Heron Hideaway at First Light Rangihaeata Retreat

Gorgeous view and private setting.

What a magical location. Spectacular sunrise over the bay. Very comfortable bed and quaint composting toilet and outdoor shower. Highly recommended.

N/A

Hot water was a bit up and down but we got around that

The view was fabulous. Comfortable bed. 1 saucepan was good quality. Salt & pepper grinders.

Before we booked this accommodation the owners wrote that no reviews were available, as the property was a new listing, so we believed the owners claim & their self-assessment. After we arrived & researched further we found that there WERE reviews available since Dec 2024! Many of the ☹️ comments that had been reported were STILL not actioned. We arrived early evening to find that no doors or windows had been left open, so the heat inside the property was unbearable. All the windows, ranch sliders & glass doors are on the sunny side, so overheating is an issue on hot summer days. No Aircon - just an inadequate fan which just moved the hot air around a little. Mosquitoes, sandflies & moths entered when the windows were opened, even after the interior lights were turned off. No fly spray was provided so we had to keep all doors & windows closed at night. Others have complained that there should be insect screens, so the owners have provided a mosquito net to put over the bed. There is a ceiling hook, assuming you can stand on the bed to reach it, but the headboard is fixed to the wall so there is no way to drape the net behind the bed, so the net actually touches your face, so insects can bite you & the net is scratchy. There were some notices stuck on walls about reducing water usage & how the compost toilet works, but NO helpful information for guests about the property. On arrival the compost bucket from the previous occupants was half full & had been left on the kitchen counter. Although there was tea, coffee & sugar, there was no milk provided. Others had complained about that too, but the owners explained that they can't predict what sort people want. (Our next accommodation had messaged us asking what sort of milk we preferred & it was in the fridge on our arrival.) The cutlery had not been washed properly & there were particles of dried food still on some.