“Beautiful, tranquil cottage, with a fascinating history"
Double outdoor bath
Our Riverside Cabin Dream
Built on land used to film The Hobbit, I've (Trudy) combined 30 years of design experience with a stunning location to make your stay incredibly special. 100's of hours of planning have gone into creating an affordable luxury stay that we are immensely proud of and we're excited to share it with you.
Fish for trout, swim or kayak in the stream, take in the beauty of a waterfall walk, cycle the Timber Trail, visit Waitomo Caves, play golf, experience an amazing sunset on the West Coast beaches, drive 15 mins to the highly recommended Fat Pigeon café or experience one of many other adventures - all from this luxury escape.
It is easy.
Then - on your return, just flick on the tap to run a bath, no fires to light, just sit back and immerse yourself in nature.
Us & River Run-The Farm
Ripples opened in July 2020 on our third-generation sheep and beef farm River Run, situated in the heart of the stunning Mangaotaki Valley. So you may hear in the distance the sounds of farm dogs working sheep or spot Brendan or Graeme riding along farm tracks, moving stock.
We farm 690Ha of steep to rolling hill country and have 2500 ewes, 3800 lambs in spring and 250 head of cattle. Every year we plant 100's of native trees to keep our farm sustainable for future generations, they help to retain our soils, provide shelter for our stock, improve the water quality and also add to the aesthetic quality of our land.
Hobbit Film History & Stargazing
The cabin is set on the spot where Gandalf's caravan was parked for the filming of The 1st Hobbit Movie (An Unexpected Journey) in 2011. For 10 days the paddocks surrounding Ripples were transformed into a village of 500 people, 100's of cars trucks and marques. It was an exciting time and we have been lucky enough to have other various film crews on the farm, including an ad for the Super bowl in 2017.
The Hobbit & Other Filming History
Some of the best stargazing in New Zealand.
The night sky at Ripples Retreat is absolutely breathtaking!
It is located in a rare area of the North Island where the skies are incredibly clear, comparable to the likes of Tekapo in the South Island. It is also the closest area with clear skies to Auckland and Hamilton. It is one of the best places in the North Island to view the Milky Way.
Our Ammenities
Stunning farmland views
& Stargazing
complimentary Honey & herb garden
Outdoor bath gas hot water
Double shower
wi-FI
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BBQ
Easy access
River swimming
Ripples has three beds: A master king four-poster bed and a double bunk bed with a single on top in a separate room. The designer kitchen is fully equipped and there is a sumptuous black bathroom with plenty of places to put things. In front of the cabin you will discover a beautiful fresh water river pool to swim in.
It has Wi-Fi over a rural wireless network, however as this is such a beautiful spot to relax in nature, you may wish to just switch off and reconnect with loved ones. If you need a digital detox just ask us to turn the Wi-Fi off before you arrive. Cell phone reception is limited with “two bar” cellphone reception on the Spark and Skinny networks, other networks are a 10-minute drive away.