Entire home

Idyllic river side retreat

Waterfront cottage with kitchen and patio

Photo gallery for Idyllic river side retreat

River Retreat in its bush setting
gardens
gardens
outdoor table and chairs
view from above

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 3

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen
  • Outdoor space
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

View map
  • Place, Parapara Beach
  • Place, Milnthorpe Park
  • Place, Golden Bay

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 3)

attic bedroom

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

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);

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Parking available
Water view

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 10:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Smoking permitted outside
I do not allow day guests additional to those included in the reservation . Please do not use the reservation to host groups
To protect our privacy and to diminish wear and tear on the property ,I ask you not to invite further guests to the cottage or surrounds

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
On-site 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 that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a first aid kit

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Parapara

Located in Parapara, this cottage is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Travellers eager for a bit of culture can stop by Collingwood Museum, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Kahurangi National Park and Parapara Beach. Discover the area's water adventures with windsurfing and sailing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with mountain biking and ecotours.
Map
Parapara, Tasman Region

What's nearby

  • Parapara Beach - 6 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Tukurua Bay - 6 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Milnthorpe Park - 7 min drive - 5.1 km
  • Collingwood Recreation Ground - 11 min drive - 11.7 km
  • Golden Bay - 36 min drive - 40.1 km

Restaurants

  • ‪The Mussel Inn - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪The Courthouse Cafe - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Collingwood Tavern - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Poss - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Rosy Glow Chocolate Shop - ‬8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Idyllic river side retreat pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Idyllic river side retreat?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Idyllic river side retreat?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Idyllic river side retreat located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is 1 mi (1.7 km) from Kahurangi National Park and within 3 miles (5 km) of Parapara Beach and Tukurua Bay. Milnthorpe Park is 3 mi (4.8 km) away.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 183 out of 186 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 186 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 186 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 186 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 186 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Sandy T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing location, very comfortable and restful.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another Idyllic stay

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

8/10 Good

Hamish F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

Vicki H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

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

10/10 Excellent

Noel and Jenni M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A spot of paradise

A treasure of a place; a treat to stay.Idyllic location, surrounded by the best of NZ- it's bush and birds, with a view of the river from the house. Doesn't get better than this.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tim B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place,quality build

Quite lovely setting
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mike & Lisa A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome cottage stay.

Fantastic place to stay, very private and quiet. The cottage was excellent, with everything you need, lovely garden around the cottage and awesome bush walks starting behind the cottage. We loved our stay.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

Rankeilor A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

Morag C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous!

Beautiful place-birds, native bush, quiet and peaceful. We loved it!
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Chris C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

Ian F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

Richard C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

10/10 Excellent

Derek M.

A unique and high quality retreat that has it ALL!

This is a beautifully presented and attention to detail, with taste, remote retreat. The atmosphere and ambience of the cottage sets the scene from the first moment and gets better from then on. For a couple it is the absolute 'let it go' opportunity for decluttering and simplifying for a few days. Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Nicole P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

Reeces M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A lovely peaceful feeling batch in good order, a week here feels like dropping the weight of a years stress, think of it as an investment in your health
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Maree D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fabulous property, secluded and surrounded by native bush. Attention to detail and everything we needed. Lovely to have opportunity of an oudoor bath under the stars. Deserves 5* plus.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Andrea S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Place

This was an amazing stay at Reen's place. Super cozy and a tranquil environment tucked away in beautiful nature Still close to great activities. Reen is a fabulous host, who is very responsive. Highly recommend.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Susanne D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Traumhaftes Cottage

Das Cottage von Reen ist ein Traum und die Lage direkt am Fluss inmitten eines blühenden Gartens ist absolut gigantisch. Man merkt, wie viel Liebe im Cottage steckt: Alles ist makellos sauber, die Ausstattung ist top. Die Wanderwege starten direkt hinter dem Cottage. Es lohnt sich, bis ganz nach oben zum Aussichtspunkt zu laufen - ein toller Blick über die Bucht!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

iain c.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Faultless

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

10/10 Excellent

Phillip V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

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

10/10 Excellent

Peter and henny V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

As always a pleasure to stay. Amazing property

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

About the host

Hosted by Reen_Mcmillan

Host profile image
I have lived in the Bay since 1973, brought up 4 children.Now two of them have come back from overseas to raise their families here.
I love Golden Bay for its history, its geographic diversity and beauty, and thriving community

Why they chose this property

We bought this property in 1973 because it ticked all the boxes, bush, river etc, but also had an air of mystery about it.There was evidence of old mining huts, church music sheets scattered on the floor of one of the huts along with flesh coloured corsets and black clunky heeled shoes , prevalent in the 1930's
Bit by bit we pieced together the history, and added our own

What makes this property unique

the feel of a hidden world, yet only 20 minutes from Takaka

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests