also no water pressure. Unable to use bath which I was looking forward to
Best part was we could take our dog
The property is well furnished and like living in the bush. Property is clean. The only issue is the bedside electric plug is not working and only one ladle spoon in the kitchen.
We enjoyed our great stay at the Green Retreat, however issues with maintenance at the property detracted from what otherwise would've been a great experience. Near the end of our stay the internal roof of the bathroom fell in one night, perhaps due to a leak in the roof, which filled the house with the stench of black mould for our last two days and filled the bathroom with rotten gib board which we had to clean up. We appreciate that things can be a little rough around the edges on Barrier, but this went beyond that. There were also issues with the hot water califont which was often temperamental. Stella offered us a partial refund for one night's stay as compensation.
That said, we really loved the bush clad setting which offered a nice respite from the heat of the sun during the day. The bach is also frequented by a charming array of native birds and is well situated to enjoy your time on the island.
This is a simple bach overlooking the beach in tryphena. It has stunning views and was perfect for two of us. We were self catering and it had everything we needed to cook. The bach is basic e.g. no wifi or appliances but we loved it. Great location, walking distance to shops and pub and beaches.