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True Kiwi Bach Experience

Holiday home in Tauranga Taupo with kitchen

Photo gallery for True Kiwi Bach Experience

Interior - True Kiwi Bach Experience (Waitetoko)
TV, DVD player - True Kiwi Bach Experience (Waitetoko)
Beach towels - True Kiwi Bach Experience (Waitetoko)
Exterior - True Kiwi Bach Experience (Waitetoko)
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop - True Kiwi Bach Experience (Waitetoko)
On the shores of Great Lake Taupo, this genuine Kiwi bach offers a cozy retreat with two large picture windows showcasing stunning lake views. Enjoy warm evenings by the window or take in the beautiful sunsets, then snuggle up with Freeview TV and duvets provided.

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Entire home

2 bedrooms1 bathroom90 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue

Add dates for prices

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

True Kiwi Bach Experience

A true Kiwi bach experience.
Sitting on the shore of Great Lake Taupo is this genuine family bach.
Originally built in the 1940’s as a fisherman’s hut it has been extended and updated over the years in true Kiwi bloke style, recently redecorated to create a more homely feel.
Enjoy the views through the two large picture windows looking across and up the lake towards Taupo. The bach is perfectly positioned to see the often beautiful evening sunsets.
25mins south of Taupo, 15mins north of Turangi and 5 seconds from the water!
Freeview TV is available.

Duvets and blankets are provided and you can either choose to bring your own linen or pay a small additional cost for sheets.

UPDATE: We have added two wall heaters to the bach so feel free to try a winter getaway and within an hour you can be on the skifield! NO HEATPUMP OR FIREPLACE, so bring your slippers!!

Special conditions:
Smoking allowed outside only

Sorry we do not allow pets to stay at the bach

Families, Couples or 'mature' adults preferred

Extras: Cleaning (Required, NZ$60.00 per stay); Linen (Optional, NZ$20.00 per stay);

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach towels

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Hob
  • Kitchen island
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Hair dryer
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • DVD player
  • TV

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Things to do

  • Fishing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Swimming nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Unit size: 969 square feet

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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 2:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Rules

Be aware that in winter, our bach does not have a heat pump or an open fire - it can be very cold on the plateau during winter months.

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Note from host: The property is not fenced and close to the lake.

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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
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 fire extinguisher and a deadlock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

Property is also known as

True Kiwi Bach Experience Tauranga Taupo
True Kiwi Bach Experience Private vacation home
True Kiwi Bach Experience Private vacation home Tauranga Taupo

About the area

Tauranga Taupo is home to this holiday home. Lake Taupō and Tongariro National Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include The Landing Lake Taupō and Waipahihi Botanical Gardens. Taupō Hot Springs and A.C. Baths are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with fishing and swimming nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails.
Visit our Tauranga Taupo travel guideOpens in a new window
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Map
Waitetoko, Waikato

What's nearby

  • Turangi i-SITE Visitor Centre - 16 min drive - 18.6 km
  • Tongariro National Trout Centre - 18 min drive - 22.5 km
  • River Vineyard - 18 min drive - 18.9 km
  • Tokaanu Thermal Pools - 20 min drive - 24.6 km
  • Tongariro National Park - 22 min drive - 27.1 km

Getting around

  • Taupō Airport (TUO) - 22 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Licorice Cafe - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Licorice Cafe - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Tomi's - ‬5 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is True Kiwi Bach Experience pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at True Kiwi Bach Experience?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at True Kiwi Bach Experience?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at True Kiwi Bach Experience?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is True Kiwi Bach Experience located?

Situated in Tauranga Taupo, this holiday home is 2.2 mi (3.5 km) from Lake Taupō and within 12 miles (20 km) of Turangi i-SITE Visitor Centre and River Vineyard. Tongariro National Trout Centre is 11.3 mi (18.1 km) away.

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True Kiwi Bach Experience Reviews

Reviews

Wonderful

All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
More informationOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 63 out of 102 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 33 out of 102 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 102 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 102 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 102 reviews

8.4

Cleanliness

10

Location

2.0

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Eleanor R.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Fantastic location right on the lake with lovely views, good shower and comfy beds
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Simon G.

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

The most beautiful spot

Our second stay. The location is just amazing, the bach is cozy, homely, simple, and all you need. Feels like you have the lake to yourselves. Look forward to going again.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

6/10 Okay

Kriselda W.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Nice spot

The bach was in an ideal location. Beds were comfortable and clean. Only complaint was that there was a definite rodent problem. With new mice droppings found daily throughout the kitchen cupboards and one mouse running through the lounge mid day. so we had to try fit all our food in the fridge for the stay. The kids absolutely loved the place and being so close to the lake for swimming.
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

phil r.

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Check-in

Authentic fisherman's cabin - warts & all - but gorgeous!

Just a few days R&R and very lucky with weather - hot, sunny, no wind & a lake of glass just a matter of steps away.. usually very few people, even in mid-summer holiday peak. Water was a delight & just 3 steps and you're waist deep - perfect. Cabin was exactly as expected so no grizzles here, but with the oven out-of-action the benchtop grill I brought was ideal. In fact I had the basics with me so didn't need to call on many of the available resources, but they're sure there. A previous review damned the door-key security box as fiddly & a challenge.. they were right.. I cursed the thing & had trouble - no "CLEAR" or "OPEN" buttons to be seen [as per instructions] - but perseverance won.. making this task more user-friendly would be a good improvement. But a terrific spot & highly recommended - but accept it for what it is !
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Alex A.

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

Turangi Stay

Great location, quiet and great walks
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

2/10 Terrible

NORMA

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
This place is in a very beautiful location, however, it is extremely isolated if you don't have a vehicle. What I didn't know beforehand was that despite it being quite expensive, I would be drinking filtered but untreated lake water, have to remove my garbage, and there would be no wifi. The bach was quite run down and in the bedroom I was sleeping under a ceiling that looked like it would collapse sometime soon. Even minor fixes like recovering the chairs to the table would have been nice. As a non-Kiwi I did not realize that this was the true Kiwi Bach experience and ended up leaving it two days early despite the expense. Anyone looking for a primitive couple of days at the beach this is fine but for what it cost I expected more!
The ceiling in the main bedroom looked like it was about to fall down.
The two chairs for the table needed to be recovered.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Fantastic location, unbeatable view, charming old bach with real nostalgic Kiwi style.

Fantastic location, unbeatable view, charming old bach with real nostalgic Kiwi style. Would be a dream winter hideaway with a little bit more heating - but we still had a great weekend.

10/10 Excellent

Rosalind T.

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

A terrific old-school bach

We had a lovely at this terrific old-school bach. What a stunning location!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2022
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Vanessa L.

Great original Kiwi Bach, warm and cosy.

Great original Kiwi Bach, warm and cosy. Everything that you need is there, a real home away from home. We absolutely loved our stay at the Bach. We will definitely be back :)
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sally Jane S.

Wonderful location, lovely Bach which was well equipped.

Wonderful location, lovely Bach which was well equipped. Great neighbors fishing and swimming. Smoked trout is the bomb??
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Everything about this place is perfect.

Everything about this place is perfect. It's a simple small home, a step back in time. The location is priceless! Thank you for having us.

8/10 Good

Simon m.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great spot

Classic kiwi batch, best memory is watching the crescent moon and Venus chase each other down with the setting sun.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Rhonda R.

Lovely bach, bigger than expected.

Lovely bach, bigger than expected. Had everything we needed. Superb location right on the lake. The lake was beautiful. We will definitely stay longer next time ??
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

we loved it.

we loved it. classic kiwi bach right on the lake

10/10 Excellent

Antonia R., Auckland, New Zealand

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

Cute bach in great location

Lovely setting, just metres from the lake edge with great views. Was a good location between Tūrangi and Taupō if you are planning on doing things in both places. The bach had all we needed and the host provided ample instructions. Would recommend, especially if you are looking for something simple and a bit different.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jill M.

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

Stunning spot!

Location couldn't be better, stunning views, even in all weathers. Quirkiness added character to the bach tenfold. Most amenities on site, missing the odd basic item. Overall an amazing hidden gem. Would love to return!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Tracey W.

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

Thank you

Thank you for the privilege of another dreamy and special stay at our favourite place in all the world. Kia ora rawa atu.
Stayed 8 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nadine Rachel W.

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

Very nice place

Quite nice place with e marvelous view and near the lake. We were glad for the good heating for rainy days. We very enjoy our stay. Only two little things we would note: It would have been handy to have e yellow trash bag inhouse and the oven was too dirty to use. Otherwise we can highly recommand the bach.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Amanda B.

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

Lovely old school bach!

Had a lovely 3 days at this very cool old school bach. The location is unbeatable. Lovely to swim in the lake multiple times a day! Very tidy and the most comfortable beds I’ve ever had at a holiday home. The only improvement would be clearer instructions for the zip and the washing machine. Thanks so much so much.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2022
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Nice little batch in a great location, with awesome views.

Nice little batch in a great location, with awesome views. Good kitchen and utensil selection and washing facilities. Although it was a little bit cold on the first day, but we managed to warm it up with the heaters provided. The double bed was also very soft for us. We see that they are going to update the heating to a heatpump, so if they do that and change the mattress we'll likely go again.

8/10 Good

Trevor H.

Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Check-in, communication

Trev

Really nice. Only real issue was combination lock on key safe on the door , it was jammed up pretty bad (I've had the last 3 months dealing with them before I arrived) anyway after numerous attempts I gave up and found I had absolutely no way to contact owner manager or anyone for help so I had one more crack and got in. Not moaning just stating facts. After that all good
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Ietje v.

Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful spot !!

It’s a real kiwi Bach on a gorgeous spot. Kids loved it ! Fire risk was low so we had gorgeous fires with marsh mellows ! No WIFI but that suited us fine. Hardly any toilet paper… that was not very handy, otherwise it was all perfect. I contacted the hosts mobile never got an answer. Don’t know what went wrong there. Also the key lock box was a real mission and I almost gave up. You need to hear every number give a tiny “click” otherwise no luck…
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Beau H.

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

Pure relaxation

My partner and I totally enjoyed a week long stay in Maren’s cosy lake whare. Over and above, we loved that the cottage has been left to shine in all its authenticity as an original Kiwi bach, while offering all the modern comforts one needs for a relaxing break away from the hustle of daily life. All the previous comments posted are spot on. Waitetoko bach is an true delight from the first approach. It humbly tries to allow it’s peaceful and untouched natural lakefront position be the star of the show, but all who step through it’s doors are equally charmed by what Waitetoko offers on the inside. Character in spades, scrupulously clean, well equipped, sun-filled comfy spaces, post card views, cosy and safe - a real delight. Most certainly we will return. Thank you so much Maren for your professional and friendly hospitality and for sharing your wee treasure.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

6/10 Okay

Denice S.

Liked: Location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in

Good

Easy to book and great location next to the lake.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Great Lake Side Experience

Recommended to all Bookabachers!!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021