A Review of Our Stay at Watercliff

Nestled in the bush, just 30 minutes from Tauranga, on the banks of the Omanawa River is the most beautiful eco-retreat. One rainy weekend in May, we packed up the toddler and a couple bottles of prosecco and took ourselves off for a two night stay without wi-fi or cell reception to recalibrate in the wild at Watercliff stay.

It might have rained the entire weekend, but it was just what we needed. An excuse to get cosy, relax in the bath and dance barefoot in the rain.

I took my Fujifilm X-T3 camera along for the ride and, in between rain bombs, managed to get the drone up to capture this wild wonderland from above. If this is how beautiful it looks in the rain, just imagine it in the shine.

The Hosts at Watercliff

Dee and Josh were wonderful hosts, who made sure we had everything we needed throughout our stay, they even brought a selection of toys down to the cabin for Lola to play with. Whether you’re coming as two adults on a romantic getaway, or coming with the whanau, you need to know that the cabins are not accessible by your own vehicle. You’ll drive down a windy narrow road on the land to reception where you’ll park up for your stay. We had no reason to leave but if you wanted to get away during your stay Dee & Josh are super accommodating, or you could easily walk the ~ 1km back to your own vehicle.

There’s something about being in the wild without your vehicle that helps with the disconnect from the world we live in, to truly escape back to nature on the banks of the Omanawa River. There really is everything you need - kayaks, a little waterfall, a BBQ at your cabin, outside games to play. Or if it’s raining, do you really need anything more than a really good book, good food, and an outdoor bath?

Correct me if I’m wrong, please.

The Vibe at Watercliff Stay

At Watercliff Stay, Each cabin oozes cool with stunning eco-design pieces and decked out with a selection of products from local artists and businesses along with coffee table books that’ll help you get back to your wild in everyday living. And as for the land? It is draped in pongas with rugged exposed cliffs. A view I could happily stare at all day long (and I did). One thing we missed during our stay due to the weather, was the glow worms. Yep, this place really has it ALL. Pongas, a waterfall, a river, eco-friendly cabins styled in a way which co-exists with the land AND glow worms.

I’ll leave you with a gallery of images from our stay below so you can get a taste of what it’s like to call these beautiful cabins home for a few days.

All in all, 5/5 ⭐️ would definitely go again… rain or shine.

L x