Is food provided or do we bring our own?

Platters you can pick up from The Fat Pigeon. Ripples is fully self catering so you will need to bring your own food. We do supply the basics of tea, coffee, milk, salt pepper and oil. There is a full working indoor kitchen with a coffee machine, there is a lidded outdoor BBQ which doubles as an oven and cooks great pizzas! We also have a seasonal herb garden. You can either bring your own food or travel 15 mins into Piopio to the Night Owl Restaurant and bar on Ruru St $$ (open Thursday—Sunday) for a lovely seasonal meal or a takeaway pizza, ph. 07 8778 769. The Fat Pigeon Cafe $$ Moa St (SH3) NEW! now has platters available which you can pick up and enjoy at Ripples, you will need to contact The Fat Pigeon direct with at least 2 days notice on 07 8778 822 on pick these up on your way to Ripples. They are open daily for breakfast and lunch and also have takeaway meals you can purchase on your way through Piopio. The Cloverleaf Café 15mins away $ Moa St (SH3) Piopio 07 8778 368Open daily 5.30am – 8pm with bakery, takeaway coffee, burgers and fish and chips. Very casual. The Piopio Cosmopolitan Club (the Cozzie club) 15mins away $ Moa St (SH3) Piopio 07 8778 204 Open daily for drinks and bar meals. Very very casual. Piopio Superette Moa St (SH3) $$ is a small local dairy and has all the basics New World in Te Kuiti 35 mins away $ have a click and collect option which needs to be ordered 24 hours in advance. We also highly recommend Nahna’s Fruitery next to New World for high quality seasonal fruit and vegetables. Hari will make up boxes of produce for you to pick up if you are travelling from the North. 07 8788207.

Internet - Connecting while you’re there

Ripples is a digital detox haven, no Wifi no TV and limited cell reception. This is to allow you an escape from the digital world and to reconnect with loved ones. We do however have “two bar” cellphone reception on the Spark and Skinny networks – Vodafone and other networks will require a 10 minute drive back towards Piopio.

When and how do I pay?

In order to ensure your booking is secured, payment is required at the time the booking is placed. You will have a variety of credit and debit card payment options available to you at the online checkout. We also accept direct debit payments and you can book and contact us at trudy@stayatripples.co.nz for account details, you will then have 48 hours to pay. All our pricing is available on our calendar under Book Now.

Are children allowed?

Yes however, Ripples has unlimited access to flowing water please only book children above the age of 7 and/or only book if you are confident none of your guests pose a risk of drowning. Our guests' safety is super important to us.

How many people can Ripples sleep?

Ripples can sleep up to 5 people. There is a King size bed, and a double bunk bed with a single above in a separate alcove. We have designed the alcove with 3 older children in mind; however Ripples will comfortably sleep 4 adults. We have now been opperational for more than 12 months and our families with up to 3 children have been very comfortable in Ripples.

Is there an additional charge for more people?

The pricing is for 2 people and there is an additional charge of up to $40 per person per night. (Children must be over the age of 7).

Do you offer gift vouchers?

Yes. A Ripples gift voucher makes a wonderful gift for parents, loved ones or for businesses. We can personalise it by including a business logo or a special message. Gift vouchers may be used for any available weekdays, weekend a minimum of 2 nights. For public holiday weekends there is a minimum of a 3 night stay. To order one, please contact us.

Can I bring my dog?

As Ripples Retreat is located on a working sheep farm, we unfortunately cannot allow dogs.

What time is check in and check out?

Check in is at 2pm and check out is 10am. You can of course check in later than 2pm but we recommend coming as early as possible to make the most of your stay.

Where is the nearest medical centre?

The nearest medical centre is Te Kuiti Hospital located in Te Kuiti township, ph. 07 8787878.

Is Ripples exclusively ours for our stay?

Yes! Ripples has only one chalet and it’s all yours. You will be given a code for the lockbox so you can let yourselves in. We are located 500m further up the road but won’t be disturbing you during your stay. If you need us, we are just a phone call away on 07 8778349 or 027 8268500. When you leave, just lock up and place the key back in the lockbox. You are welcome to explore the paddocks next to the river. Unfortunatley due to the farm being located on limestone country the rest of the farm is off limits to guests due to having mutliple hazards and large animals, we recommend you enjoy the quiet country road for walks and cycling.

Are there laundry facilities and will our sheets be ironed?

We do not have any laundry machines at Ripples but you are welcome to use our laundry at the homestead. We do have laundry powder, a washing bucket and a drying rack for handwashing. Ripples has been designed with a relaxed, rustic luxury home-away-from-home feel which includes cosy un-ironed luxury sheets. We have chosen to dedicate the time saved in ironing back into our small community coaching kids’ team sports and volunteering to support our neighbourhood. We encourage you to do the same as we find it very rewarding and therapeutic. “Life’s too short to iron sheets”!

Is Ripples availible for event hire?

When you book Ripples there are several additional areas within the grounds to accommodate tents and caravans. There is a caravan powerplug on the side of the building. These services can be hired as extras when you book Ripples please contact us at trudy@stayatripples.co.nz for rates and more information. Piopio (15minutes drive away) has several business offering excellent catering services. We do not allow parties.

How do I cancel my booking? Can I get a refund? What if my stay is affected by Covid?

• Cancellations 10 days or more prior are fully refundable however we much prefer to rebook you as you don't want to miss a stay at Ripples.
• Cancellations received 5 -10 days prior are 50% refundable.
• Cancellations within 5 days or less days of your date of arrival are non refundable.
• For Covid_19 affected stays please contact us as we will rebook you to another avialable date of your choice for the same value. Even if you are staying at the time or are within the 5 days of your stay. We also offer full refunds for bookings made through our website, however we have rebooked all our Covid affected guests as they didn't want to miss their stay at Ripples :-)
• If you wish to change your booking please contact us

How do we get to you?

Ripples is accessed directly off the sealed Mangaotaki Rd on a short flat driveway suitable for all vehicles. You will be sent a confirmation with your booking and a 4 digit entry code. There is a black lockbox under the covered deck on the closest post. When you punch in the number, the lockbox will open to reveal the key to the front sliding door. If you go away for the day we recommend that you place the key back in the lockbox (you will need to enter the code again to lock it); this avoids any lost keys. PLEASE USE THESE DIRECTIONS AS SOME GPS UNITS CAN TAKE A LONGER ROUTE ON UNSEALED ROADS Travel on State Highway 3 to Piopio Turn west up Kaka St at the Gas Station at the Southern end of Piopio Village Veer left off Kaka St onto Mangaotaki Rd Continue up Mangaotaki Road for 13.14 kms unti you see the Ripples sign on the right approximately 15 minutes from Piopio. Please note that Google Earth shows 1314 Mangaotaki Rd 1 km closer to Piopio than it actually is.

Where is the nearest Supermarket and Petrol Station?

Four Square (dairy) 15 minutes away in Piopio SH3 New World Te Kuiti 35 minutes North on Rora St Gas petrol station in Piopio 15 minutes away on Kaka St All other major petrol stations are in Te Kuiti

How many nights can we stay for?

The usual minimum night stay is 2 nights, however if there is a 1 night gap between bookings we'd love you to stay for 1 night with an extra charge for cleaning. Long weekends and some holiday periods have a 3 night minimum stay.

Is there a minimum number of nights?

Yes there is a standard minimum 2 night stay. Long weekends and some holiday periods have a minimum 3 night stay.

What do I need to bring?

We supply luxury linens at Ripples including hemp, cotton or linen sheets, soft spa towels, complimentary dressing gowns and tea towels etc. We also have extra towels which you are welcome to use if needed but we try to be a sustainable as possible and encourage the use of 1 towel per person for short stays.

You will need to bring swimming towels for the river and we recommend you bring a good pair of walking shoes, a raincoat, sunscreen, sun hat, insect repellent and your personal toiletries.

There is complimentary hand soap, bodywash, laundry powder, dishwashing detergent and we have a full First Aid Kit and an "Opps I forgot box" with some extras that you may have forgotten.