Craftsman built house provides stunning retreat
About this house rental
Nau mai! Haere mai! Craftsman built home in 4 acres of garden and revegetated native bush gives you all the home comforts in a stunning rural seaside setting. (The dawn chorus is outstanding!) Situated in Broad Bay, 'Waiata Manu' offers you opportunities to re-energise amid the tranquil surroundings of bush, beach and sea. Or you can explore the best of the recreation and wildlife opportunities this beautiful area offers. Under the Kiwi bach tradition (and as we do not live near the property) you are asked to: Bring your own sheets ,towels and pillowcases. Clean the house for the next people when you leave. This house is not serviced and the price reflects this. The house is owner-built on four levels to reduce impact on the site and boasts a solid wood kitchen and 2 log fires for heating (one in the kitchen-dining room, one in the large living room).You can enjoy stunning views from extensive decks and indulge in the ready made library and board game selection. The house was furnished using the finest of pre-loved items to reduce our environmental impact. (Check out the Crown Lynn and Temuka collection!). Firewood is grown on the property and you are asked to replace what you use from the woodshed. One bedroom has a Queen bed and loft bed above. The second bedroom has 2 divan beds with loft bed above. The mezzanine above the main living room has a pull out sofa bed with extra queen mattress (under Queen bed) for added comfort. The house can sleep a total of about 8. There are several spare single mattresses and there are plenty of spare duvets and pillows. The bathroom is on the kitchen level and boasts a full length bath, also a shower, basin and separate toilet. Walking tracks from the back of the house allow access to views of Aramoana and the open ocean from the firewood plantation at the top of the section. Please note that this is a work-in-progress and 3 of the internal staircases have handrails but no vertical balusters and so this may make the house not suitable for very small children. Enjoy the stunning location, appreciate the flora and fauna, relax in comfort in our superior decor, value the aesthetic and let us know how we can make it even better. Nau mai Haere Mai Special conditions: When driving on Otago Peninsula do not assume your GPS shows actual roads! Download our instructions for detail on routes. Driveway is a challenge for some, but no problem when you keep your speed up. Turn around at top. Do not bring towing vehicles up without inspecting the drive first. House is on 4 levels so there are stairs! House is a work in progress so vertical balusters are not yet present on 3 flights of stairs.This may be an issue for young children. Usual reply within 48 hours. Remeber: you need to bring your own linen and clean ready for the next people.
Amenities
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony / Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Dunedin
House in Dunedin
Reasons to book
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Includes essentialsGarden, Kitchen / Kitchenette, Parking and more
Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental
$$$$
Reviews
4.5/5.0
Excellent(181 Reviews)
10.0
The house was wonderful , set in bush with harbour views - amazing
10.0
An amazing getaway, cozy house, great view, love all the birds.
4.0
A relaxing place to chill up to and including New Year. Very quirky. Great views and birds.
5.0
It was lovely! Such a nice property. Very special, and so great being nestled in the trees. Thank you!
10.0
We thoroughly enjoyed this property, my children loved the space, the games, even the movie selection. I enjoyed the peace, the nosey birds and the freedom to move. Only thing is to be aware of the grassy driveway, it caught out a visitor who had difficulty turning to face out of the driveway, if the caravan wasn't present, would have been easy to maneuver the big ford ranger without my 8 seater in the way. Otherwise a great stay and affordable for families.
4.0
Such a beautiful house in a peaceful setting with a stunning sea view. My only slight problem was not being able to drive up the driveway because my tyres kept spinning. Would not suit a clean freak but was perfect for me - comfortable, spacious and quiet.
5.0
Bach was perfect for our flying visit - views awesome.
5.0
Really enjoyed the accomadation. Really loved the set up of the whole house.
The fire places in lounge and dinning area kept the house warm especially with the heat making its way up to the bedrooms. The beautiful bush surrounding the place views and bird life. The wind and driveway were an adventure.
4.0
Cool place hidden in the bush , very unique the style and craftsmanship. There's a library, games nice bathroom, great for families as lots of space/areas. I don't recommend for 1 night tho , best to stay longer if you can . Lovely scenery 😊
5.0
Such a quaint place in the trees, beautiful views and amazing layout of the place. We absolutely loved our stay and will be back! Thank you again so much :)))
4.0
We enjoyed our stay but it would've been nice to know before we booked that we had to provide our own linen and clean the place before we left.
5.0
We had a delightful stay at this unique cottage that is literally in the treetops. The craftsmanship provided surprises everyone we turned around. The clever multi-level design was fun to explore and to imagine the work that has gone into building this private paradise. The cottage it’s equipped with all the utensils that you need to cook delicious meals of that if that is your preference. Dunedin is close enough that you can enjoy gourmet meals of any type of cuisine in the world. The highlight of the stay is the morning symphony from the birds that share the treetop with the cottage. You will never forget it. Make sure that you take the time to read the story of labor and love that is carved into the woodwork throughout the cottage. Many thanks to our hosts for a wonderful stay. A word of caution if you are older like myself, there are lots of stairs and you can’t avoid them. If stairs are problematical for you, this gem would be difficult to maneuver. Remember to bring towels and bed linens and a hair dryer and be prepared to live without the internet. It was a blessing to be off the grid for a few days. Magnificent stay, Cudos to our hosts.
4.0
Contacted the owners about the stove
5.0
Great host communication. Easy instructions. Lovely setting. Loved it
5.0
Although I am guessing the last peeps that stayed didn't quite understand the level of cleanliness required, it was was an amazing space to go and escape the world for a bit. Certainly recommend this space for anyone looking for a secluded space to enjoy and spend time. The birdsong in the morning was amazing!! Even with the rain. Thanks guys/gas for making such an awesome space available
5.0
Property was perfect for our trip. The location was peaceful and very relaxing.
4.0
Quiet, spacious holiday home in the countryside. We really enjoyed our time here and immediatly felt at home.
5.0
Beautiful spot and house, lovely native birds and bush with a sea view. A true original nz bach!
5.0
Such a wonderful place to visit. Had a great view all around. Property was very spacious. We will definitely be back in the future!
5.0
We had a wonderful time there! The perfect place to recharge. Built and decorated with love. Can only recommend it.
4.0
We absolutely loved the house tucked away in the bush and private. So tranquil and beautiful the birds and views a great to wake up to. Only problem for me was being a heavy person I felt the stairs a bit unsafe so ended up taking mattresses down to the lounge and sleeping there. And some of the decks are a bit soft .
But other than that it's great, we would definitely stay again. Driveway was as it says a bit tricky but easy once you get the hang of it. Loved this house 🏠
4.0
Peaceful stay with stunning views.
1.0
The property has major biulding code deficiencies.
The deck has rot in a number of places and the hand rail is well below code height with a big drop.
The internal stairs have no balustrade which is also not to code.
Extremely dangerous for children or the elderly.
All these points have been pointed out by previous people as i checked this out after the fact.
We did not find the place clean and the fire was not cleaned out as well.
We cant understand why we are also asked to clean on depature and also then charged a cleaning fee.
I tried to contact the owner to discuss our concerns. I left a voice message and am still waiting for a call back.
Definately will not be staying again.
5.0
Was awesome, would stay again
5.0
Fantastic directions, good communication overall. A beautiful, beautiful place nestled amongst the bush.
5.0
We love the secluded feel of this property. Great location for exploring Otago Peninsula.
4.0
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this fabulous house, the views and birdsong make for a great place to rest and unwind. Clever, quirky lay, easy to heat with two fires We had snow and very cold temps during our visit but the house was toasty warm with just one of the fires on. Yes, the driveway was steep but exactly as the owners described, my daughter had her little mazda demio and it made it up the drive! Can't wait to return in the Summer.
4.0
The dawn chorus, cosy lounge and eclectic selection of books and music were the highlights of our stay, thanks!
4.0
The property is unique and in a very cool place but is quite dated and some features (or lack of) I would consider unsafe (as a carpenter).
The green couch in the den broke as soon as we sat on it (the back piece came clean off, I can only assume a previous guest had broken it and delicately put it back in place).
The outside deck has some severely rotten boards that you would probably go straight through if you put all your weight on. The handrail is also a dangerous height as I believe you would go straight over it if you stumbled into it.
There is no balustrade on the stairs leading from the bedrooms down to the lounge, which would be very dangerous for young children. The lower landing on this same set of stairs also has a large crack almost halfway along the length, which I would also consider dangerous, especially for a heavier user.
The driveway is very steep and several people in the guestbook noted that they failed to make the drive up to the house at all. Obviously, this is the nature of the property but maybe the property description more accurately reflecting the state of the driveway would be helpful.
Finally, I don't understand why I was charged a service fee when we are expected to clean the entire property from top to bottom when leaving. This is fine, but charging $152 a night seems high to me when the property is not serviced at all.
Saying all this, the house is in a beautiful spot and has some cool features. Staying here was certainly an experience.
5.0
Overall a great stay if you want peace and quiet. The re ent weather bomb made things a bit slippery outside, but the heating was nice and cosy
5.0
Waiata manu
Overall a great stay if you want peace and quiet. The re ent weather bomb made things a bit slippery outside, but the heating was nice and cosy
5.0
This is a really cool place with a lovely homely vibe. A cuppa in the morning on one of the landings, watching the sunrise over the Otago harbour, amongst the tree tops, to glorious birdsong..... Bliss!
5.0
Birdsong morning
This is a really cool place with a lovely homely vibe. A cuppa in the morning on one of the landings, watching the sunrise over the Otago harbour, amongst the tree tops, to glorious birdsong..... Bliss!
5.0
A lovely, secluded house with great views. Ideal for families with older kids or just a couple
5.0
I loved this house. This home looks like it was made with love. I was surprised & blown away by the view from the deck & inside the house. The fire was fantastic for cold dunedin weather. Owners were helpful with directions. The driveway was a bit of a trick, best just to park at the top by the street. Driveway aside would be back in a heartbeat. Unique & cosy. A great experience!
5.0
Relaxing spot
A lovely, secluded house with great views. Ideal for families with older kids or just a couple
5.0
Unique house with awesome sea views
I loved this house. This home looks like it was made with love. I was surprised & blown away by the view from the deck & inside the house. The fire was fantastic for cold dunedin weather. Owners were helpful with directions. The driveway was a bit of a trick, best just to park at the top by the street. Driveway aside would be back in a heartbeat. Unique & cosy. A great experience!
4.0
a good spot to hang out in the bush and chill out
4.0
Bush bach
a good spot to hang out in the bush and chill out
5.0
Fabulous cosy cottage nestled in the trees
We loved our time here. Fabulous views of the bay, surrounded by birdlife.
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in Dunedin?
The average price for a rental in Dunedin is $151 per night. This rental is $43 less expensive than the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Craftsman built house provides stunning retreat. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Craftsman built house provides stunning retreat pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this house is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Craftsman built house provides stunning retreat?
We found 9 amenities for this rental. This includes kitchen / kitchenette, fireplace, parking, laundry, and balcony / patio.
Dunedin travel inspiration
Read our blogGuides
Ski Trip Packing List: What to Bring Skiing or Snowboarding
Trends
VacationRenter Holiday Travel Trends 2023
Featured Rentals
Architectural Vacation Rentals: Experience the Beauty of Unique Properties
Featured Rentals
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Vacation Rentals Around the World
Featured Rentals
Our Favorite Vacation Rentals With Unique Experiences
Featured Rentals
Amazing Cabin Rentals Across the Globe
Featured Rentals
Have You Ever Wanted to Stay in a Dome Rental? Now You Can
Featured Rentals
Jaw Dropping Treehouse Rentals All Over the World